The Hokkien Temple at Singapore
This is a handsome building about sixty feet wide and one hundred and twenty long. It is built in imitation of the temples in China. It has five doors covered with a roof; the pillars, rafters, and beams being beautifully carved in the most fantastic devices; and richly painted with gold and vermilion. The main entrance is guarded by two stone lions, one with its mouth closed; the other with it slightly open with a ball of stone inside far larger than the aperture of the mouth, which must have been sculptured inside as it is far too large to have been inserted. Over the centre door is the name of the temple “Thien Hok Keong”. The temple is built on a piece of ground purchased by the Hokiens for the purpose, and the names of the original subscribers are perpetuated on tablets built into the wall of the gateway. The temple was long under the care of the late Tan Tock Seng, who was treated as the head of the Hokiens when Singapore was first settled; and since his death the building has been under the special care of his son Tan Kim Ching the Siamese Consul, who is called the Captain China by his countrymen although the title and position have long since been abolished by the Government. Great credit is due to this gentleman for the care he takes of the temple and the beautiful order he keeps it in. Although it is frequented by the Chinese of all sections it is called the Hokien temple.
After passing through the gateway you cross an open paved square courtyard. At the entrance of the temple is placed a large pagoda shaped urn in which sacrificial papers are burnt. The principal temple is then entered; a large building dedicated to the virgin goddess: Thien Siang Seng Bo” commonly called “Mah Choh Poh”. She is the Queen of Heaven, “Tien-how”; Davis says, “she is worshipped by the Buddhists, concerning whom the legend says, that she was a native of Fuhkien and distinguished in early life for her devotion and celibacy. She became deified during the 13th century under the Soong dynasty and, having originated in a maritime province she is the peculiar patroness of seafaring people, who erect altars and temples to her on shore and implore her protection on the water. She is supposed to have control of the weather; and in seasons of severe drought the Government issues proclamations, commanding a general fast and abstinence from animal
food; the local magistrate in his official capacity, goes to the temples and remains fasting and praying for successive days and nights, supplicating for rain.”
The main building is supported by highly carved granite pillars brought from China, and the roof is a blaze of gold and vermilion. The carving is most ingenious and appears in every nook and corner. Numerous handsome lanterns hang suspended from the rafters. On the right of the goddess is an idol called “Kwan-teh-yia” or “Heap Thien Thie Teh,” he guards it is said the entrance of heaven. On the left is the idol called “Tai-to-kong” or “Po-Seng-Thie-Yeh,” he watches over the sick and afflicted. Both these idols represent jolly looking elderly gentlemen, evidently ancient sages. On the right and left of “Mah Choh Poh” standing on the floor of the temple are huge figures with hideous faces, the one on the left pointing to his ear; the one on the right having large prominent eyes, and painted a dark brown color. The first represents an attendant of the virgin who hears everything, and the other an attendant who sees further than most people. Possibly the two figures are symbolical of the all seeing and all hearing attributes of the favorite goddess. These two images are common in the temples in China. Before the goddess are placed two gigantic imitations of wax candles eight or ten feet long and about five inches in diameter painted red; also three or four great false incense sticks; the tops of these are hollow and on festivals, lamps are placed in the candles and incense sticks and lighted. To lookers on the candles and joss sticks look real and have a fine effect. On tables placed before the idol are immense
brass urns and vases to hold incense sticks that are lighted and placed there by worshippers. Flower vases and ornaments of divers kinds are placed before the goddess, the gifts of devout and pious Chinamen.
Under one of the tables are the figures of two stone animals with a young one between said to represent a tiger, tigress, and their cub; but it is difficult to say what they represent unless some mythical characters worshipped by the Chinese which are represented by these grotesque figures. People who reside in country places propitiate the tigers it is said by being respectful to these figures. So a few incense sticks are placed before them and obeisance made.
Behind the main temple is a small building devoted to the worship of Buddha. His figure, the well known cross legged image of Ceylon, Birmah, and India, is enthroned on a table by himself, rather more elaborately decorated than he is usually seen. On his head is placed a Chinese skull cap, and on his shoulders a blue satin cloak. Immediately behind on a high stand are the figures of the Hindu trinity or Buddhist triad and before them three other images; one unmistakably, the many armed Doorgah of the Hindu mythology. Most of these images are draped in blue satin. There are six priests attached to this temple, and the building is in charge of a Hindu policeman.
On tables set before “Mah Choh Poh” in the main building are placed the usual crescent shaped lots having a flat and convex side; these are frequently used. Lots are also placed before “Kwan-teh-yia” and “Taito-kong”. These idols are continually consulted upon every conceivable emergency. If a man is about to venture upon any entreprise he appears before the virgin, or one of the other idols, takes up the lots and throws them up in the air. If they fall with both flat sides uppermost, the venture will prove lucky, the god is supposed to be pleased. If both convex sides are up the god is displeased and the enterprise must be abandoned. If one flat and one convex side appear, then the omen is considered the luckiest and on no account to be abandoned. Before the last mentioned idols stand an idol on each side supposed to be messengers who are ready to obey the behests of their masters. The goddess and the two idols are merely regarded as intercessors.
Upon the right and left of the temples are rooms separated by twenty or thirty feet from the temples. In one of the rooms on the right is an idol called “Khia Lam Yia”. He inquires into the conduct of the dead on their leaving the world. Those who have done good in this world are sent back again as rich and lucky men as a reward for their good conduct; and those who have done evil are sent back as tigers, buffaloes, alligators or beasts of burthen to suffer for their wickedness. In the Chinese Gleaner Dr. Morrison says “After the trials are over (at death) the more eminently good ascend to paradise; the middling
class return to earth in other bodies, to enjoy riches and houses; while the wicked are to remain in hell, or transformed into various animals, whose disposition and habits they imitated during their past lives”.
At four o’clock in the morning and again at four in the afternoon service is conducted in the Buddhist temple. The priests are closely shaven and with one or two exceptions are intelligent looking men. They have enough to live on and are allowed a cook to provide their daily meals. As the bell strikes four one of the priests dresses himself first in a white surplice, and over that he wears a long grey coat. He then lights two lamps before Buddha, takes a short rolling pin in each hand, opens a book written in Chinese characters and commences to chant in Gregorian tones very slowly, raising and lowering his voice from time
to time melodiously enough and striking at certain pauses, first with the stick in his right hand on a hollow tortoise shaped piece of wood; and then with his left hand on a clear sounding metal bell. Occasionally striking with both hands at the same time. This performance on the bell and tortoise is probably to keep the god wide awake. The chanting gets faster and faster as the priest goes on. The Chinese who had assembled in curiosity, and those who accompanied the writer were certainly unimpressed by the ceremony. One man learned in Chinese classics, who spoke Malay fluently told the writer that, he did not understand a word that the priest was saying, and he was sure the priests were as ignorant themselves. We asked a priest if he understood the books; he said no, that it was a sacred and mysterious language understood only by the gods. The Baba read a page of the book aloud, the words were Chinese it is true, but conveyed no meaning to the reader’s mind nor to the minds of those who were listening. The priests said the books had been brought from China…
In the Buddhist temple hang four ancient pictures, very dirty, and nearly effaced; they have hung there ever since the temple was built and may not be removed. Each picture has a legend attached to it of the most childish nature. They are called the tiger picture; the water miracle; the bird picture; and the discover of fire. The Baba related the following legend in connection with the tiger picture. Hock Leong was a wicked priest and fell into bad straits when one day accompanied by another wicked priest he went to an old woman’s house and begged for food. He said he and his companion were dying for want of something to eat. The old lady took compassion on them and immediately commenced to chase a cock which was feeding in the yard. The priest at this moment saw a grasshopper fly into a spider’s web and fall into
the spider’s clutches and the cock ran up and swallowed the spider and his victim. The old woman caught the cock and killed it. The priests said they could not eat the cock because he had three spirits in him; the spirit of the spider, and grasshopper besides his own. As the old woman had nothing else to give them they wandered on. After several days of fruitless search for food Hock Leong told his friend to leave him to die, which he did, and the former went to the sea-side to drown himself. He cast himself into the sea when a great sea dragon, doubtless the sea serpent, took him up and carried him off to a place of bliss. The other priest went into the forest to kill himself when he met an immense tiger. The wicked priest asked the latter if he would eat him, he said
no, and did not; but helped him in some way to relieve his hunger, and then told him to get on his back, which he did, and he was also borne aloft to a place of happiness. Why the wicked priests should have been so blest deponent sayeth not. Another legend: The discoverer of fire set out to find out for himself where fire was got from; and after several days of search and much fatigue when he was about to give in he threw himself down on a rock to rest his weary limbs, and there meditated. A happy thought occurred to him and in his joy he struck his staff into the ground when to his surprise a flame of fire issued. The old gentleman had been sitting on a volcano and did not know it.
However he discovered that the centre of the earth was fire and thence the phenomenon issued. This discoverer of fire was also translated to heaven or paradise. The heathens of old said that Prometheus stole fire from heaven and introduced it to man, but the Chinese legend ascribes the introduction to a different source.
The Baba had forgotten the legends connected with the bird picture and water miracle. In each however the hero ends by being translated to heaven and becoming a god. The temple faces the sea, and opposite the gateway, across the public road, a rich Chinese gentleman, Mr. Cheang Hong Lim, the present Opium Farmer has built a theatre and presented it to the trustees of the temple for the performances of plays during the festivals. The plays can be clearly seen by “Mah Choh Poh”, and her attendant gods through the gateway. Occasional performances are given by men who are lucky in business and made extraordinary hits; often the result of the lucky omens of the gods. The priests were very polite and hospitable placing before us small cups of delicious Bohea and drinking with us with great gusto; saluting and bowing with usual Chinese dignity and grace. One of them who had just arrived from China would have been better for a good scrubbing. Marriages amongst the Hokiens are sometimes celebrated in one of the side rooms of the temple; and Mr. Tan Kim Cheng has wisely established a registry of marriages among his countrymen on his own authority, which is becoming generally availed of by the people, and must be found exceedingly beneficial to the Chinese community.
新加坡闽帮庙宇（天福宫）
这是一座美丽的建筑物，大约60 英尺宽，120 英尺长。它是仿照中国的寺庙建造的。它有五扇门，门上有一个屋顶；柱子、椽子和横梁用最奇妙的装置雕刻得非常漂亮；并用黄金和朱砂漆得非常华丽。正门有两个石狮把守，一个嘴闭着，另一个微微张口，口中有一个石球，远远大于嘴的孔径，因为它太大了，插不进去，所以一定是在里面雕刻的。正门上方是寺庙的名字“天福宫”。寺庙建在闽帮人士为建庙购买的一块土地上，建庙捐款人的名字永久保存在大门墙上的石碑上。这庙长期由已故的陈笃生管理，自新加坡开埠以来，他就被视为闽帮的首领。去世后，其子暹罗驻新加坡领事陈金钟继续细心管理天福宫。他被坡中侨民尊称为华人甲必丹，虽然此衔头早已为政府废除。这位侨领对寺庙的悉心照料和井然有序的管理，功不可没。虽然所有华人都常到此庙上香，但它被称为 “闽帮庙宇”。
穿过大门后，你会穿过一个空旷的正方形庭院。庙的入口处放着一个大宝塔形的瓮，用来烧金银纸。然后进入主殿，一座硕大的建筑供奉着得道室女天上圣母，俗称妈祖婆。她是天后、天妃。戴维斯说: “她被佛教徒顶礼膜拜，传说她是福建人，早年因虔诚和独身而出名。她在13 世纪宋朝时期被神化，由于她来自一个沿海省份，她成为海员独特的守护神，他们在岸上为她设立祭坛和庙宇，在海上祈求她的保护。她据说能控制气象；在严重干旱的季节，政府发布公告，命令大家禁食，吃斋；地方官以官职身份，到寺庙里，连续几天几夜禁食，不停地求雨。”
主楼由从中国运来的雕刻精美的花岗岩柱子支撑着，屋顶闪耀着金色和朱红色的光芒。雕刻最精巧，出现在每个角落。多个漂亮的灯笼悬挂在椽子上。妈祖右边是关帝爷或玄天大帝，据说祂负责守天门。左边则是大道公或保生大爷，祂医无贵贱、慈悲济世。这两个神像看上去是神情愉快的高龄君子，显然是古代圣贤。在妈祖婆左右两侧，有两个面目狰狞侍从的巨大塑像，左边是指着他的耳朵的顺风耳; 右边是有着突出的大眼睛的千里眼，颜色是深棕色的。顺风耳什么都能听到，另一个千里眼比大多数人看得更远。这两个侍从可能象征着这位最受欢迎女神的耳聪目明特征。顺风耳和千里眼在中国的寺庙里很常见。在妈祖前面放着两根巨大的蜡制假蜡烛，蜡烛有八到十英尺长，直径约五英寸，涂成红色; 又有三四根大假香。这些顶部是空心的，在节日里，备油灯点燃香烛。对旁观者来说，蜡烛和香看起来犹如真的一样，效果很好。放在神像前的桌子上有巨大的黄铜瓮和花瓶，用来盛香，供信徒点燃和放置在那里。各种各样的花瓶和装饰品摆在女神面前，是虔诚的华人信徒供奉的。
其中一张桌子下面是两个石刻动物间中带一幼崽的塑像，据说代表老虎、虎妞和虎崽；但是很难说它们代表了什么，除非某些华人崇拜的神秘人物由这些狰狞的塑像代表。居住在乡村的人们通过拜虎爷祈求它勿伤害人畜。所以在它们面前摆上几根香，奉祀它们。
在主殿的后面有一座小楼供奉佛祖。祂的塑像，属于著名的锡兰、缅甸和印度的盘腿像，独立被供奉在一神坛上，比通常看到的要精心装饰得多。祂的头上戴着一顶中国式的盔帽，肩上披着一件蓝色缎子斗篷。紧靠在后面的高台上是印度教的三位圣人或佛教的三圣像，而在祂们前面，还有另外三个塑像；其中一个毫无疑问是印度教神话中的千手神祗。这些塑像大多用蓝色缎子覆盖。庙里有六名和尚，整座庙由一名印度警察把守。
在大殿的妈祖婆神坛，摆放着月牙形的杯筊，杯筊的一面是平（阳）的，一面是凸（阴）的; 这些（占卜工具）常被使用。在关帝爷和大道公神坛也有。这些神祗不断受到咨询，于任何想象得到的急事。如果一个人要创业，他会在妈祖或其他神明面前掷筊。如果两片平筊（阳）面朝上，那是好筊，神示创业会顺利。（编译者注：其实这是笑筊，表示行事状况不明，可以重新再掷筊请示神明）。 如两阴面（两凸面）表示神明不悦，不宜行事。如一阳一阴（一平一凸）则是最佳神示，表示事事顺利，在任何情况下都不应该放弃。在妈祖神像之前，两边各立一个神像，应该是信使，准备听从主人的命令。妈祖和两个信使仅仅被视为代祷者。
在寺庙的左右两侧是一些房间，它们与寺庙相隔二三十英尺。在右边的一个房间里有一个名为伽兰爷的神明。祂调查死者离开人世时的行为。那些在现世为善的人会（在来世）被送回来成为富人和幸运儿，作为对他们善举的奖励。而那些为非作歹的人会在来世成为老虎、水牛、鳄鱼或驮货的畜牲，为他们的恶行受罪。在《中国搜闻》一书中，马礼逊博士说：“（在死亡）审判结束后，上等好人会升入天堂；中等好人会通过其他身体转世回到人间，享受荣华富贵；而恶人则会留在地狱，或变成各种动物，相应模仿他们前世作恶多端的性格和习惯。”
庙中和尚在早上4 点和下午4 点念经。和尚的头都剃得很光。除了一两个例外，其他看起来都很聪明。他们足以维生，并得一厨师为他们提供日常伙食。当钟声敲四响的时候，有一个和尚先穿上了一件白色的法衣，外面是一件灰色的长外套。他在佛陀前点了两盏灯，两手各拿一个小擀面杖，打开一本汉字书，开始用天主教堂吟唱圣歌的语调很慢地诵经，时而提高嗓门，时而压低嗓门，音调抑扬顿挫，不时停顿一下，先是右手拿着那根棍子，敲打在一块空的乌龟形状的木头上; 然后左手敲打一能是为了让神保持清醒。和尚诵经声越来越快。那些好奇地聚集在一起的华人，以及那些陪同作者的人，肯定对这个仪式不感兴趣。一位精通中国古典文学并能说流利马来语的人告诉作者，他听不懂和尚在说什么，他相信和尚自己也不懂。我们问一个和尚他是否理解这些书; 他说不理解，那是一种神圣而神秘的语言，只有神才能理解。峇峇（土生华人）大声地读了一页书，里面的字无疑是中文，但对读者和听众都没有任何意义。和尚们说这些书是从中国带来的……
佛庙里挂着四幅古画，脏兮兮的，几乎被遗忘了；自庙建成后，这些古画就一直挂在那里，可能无法移去。每张图画都附有一个最幼稚的传说。它们被称为虎图；水的奇迹；鸟图；火的发现。峇峇讲述有关虎图的传说如下：福亮是一个邪恶的和尚，他穷途潦倒。有一天他和另一个邪恶的和尚一起去一个老妇人的家里乞讨食物。他说他和他的同伴饿得要命。老妇人同情他们，并立即开始追赶一只在院子里觅食的公鸡。这时，和尚看见一只蚱蜢飞进了蜘蛛网，落在了蜘蛛的魔爪里，公鸡跑了上来，把蜘蛛和受害者吞了下去。老妇人抓住公鸡，杀了它。两个和尚说他们不能吃公鸡，因为它有三个灵魂在里面：蜘蛛的灵魂，蚱蜢的灵魂及公鸡本身的灵魂。由于那老妇人没有别的东西可以施舍给他们，他们就四处游荡。经过几天无果的食物搜寻，福亮告诉他的朋友让他去死吧。于是他去寻死，他就走到海边溺死自己。当他投进大海时，一条巨大的海龙，毫无疑问是海蛇，把他带到一个极乐的地方去。另一位和尚要去森林自杀时遇到一只巨大的老虎。邪恶的和尚问后者是否愿意吃他，它说不，没有吃他; 不过老虎还是以某种方式帮助他减轻了饥饿感。然后又叫他骑到背上去，他照着做，于是老虎把他送到一个幸福的地方。为何邪恶的和尚如此蒙福发过誓的人也说不准。另
一个传说：火的发现者出发去寻找火源; 经过几天的劳碌奔波，却一无所获，当他即将放弃的时候，他躺在一块岩石上，让他疲惫的四肢得到休息，在那里沉思。这时他想到了快乐的事情，兴高采烈的用手杖击地，突然，一道火光窜出来。这位老者还不知道他就坐在一座火山上。但后来他发现地心是火，于是会产生这种现象。火的发现也曾归因于天堂。古老的异教徒说普罗米修斯从天堂偷走了火并把它引介到人间，但是中国的传说把它归因于另一个来源。
峇峇已经忘记了关于鸟图和水的奇迹的传说。然而，在每一个故事中，主人公最终都到了天堂，成为神。庙面朝大海，一位富有的鸦片承包商章芳林在庙正门马路对面（空地）建立了一个戏台，并把它赠送给庙的信托人以便在节日期间演戏。妈祖婆及庙内诸神从大门可以清楚地看戏。偶尔那些幸运的商人因求神指点迷津应验而赚大钱，因此感恩还神演戏。诸和尚都彬彬有礼，热情好客，在我们面前摆上小杯可口的普洱茶，兴致勃勃地和我们一起喝茶，以华人的尊贵礼仪敬礼鞠躬。其中一个刚从中国来的最好能先事洗刷。福建人的婚礼有时会在庙内一个侧房里隆重举行; 陈金钟先生凭着威望，明智地为同乡建立了婚姻登记制度，此制度已普遍为人民所遵行，并对华人社会极为有益。
