Historic Cheng Hoon Teng Temple in Melaka celebrates 350th anniversary

MELAKA: The nation’s oldest active place of worship, the Cheng Hoon Teng Temple in Jalan Tokong here has marked its milestone 350th anniversary by showcasing its proud heritage.

The temple’s chief caretaker Chan Weng Keng said his team had painstakingly searched archived century-old records to organise this year’s celebration in a bid to preserve its historical significance and to turn the anniversary into a meaningful event.

“This temple is one of the oldest religious structures in the country and also a treasure trove of history that reveals the secrets of the Chinese community’s vibrant past in this state.

“Hence, we searched all the records available ... when organising the anniversary, with the aim of connecting the current generation with their ancestral roots,” he said in an interview here yesterday.

Chan said the temple itself is a sanctuary for history buffs and those keen to seek information on the early Chinese settlers here.

He said the celebration also saw devotees coming from as far as the United States, United Kingdom, China, Taiwan and Singapore.

Chan said the five-day event, which started on Wednesday and ends tomorrow, has so far seen some 500 overseas devotees attending the events to commemorate the temple’s anniversary.

“We expect more devotees from abroad to visit and offer prayers over the weekend,” he said, adding that people also usually take the opportunity to search for information on their ancestors.

The temple conducted similar commemorative events right up to 1933, said Chan.

“It has been 90 years since the last event was held and with the assistance of over 100 volunteers, we were able to preserve the temple’s tradition in this year’s celebration, including offering an array of customary items to the deities,” he said.

Chan said the temple combines nuances of Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism including offerings made in Peranakan Chinese style.

Based on the history of the temple, it was recorded that Cheng Hoon Teng probably has existed since the 15th century.

However, 1673 was touted as its founding year after additional structures were constructed under the leadership of Kapitan Li Wei King @ Koon Chang with materials imported from China.

In 1801, the temple structures were again renovated under the administration of Kapitan Chua Su Cheong @ Tok Ping, who was the father of Choa Chong Long, the first Kapitan of Singapore.

The temple was awarded a Unesco award for outstanding architectural restoration in 2003.