Cheng Hoon Teng Temple — Attraction in Malacca

This temple is of important historical value, representing the oldest of its kind in Malaysia. Cheng Hoong Teng Temple was built around 1645 and has long been dedicated by the Goddess of Mercy - Kwan Yin. It was resorted in 2003 and recognised by UNESCO for this endeavour.

The temple is small and can be manageably visited in 15-20 minutes. The inside grounds are quite typical of Chinese Buddism, Confucianism and Taoism temples found throughout Asia. It us reminded quite a bit of our many Tin Hau temples in Hong Kong. Expected arrangement and decor was found throughout the temple - alters, dragon and tiger murals, miniatures above the doors, moon-shaped entry, guardian lions, amongst others. What as unique has the heavy usage of wooden door and panels, indicative of Malay style architecture. That is something we enjoy about temple visits in this part of SE Asia and you can see much evidence of this architecture style here.

Cheng Hoong Teng Temple is located just off Jonker Street on Jalan Tukang Emas. Interestingly it is located very near to the Hindu temple of Sri Poyatha Moorthi Temple and Kampung Kling Mosque. It is nice to see this sort of religious harmony coexisting together. We were informed after our visit that the street is actually called 'Harmony Street' as well. How appropriate!

As such, this area, reminds us, on a much smaller scale, of Singapore's South Bridge Road in Chinatown where you can find Jamae Mosque, Sri Marimman Temple and the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple all in close proximity to each other.

Overall, we found this to be a decent overall temple to visit and particularly of interest due to its long standing history and its proximity to the city center area of Malacca, meaning that little effort is required to find and visit the Cheng Hoong...

Brief History of Cheng Hoon Teng Temple, Melaka Cheng Hoon Teng Temple, also known as the "Temple of Green Clouds," holds the distinguished title of being the oldest functioning Chinese temple in Malaysia. Its history dates back to 1645, when it was founded by Kapitan Tay Kie Ki, a prominent leader of the early Chinese settlers in Melaka during the Dutch colonial period. Initially, the temple served not only as a place of worship for the Buddhist, Taoist, and Confucian faiths practiced by the Chinese community, but also as an important community and administrative center. During the Dutch era, the Kapitans, who were leaders appointed by the Dutch to govern the Chinese community, often used the temple as a venue for meetings and even as a court of justice. Over the centuries, Cheng Hoon Teng Temple has undergone several significant expansions and renovations, notably in 1673 under Kapitan Li Wei King and again in 1801 under Kapitan Chua Su Cheong. These efforts, often funded by the local Chinese community, ensured the preservation of its traditional Southern Chinese architectural style and its continued importance to the local devotees. In 2003, UNESCO recognized the temple's outstanding architectural restoration, highlighting its cultural and historical significance. Today, Cheng Hoon Teng Temple stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of the early Chinese settlers in Melaka and remains a vibrant center of religious and...

The oldest San Chiao or the Three Doctrinal Systems of Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism Temple in Malaysia. Built in the 1600 by Kapitan Tay Kie Ki aka Tay Hong Yong. This temple not only served as a place of worship, yet also serves as an administrative center and courts of disputes.

The temple is worth the visit to pray to the various gods inside, if not for the architecture and design. A granite path from the main temple stage all the way across the street to the Cheng Hoon Teng Temple Stage can be seen.

There is a small shop on the side of the temple which sells jos sticks and candle for praying and another booth inside the temple which sells medals of the gods. You can also have your fortune told on the table across it.

There is a restroom at the side gate. Hawkers outside sells the same trinkets inside, albeit, cheaper or expensive depending on the item. Some shops beside it on the road leading to the mosque also sells Taoist, Buddhist, and...