Gie Yong Bio Temple — Attraction in Central Java

This temple was built in 1780 to honor the brave ancestors on the banks of the Babagan River. Its purpose was to honor Lasem's heroes in the war against the VOC (1742-1750). This war was a series of resistance from the people of Lasem-Rembang and its surroundings against the rule of the Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie (VOC) in Semarang (1741-1742) and Lasem (1750). This conflict arose as a result of the chinese-camp (Pecinan) commotion in Batavia, where more than half of the city's Chinese population was killed in 1740 by the VOC. This killing resulted in a large-scale migration of the Chinese population from Batavia to Semarang and Lasem. A duke in Lasem took in these refugees. The leaders of this movement included Raden Panji Margono, Oei Ing Kiat,...

A smaller temple compared to Tjoe An Kiong in Lasem, but it carries a strong historical theme of unity between the Chinese and Javanese in their struggle against the Dutch. One of the unique aspects here is the presence of a statue for worship dedicated to Raden Mas Panji Margono, reflecting this shared history.

The temple's wall paintings are in need of restoration, but the overall atmosphere remains rich with cultural significance. On the practical side, the parking area is very spacious, making it convenient for visitors. A meaningful place to explore for those interested in history...

It is absolutely not a Buddhist temple but Chinese temple with 3 religions covered: Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. But as a town which is regarded as "Little China", I expected a better treatment of her cultural heritages such as this temple. But unfortunately this was not the case. This very old (if not one of the oldest) Chinese temple in Java is almost like abandoned compared to the other new but gorgeous famous Chinese temples. But I love the staffs over there, very friendly and introduced me to the totok...