Tien Hau, an old Temple on a Hill

After breakfast this morning we visited the Tien Hau Temple on the top of a hill. At night we can see from our apartment, the bright red lights of the thousands of lanterns at the temple site glowing like a ruby in the dark sky.


Many tourists and locals were already there, with devotees offering prayers & fruit. The smell of incense from the joss sticks filled the air as we drew near the temple. Just within the entrance of the temple grounds is a large statue of Guan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy.


Across the other side are statues of the 18 immortals.


Sculptures of the 12 zodiac animals are placed strategically in the grounds so that visitors can take photographs.

Each of us took photos with the zodiac animal under which we were born. My grandson Stephen was born in the year of the Tiger so here we have a picture of him with the Tiger.


There is also a large paper Dragon on the lower ground of the temple.


At one end of the temple is a cluster of tigers with one leaping towards the sky.


Inside the temple are deities to whom devotees pay obeisance.

A pair of lions were on the floor in front of a large drum and cymbals.


A short while later, the dancers came up and donning the lion heads, they began to dance. They pranced into the temple to pay their respects to the deities within.


When they emerged, they danced
and then allowed the visitors to “feed” them (with red ang pows) after which they gave the visitors an orange each, in return. The orange will bring luck to the recipient.

I also fed the lion an ang pow and I got an orange in return which we later shared among us.


It was a very interesting morning as this is the first time my grandchildren visited this temple and saw the lions close up. Old as I am, I never fail to be thrilled by the lions dancing to the rhythm of the thunderous drum and clashing cymbals. Old and young alike, are usually enthralled by the lion dance, a distinctive feature in the celebration of the Lunar New Year.



This temple also solemnises Chinese marriages and my daughter told me that even the Indians hold their wedding celebrations in a hall at the temple. One of her Indian friends had her wedding celebration there. I thought this was most interesting indeed.