Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara (Guan Yin) Renunciation Day

Guan Yin Renunciation Day (观世音菩萨出家日), the day she became a nun, falls on the 19th day of the 9th Lunar month 农历九月十九 (19 Oct 2016). Thian Hock Keng celebrates this day with a Buddhist ritual. The temple has Lamps of Blessings for devotees to offer for one's good fortune and well-being. In the evening, Siong Leng Musical Association will put up Nanyin performances in the temple. Nanguan (南管), also known as Nanyin, is a style of Chinese classical music originated in the southern Chinese province of Fujian. It is typically melodic and employs four basic scales. Catch this traditional performance on 19 Oct 2016 at 8pm at Thian Hock Keng.

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A Piece of History - The Original Guan Yin Statue in Thian Hock Keng

The original Guan Yin statue in Thian Hock Keng was a wood carved statue covered in gold leaves. Academicians who researched on and published the book "Pearl of the South Seas" (南海明珠) in 2010 deduced that the statue was brought in from Pu Tuo Shan ( 普陀山 ) Zhejiang, China by Venerable Guang Tong ( 广通大师 ) in 1919 for a prayer ritual. The statute is now kept and was last displayed in 2012 during an exhibition organized in conjunction with the 7th World Fujian Convention. To read more about the statue, please click here.

Do You Know?

There are live bats within Thian Hock Keng temple. Bat carvings can also be seen in the temple's architecture. Find them when you are there!

Confucius Birthday

Thian Hock Keng celebrated Confucius Birthday (孔子诞) on 25 and 27 Sep with cultural performances and prayer ritual. Watch our video and head over to our FB for more photos. Thian Hock Keng SHARE FORWARD 158 Telok Ayer Street Singapore 068613 (65) 6423 4616 www.thianhockkeng.com.sg