My Time….Chinese temple in Malaysia / 馬來西亞神廟文化.

Then Sze Khoon-Seremban / 天師宫-芙蓉

aka Wu Gong San / 蜈蚣山, Centipede Hill, Persatuan Penganut Dewa Then Sze Seremban

Location:-Ulu Temiang, Seremban, Negeri Sembilan / 沉香, 芙蓉, 森美兰州.

Established here in Bukit Jung in 1864. This is one of the century old temple that has became a beautiful tourist attraction. Located on top the hill, one would need to climb some 176 steps before reaching the temple. There is an alternative road in but due to some on going beautification works, we had to take the old route. Along the way up to the temple, there is a shrine dedicated to Da Bo Gong / 大伯公 and a huge prosperity toad / 招財蟾蜍 for devotees to pray and snaps some photos. When we reach the the temple, we were able to find some seats by the side to enjoy the beautiful view while gasping for air after those steps.

The main altar is dedicated to the worshipped to its main patron deity the Celestial Master Zhang, Zhang Tian Shi / 张天師 also know as Zhang Dao Ling / 张道陵. I came to know later than this altar is specially built to slant a few degrees so that the deity is always looking at the peak of the opposite hill known as Bukit Sudu ( GPS: 2.773448, 101.946374). Other deities inshrined inside this temple includes Guan Yin Pu Sa / 觀音菩薩, Tai Sui / 太歲, etc.

Near the Tian Gong Altar outside the main prayer hall, an altar is built dedicated to the worshipped of Yang Xing Jun / 太陽星君, Tai Yin Xing Jun / 太陰星君, Qi Tian Da Sheng / 齊天大聖, Tai Shang Lao Jun / 太上老君 and Huang Lao Xian Shi / 黄老仙師.

After some photos in the main prayer hall, the care taker, whom was busy at that moment, told us to take the step by the side of the temple to visit it’s other shrine and attraction behind the main temple.

Following the steps, we came upon a newly built temple dedicated to the worshipped of Guan Sheng Da Di / 關聖大帝. On the altar here, the life size statue of Lord Guan sit grandly looking towards a section of Seremban town. Other attraction found around includes life size Eight immortal commonly known as Ba Xian / 八仙, Yue Lao Xing Jun / 月佬星君, Character of The Journey To the West / 西遊記 with the monkey god looking a far, Eighteen Arhat / Shi Ba Lou Han / 十八羅漢, Na Du Gong / 嗱督公 shrine and also a huge statue of Guan Yin Pu Sa / 觀音菩薩 standing grandly in front of a wishing pond fill with beautiful koi’s. There is also a pagoda built for those that want to have a birds eyes view of the surrounding.

The walk bought us back to the main temple where the caretaker was free to talk to us. Introduced to us as Mr Chow, whom is one of the many caretaker of the temple, shared some of his knowledge on the surrounding and this temple. According to him, the surrounding used to have quite a numbers of centipede running around but as years pass the numbers has decline. This he said could be due to climate change. Pointing to a photo of a gold colored head centipede hung behind the joss counter, he explained that the photo was taken not long ago and said that this particular centipede would mysteriously appear in the temple on special occasions. He further reiterate that If you spot a centipede, good fortune will befall upon you.

According to the caretaker, this is said to be the oldest Taoist temple in Seremban and was founded by a Taoist priest named Zhong San Koon. Image of its pioneers are found by the wall in the prayer hall. Back then, it was a very difficult task to built this temple due to its terrain. Mostly contributed by nearby villagers, much man power where put into building this place as materials need to be carried up here without machinery.

An ancient bell hanging next to drum near the main altar is inscribed with the date 2nd year of the Tongzhi reign. The reign of Tong Zhi emperor, the tenth emperor of the Qing Dynasty, begins on 11 November 1861 so this bell should be dated between 12 November 1862 till 11 November 1863. Suggesting that this place could be older that the said establish date i found on the leaflet given to me by Mr Chow.

Below:-The view towards Bukit Sudu

Below is brief translation on the history of the hill and temple i’ve found on the leaflet.

The legend to this hill starts with a young man whom had leave his home town in search of a better fortune. Fortunately for him, he became very successful but he did not fulfil his duty as a filial son to his mother. And of that, the gods transform him into a rock that shaped like a ship to be place at Bukit Jung. Mysteriously, according to legend, there was always a centipede that is seen next to the rock ship. Nobody knows why but the stories has it that there is a probability that the centipede is the reincarnation of the young man’s mother. So from then on, this hill became know as Wu Gong Shan or Centipede Hill. Today, a Na To Gong shrine has been built in front of the said rock ship.

The history of this temple begins sometime around the 19th century and at that time, this hill was fill with poisonous snake and ferocious animal that affect the safety of the villagers nearby. Due to this, the villages invited the Deity Then Sze so to provide protection to those that visits the hill. Through mediumship, the deity then instructed the villagers to build a the temple on the top of this hill. While in the search of a proper location to build the temple, villagers found a bunch on josstick stuck on the ground. And as seem like a destined pointer, the temple was built on the same spot.

Below:-Don’t be despair if you don’t see one, Well on this day, i guess the only centipede i saw was this huge one outside.