ON the birthday of Hua Gu, the deity of flowers, singletons and anxious parents head to the historical Thai Pak Koong (Ng Suk) Temple in Penang to offer prayers not just for romance and marriage, but also stronger ties.
Her birthday falls on the 12th day of the second lunar month.
Among devotees at the temple in Lebuh King, George Town, were tour guide Chow Ah Keong, 59, and wife Lee Chon Kim, 51, who came from Ipoh to pray that their eldest son would find a life partner.
“We have three children, but the younger two are already dating.
“Only the eldest, who is 33 this year and works in Germany, is still single.
“He is an analyst for an insurance company and has been living there for about eight years, coming back only once every two years.
“We hope he will find a special someone soon to support him and start a family,” said Chow.
Johnny Soo, 43, was visiting for the first time after his mother suggested he seek Hua Gu’s blessings.
“Though my requirements are not high, I have not managed to start a relationship.
“I just hope to meet someone who is supportive and easy to get along with,” said the optician.
Pet hotel manager Chua Kaven, 32, from Johor, said her visit was more for gratitude.
She came with her friend Stone Oh, 33, to give thanks for answered prayers.
“We first came in 2023 to pray for better relationships, not only between ourselves, as we have known each other for more than 10 years, but also with friends and other people.
“Things have improved since then, so we came back to express our gratitude and hope the blessings will continue.”
Temple chairman Foo Yen Chow said the annual celebration had grown into a cultural event aimed at preserving traditional beliefs while drawing more visitors to the heritage site.
She said the temple had been actively promoting the celebration since 2023, with this year’s edition introducing the “12 Flower Princesses” who each represented a month in the year in line with traditional Chinese flower deity culture.
“What began as a religious ritual has today become a cultural occasion.”
She said Hua Gu symbolised renewal, prosperity and the blossoming of all things.
“Devotees do not come only to pray for romance or marriage.
“Many also seek harmonious relationships, family happiness and support from benefactors.
“It is not just about finding a partner, but also about wishing for better bonds with loved ones such as friends and family.”
To mark the celebration, the temple prepared special offerings and gift packs featuring symbolic elements such as plum blossoms, red string, floral water and bamboo baskets.
Established in 1810, Thai Pak Koong (Ng Suk) Temple is dedicated to the deity of prosperity.
In 2021, it received the Unesco Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation, making it one of nine award-winning projects selected from six countries, the others being Bangladesh, China, India, Thailand and Japan.
Kicking off with documentation work in 2015, the RM3mil restoration and conservation project started in 2017 and took 32 months to complete, with the work recognised for excellence in understanding of place, technical achievement, sustainability and impact.
