Tua Pek Kong Temple very much a tourism icon

0

TOURIST ATTRACTION: Sibu Eng Ann Teng Tua Peh Kong temple in Temple Road, Sibu.

Chua Wan Beng

SIBU: Sibu Eng Ann Teng Tua Pek Kong temple in Temple Road here has remained a tourism icon, with temple committee secretary Chua Wan Beng saying it has its uniqueness as a tourist attraction.

“Apart from its rich architecture and location, the history of the temple itself has been attracting thousands of visitors.

“Aged more than 100 years, the temple had witnessed among others, the Japanese occupation and British supremacy,” she said when met at the temple yesterday.

She said its history dated back as far as 1871.

“A small wooden Chinese temple in Sibu as mentioned in the Sarawak Government’s Report is referring to the temple.

“In 1897, it was rebuilt based on a typical Chinese temple design with tiled roof and stone floor.

“A specially sculptured statue of Tua Pek Kong deity was imported from China,” she said.

She said the big fire that razed a huge part of Sibu town on March 8, 1928 did not affect the temple – considered a miracle by many town folks.

“During World War II in 1945, the Allied Forces bombarded Sibu town damaging the town and the temple. However the deity statue was unharmed in the attack,” she recalled.

The wooden structure temple, she said, was rebuilt after the war and later in 1957 it was reconstructed into a concrete structure.

A renovation was done to both wings, and the belian roof was replaced by a concrete one decorated with dragon and phoenix figurines in 1979, she said.

In 1987, the rear section of the temple was demolished and replaced by a seven-storey pagoda for the worship of the goddess of mercy.

Chua said the pagoda was currently under minor renovation, expected to be completed before year end.

“The work included installation of glass doors to prevent rainwater and birds from entering the pagoda.

“The historical artefacts such as photos, magazines and wooden printing plates will be displayed in glass cases at the third level of the pagoda,” she said.

“Of course you can see bird’s droppings and nests in some parts of the pagoda but that is because there are no doors to stop birds from coming in.

“We have cleaners to clean the temple twice monthly,” Chua said.