Ensiklopedia Dunia

Coordinates: 5°18′50.20″N 100°17′06.71″E / 5.3139444°N 100.2851972°E

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Snake Temple
Malay: Tokong Ular Chinese: 蛇庙

Religion
Affiliation	Buddhism, Taoism, Chinese folk beliefs
Status	Active
Location
Location	Jalan Tokong Ular, Bayan Lepas
Municipality	George Town
State	Penang
Country	Malaysia
Location within George Town
Geographic coordinates	5°18′50.20″N 100°17′06.71″E / 5.3139444°N 100.2851972°E / 5.3139444; 100.2851972
Architecture
Type	Chinese temple
Completed	1805

The Snake Temple (Chinese: 蛇庙; pinyin: Shé Miào; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tsuâ-biō), also known as the Temple of the Azure Clouds,^[1] is a Chinese temple within George Town in the Malaysian state of Penang. Located at Bayan Lepas, the temple is well-known for being a refuge of resident snakes, said to be reincarnated disciples of the deified Buddhist monk Master Qingshui, to whom the temple is dedicated.^[1]^[2]

Devotees from as far away as Singapore, Taiwan and China come to pray in the temple on the monk's birthday (the sixth day of the first lunar month).^[3] It was also featured during the 8th leg of The Amazing Race 16 and become a backdrop of Tan Twan Eng's novel The Gift of Rain (book 1, chapter 4).^[4]

History

The temple was constructed in the 1805 to honour Chor Soo Kong (also known as Master Qingshui), a Buddhist monk who lived during the Song dynasty (960–1279) for his numerous miracles and good deeds especially in healing the sick and giving shelter to snakes.^[1]^[2] When the temple structure was completed in the 1800s, snakes coming from the species of Wagler's pit viper reportedly appeared by themselves.^[1]^[5]

Features

The temple is filled with the smoke of burning incense and a variety of pit vipers.^[6] The vipers are believed to be rendered harmless by the sacred smoke, but as a safety precaution, the snakes have been de-venomed while still retaining their fangs.^[2]^[3] Other species of snakes are also found in the temple.^[2]^[7] Visitors are warned against picking up the reptiles and placing them on their bodies to take pictures. Aside from the snakes, two brick wells known as the "Dragon Eye Wells/Dragon Pure Water Wells" are located inside the temple together with two giant brass bells.^[1] In 2005, a snake breeding centre was set up in the temple.^[2]

Snake dance in the temple compound during night.
The temple exterior.
Viper snakes inside the temple.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Gregory Rodgers (30 May 2018). "A Tour of the Snake Temple in Penang, Malaysia". TripSavvy. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Choong Kwee Kim (9 July 2005). "New lure at snake temple in Penang". The Star. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
^ ^a ^b Erny Suzira (10 January 2016). "Famous places to visit in Malaysia: Penang". The Hive Asia. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
^ Tan Twan Eng. "The Gift of Rain". Goodreads. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
^ Clive Roots (2006). Nocturnal Animals. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 39–. ISBN 978-0-313-33546-4.
^ Alan Teh Leam Seng (16 July 2017). "A Penang Scotsman's legacy". New Straits Times. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
^ Anthony Tan (23 April 2011). "Python the star attraction at Snake Temple". The Star. Retrieved 11 March 2019.

External links

Media related to Snake Temple at Wikimedia Commons

v t e Places of worship in George Town
Mosques	Kapitan Keling Mosque Lebuh Aceh Mosque Penang Floating Mosque Penang State Mosque
Buddhist temples	Dhammikarama Burmese Temple Goddess of Mercy Temple Kek Lok Si Mahindarama Buddhist Temple Nibbinda Forest Monastery Wat Buppharam Wat Chayamangkalaram
Taoist temples	Jade Emperor's Pavilion
Hindu temples	Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Temple Arulmigu Sri Mahamariamman Temple Nattukkottai Chettiar Temple Sri Kunj Bihari Temple
Churches	Church of the Assumption Church of Divine Mercy Church of the Immaculate Conception Church of the Risen Christ Holy Spirit Cathedral St. George's Church Wesley Methodist Church
Multifaith sites	Snake Temple

v t e Prominent Buddhist temples in Malaysia
Keynotes: ♦ Mahāyāna (either Chinese, Taiwanese branches) • ■ Theravāda (either Burmese, Sri Lankan, Thai branches)
Johor	♦ Ching Giap See Temple
Kelantan	■ Wat Phothivihan
Kuala Lumpur	■ Brickfields Temple ♦ Thean Hou Temple
Malacca	♦ Cheng Hoon Teng Temple ♦ Poh Onn Kong Temple [zh] ♦ Xiang Lin Si Temple
Pahang	♦ Chin Swee Caves Temple
Penang	■ Dhammikarama Burmese Temple ♦ Kek Lok Si ♦ Goddess of Mercy Temple ■ Mahindarama Temple ■ Nibbinda Forest Monastery ♦ Snake Temple ■ Wat Buppharam ■ Wat Chayamangkalaram
Perak	♦ Kek Look Seah Temple ♦ Sam Poh Tong Temple ■ Sasanarakkha Sanctuary ■ Sukhavana
Sabah	♦ Che Sui Khor Moral Uplifting Society ♦ Fo Guang Shan Temple ♦ Peak Nam Toong Temple ♦ Pu Tuo Si Temple ♦ Puu Jih Shih Temple
Sarawak	♦ Ching San Yen Temple ♦ Jade Dragon Temple
Selangor	■ Wat Chetawan
Category Buddhism in Malaysia Buddhist temples by country

v t e Prominent Taoist temples in Malaysia
Johor	Johor Bahru Old Chinese Temple
Kuala Lumpur	Sin Sze Si Ya Temple Thean Hou Temple
Malacca	Cheng Hoon Teng Temple Poh Onn Kong Temple [zh] Poh San Teng Temple
Pahang	Chin Swee Caves Temple
Penang	Jade Emperor God Temple Snake Temple
Sabah	Che Sui Khor Moral Uplifting Society Peak Nam Toong Temple Sam Sing Kung Temple Tam Kung Temple
Sarawak	Hong San Si Temple Jade Dragon Temple San Ching Tian Temple Tua Pek Kong Temple, Kuching Tua Pek Kong Temple, Miri Tua Pek Kong Temple, Sibu
Terengganu	Ho Ann Kiong Temple Tian Hou Gong Temple
Category Taoism in Malaysia

Historical buildings, memorials, monuments and sites in Malaysia

West Malaysia

Buildings

Johor	Arulmigu Sri Rajakaliamman Glass Temple Church of the Immaculate Conception Dato' Bentara Luar Mosque Istana Besar Istana Bukit Serene Johor Bahru railway station Johor Bahru Old Chinese Temple Pulau Pisang Lighthouse Sultan Abu Bakar State Mosque Sultan Ibrahim Jamek Mosque Sultan Ibrahim Building Sultanah Aminah Hospital Sultanah Fatimah Specialist Hospital
Kedah	Kedah State Art Gallery Zahir Mosque Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah Gallery Sungai Petani clock tower
Kelantan	Istana Batu Istana Jahar Kampung Laut Mosque
Kuala Lumpur	Buddhist Maha Vihara Coliseum Theatre DBKL City Theatre Hotel Majestic Masjid Jamek Kuala Lumpur railway station Lee Rubber Building National Mosque of Malaysia National Textile Museum Pasar Seni Sin Sze Si Ya Temple Sri Kandaswamy Kovil Sri Mahamariamman Temple Sultan Abdul Samad Building St. John's Cathedral St. Mary's Cathedral Victoria Institution
Malacca	Cheng Hoon Teng Temple Christ Church Church of St. Francis Xavier Cape Rachado Lighthouse Fortress of Malacca Kampung Hulu Mosque Kampung Kling Mosque Malay and Islamic World Museum Malaysia Architecture Museum Malaysia Youth Museum Middelburg Bastion Poh San Teng Temple Proclamation of Independence Memorial Stadthuys St. John's Fort St. Paul's Church St. Peter's Church Straits Chinese Jewellery Museum Sri Poyatha Moorthi Temple Tamil Methodist Church Tranquerah Mosque Undan Island Lighthouse
Negeri Sembilan	Istana Ampang Tinggi Istana Seri Menanti Seremban railway station
Pahang	All Souls' Church Sri Marathandavar Bala Dhandayuthapani Alayam Sultan Abu Bakar Museum
Penang	Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Temple Bank of China Building Cenotaph Church of the Risen Christ City Hall Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion Church of the Assumption Church of the Immaculate Conception Dhammikarama Burmese Temple Eastern & Oriental Hotel Foo Tye Sin Mansion Fort Cornwallis Fort Cornwallis Lighthouse Goddess of Mercy Temple Hin Bus Depot Holy Spirit Cathedral HSBC Building India House Jade Emperor God Temple Jalan Baru Sri Muniswarar Temple Jubilee Clock Tower Kapitan Keling Mosque Kek Lok Si Khoo Kongsi Lebuh Aceh Mosque Mahindarama Buddhist Temple Nattukkottai Chettiar Temple OCBC Building Penang High Court Penang Islamic Department Building Penang Islamic Museum Penang Masonic Temple Penang State Assembly Building Pinang Peranakan Mansion Penang Town Hall Seri Mutiara Thean Kong Thnuah Temple Snake Temple Seri Teratai Sri Mahamariamman Temple St. Anne's Church St. George's Church Suffolk House War Memorial Park Wat Buppharam Wat Chayamangkalaram Woodville
Perak	Al-Ghufran Royal Mausoleum All Saints' Church Church of St. Anthony of Padua Dutch Fort Ipoh railway station Kellie's Castle Leaning Tower of Teluk Intan Panglima Kinta Mosque Perak State Museum Sam Poh Tong Temple Taiping Hospital Ubudiah Mosque
Perlis	Alwi Mosque
Selangor	Alaeddin Mosque Church of Our Lady of Lourdes Klang Hatter's Castle Istana Bandar One Fathom Bank Lighthouse Sri Sunderaraja Perumal Temple Sri Sithi Vinayagar Temple Sultan Sulaiman Mosque Sultan Abdul Aziz Royal Gallery Wat Chetawan
Terengganu	Abidin Mosque Duyong Old Fort Ho Ann Kiong Temple Istana Maziah Rumah Warisan Haji Su Tian Hou Gong Temple

Memorials
and monuments

Site

East Malaysia

Buildings

Labuan	Labuan Chimney Labuan Clock Tower
Sabah	Agnes Keith House Atkinson Clock Tower Batu Tinagat Lighthouse Jesselton Freemason Hall Jesselton Hotel Keningau Heritage Museum Kinarut Mansion Melalap railway station Sabah Tourism Board Sacred Heart Cathedral, Kota Kinabalu Sam Sing Kung Temple Sandakan Heritage Museum Sandakan Jamek Mosque St. Michael's Church, Penampang St. Michael's and All Angels Church, Sandakan Tawau Bell Tower
Sarawak	Chinese History Museum Ching San Yen Temple Fort Alice Fort Hose Fort Margherita Fort Sylvia Hong San Si Temple Islamic Heritage Museum Kuching Old Courthouse Sacred Heart Cathedral, Sibu Sarawak State Museum Square Tower The Astana Tua Pek Kong Temple, Kuching Tua Pek Kong Temple, Miri Tua Pek Kong Temple, Sibu

Memorials
and monuments

Site

Categories:

Hidden categories: