Cheng Hoon Teng temple marks 350th anniversary milestone with heritage showcase

MELAKA: The nation’s oldest functioning place of worship, the Cheng Hoon Teng Temple in Jalan Tokong here is celebrating its 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 of the temple to organise this year’s celebration in a bid to preserve its historical significance as well as turning it into a meaningful event.

“This temple is one of the oldest religious structures in this country and is 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 to preserve the cultural heritage when organising the anniversary with an aim to connect the current generation to their ancestral roots,” he said in an interview here on Friday (Oct 20).

Chan said the temple itself is a sanctuary for history buffs and those keen to seek information on the early Chinese settlers here as the structure stands as a living testament to the city’s colourful past.

He said the celebration also witnessed the congregations of devotees as far as the United States, United Kingdom, China, Taiwan and Singapore.

Chan said the five-day event, which started on Wednesday (Oct 18) and ends on Sunday (Oct 22), has so far seen some 500 overseas devotees attending the slew of events lined up to commemorate the temple’s anniversary..

“We expect more devotees from abroad to visit and offer prayers over the weekend that indirectly support the state’s tourism,” he said, adding that these devotees took the opportunity to participate in the event in search of hints about their great-grandparents.

Chan said based on available documentary evidence, the temple conducted similar events over various years starting in 1849 up to 1933.

“It has been a span of 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.

“In a nutshell, the celebration is also a platform for those who simply yearn to unearth their ancestral lineage as well as comprehending the temple’s pivotal role in shaping Melaka’s history,” he said.

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

However, 1673 is regarded as the year it was built 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.