Tua Pek Kong's Birthday

The temple beside my office had been setting up for what seemed like a big event. Yesterday, my new colleague Ah Ling and I walked over to the temple to ask what they were celebrating and I was pretty surprised to hear them say "Tua Pek Kong's Birthday." I thought his birthday was beginning of the year between February and March?

So I asked around as to why this was so....

You see, I'm still learning more about Taoism each day.

So from what I've found out. Yes, Tua Pek Kong's actual birthday is around February. But a Tua Pek Kong temple may celebrate his birthday a second time that year to to commemorate the opening of the temple or anniversary. There are usually a few days a temple may choose to celebrate the birthday or other auspicious events.

Now I understand. This event is pretty big. There have the Chinese wayang outside the temple and a huge area across the street that is serving dinner.

I've also learnt that this temple is called Soon San Teng and was founded in the late 19th century and has remained at the same location. The original temple was an attap-thatched house situated between banyan trees, and so Soon San Teng is also known as 'Banyan Tree Da Bo Gong (Tua Pek Kong) Miao'. The temple was later rebuilt into one with brick walls and tiled roofs.

Today, Soon San Teng temple celebrates the 8th Lunar Month which coincides with the birthday celebration for Da Bo Gong (Tua Pek Kong).

I met my mum after work and we had dinner at the Indian restaurant before heading to the temple to pay our respect and to watch a few minutes of wayang and take photos. Was a real interesting evening. I would like to head to the birthday celebrations at Pulau Ubin next year. That is an even bigger event! I just need to get the dates right.