Hong San See
Encyclopedia
Hong San See is a Chinese
temple
in Singapore
, and is located at Mohamed Sultan Road in the River Valley Planning Area
, within the Central Area
, Singapore's central business district
.
Hong San See Temple was constructed between 1908 and 1913, erected by migrants from Nan An county in Fujian province with materials imported from China
. Built on a small hill
, the temple once overlooked the sea
. The temple's vicinity now mainly houses bar
s, restaurant
s and expensive apartment
s.
The temple is owned by the Singapore Lam Ann Association.
, and was erected by migrants from Nan An county in Fujian province of China. In 1907, the land was acquired by the government for reclaiming Telok Ayer Bay and the temple trustee
s were given compensation
of $50,000. The temple trustees used the money to buy land on a 999-year lease
on Mohamed Sultan Road from Sam Tomlimson who was the Municipal Engineer
.
The name of the temple means "Temple on Phoenix
Hill". Sited on the side of Institution Hill, the temple was situated on high ground with a view of the sea. According to the principles of Chinese geomancy
, this is a prime spot for a temple.
The construction of the temple began in 1908 with materials imported from China. The chief director of the temple's Board was Lim Loh, the father of World War II
hero Lim Bo Seng
. The temple was completed in 1913 at the cost of $56,000. It was renovate
d once in 1934 and again in 1962. In 1970 renovations to the temple were not done according to restoration
guidelines and several features were removed. These are to be restored to make the temple faithful to its original early twentieth century architecture
. One major change, now likely to have been removed, was the addition of ornate carving
s paint
ed in gold
all along the truss
es of the temple.
As with some of the other Chinese temples in Singapore, its premises were used as a school
for children from nearby village
s. Called Nan Ming School, it was closed after ten years when it ran into financial
difficulties.
Today, Hong San See has lost its view of the sea, blocked by high-rises which now surround it. However, it remains on high ground, and to reach the temple, devotees have to climb a long flight of stairs
.
Hong San See Temple was gazetted as a national monument
on 10 November 1978.
Extensive renovations were carried out from 2006 to 2010. In 2010, the temple was given the Award of Excellence for the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award for Culture Heritage Conservation.
facing south or the yang
position at the back of the complex against higher ground and the cold north that generates yin
, which also has a good feng shui
. There are granite
plaque
s in the entrance hall, dated between 1868 and 1913 which list the donor
s who contributed to the building of the temple. There are other modern plaques on the wall
s commemorating donors in recent years. The granite column
on either side of the main entrance are engrave
d verse
s extolling the site's once excellent view of the sea
and its wealthy neighbourhood. This view has since been blocked by high-rise development in the 1990s. There are four carved granite columns in the temple, with two at the entrance are six-sided columns with entwined dragon
s and figurines of the Eight Immortals
. Just past the entrance on either side of the courtyard
are two columns with carvings of peony flowers, magpies and pheonixes.
The main door is made of double-leafed timber
and painted with phoenixes
. The two side doors flanking the main door are painted with door god
s. The main door is usually kept barred except on important occasions. The roof
ridge
s and eaves of the temple have chien nien ornamentation and plaster
relief
-work. Chen nien ornamentation is the tradition southern Chinese art
of creating figures, flowers, leaves and other images with small pieces of colourful porcelain
. Another key feature of traditional Chinese building
is exposed structural elements. Traditionally constructed without nails
, the weight of the roof is supported on the columns on which rest of the beam
s. Walls in Chinese temples do not bear the weight of the roof. The exposed structure shows off the ingenious carpentry
. The roof of the main hall is a two-tier
ed xie shan roof with curved swallow
tail ridge ends. In the centre of the roof ridge are two prancing dragons on either side of a blazing pearl
. At the ends of the lower-tier roof are Minnan spiral
s.
The main hall of the temple with the altar
to patron deity
Guang Ze Zun Wang is raised on a nine-metre podium
and opens out to the internal open-air courtyard in front of it. The courtyard is flanked by covered corridor
s which lead to the side halls. The secondary altars are dedicated to Cheng Huang (城隍) and Xuan Tian Shang Di (玄天上帝; Heavenly Emperor). These altars are positioned at the back of the main hall to the left and right of the main altar. The main hall has six solid timber columns that are convex
in mid-shaft. They rest on carved granite bases. On the black columns are verses written by a Singaporean calligraphist, the late Pan Shou. The side halls have square columns set in granite bases. They are plain and without ornamentation. Nan Ming School used two halls from 1915 as classroom
s. The children came from nearby villages such as Bukit Ho Swee
and would not otherwise have been able to afford an education
. The school closed in 1925 due to financial problems.
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, and is located at Mohamed Sultan Road in the River Valley Planning Area
River Valley
River Valley is the name of an urban planning area within the Central Area, Singapore's central business district.The River Valley Planning Area is defined by the region bounded by Orchard Boulevard, Devonshire Road and Eber Road to the north, Oxley Rise and Mohamed Sultan Road to the east, Martin...
, within the Central Area
Central Area
In Singapore, the Central Area or Central Business District contains the core financial and commercial districts, including eleven urban planning areas, namely Downtown Core, Marina East, Marina South, Museum, Newton, Orchard, Outram, River Valley, Rochor, Singapore River and Straits View as...
, Singapore's central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
.
Hong San See Temple was constructed between 1908 and 1913, erected by migrants from Nan An county in Fujian province with materials imported from China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. Built on a small hill
Hill
A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills often have a distinct summit, although in areas with scarp/dip topography a hill may refer to a particular section of flat terrain without a massive summit A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills...
, the temple once overlooked the sea
Sea
A sea generally refers to a large body of salt water, but the term is used in other contexts as well. Most commonly, it means a large expanse of saline water connected with an ocean, and is commonly used as a synonym for ocean...
. The temple's vicinity now mainly houses bar
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
s, restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
s and expensive apartment
Apartment
An apartment or flat is a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building...
s.
The temple is owned by the Singapore Lam Ann Association.
History
The original temple to Guangze Zunwang (广泽尊王) was built in 1829 on Mount Wallich in Tanjong PagarTanjong Pagar
Tanjong Pagar is a historic district located within the Central Business District in Singapore, straddling the Outram Planning Area and the Downtown Core under the Urban Redevelopment Authority's urban planning zones....
, and was erected by migrants from Nan An county in Fujian province of China. In 1907, the land was acquired by the government for reclaiming Telok Ayer Bay and the temple trustee
Trustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
s were given compensation
Damages
In law, damages is an award, typically of money, to be paid to a person as compensation for loss or injury; grammatically, it is a singular noun, not plural.- Compensatory damages :...
of $50,000. The temple trustees used the money to buy land on a 999-year lease
Lease
A lease is a contractual arrangement calling for the lessee to pay the lessor for use of an asset. A rental agreement is a lease in which the asset is tangible property...
on Mohamed Sultan Road from Sam Tomlimson who was the Municipal Engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
.
The name of the temple means "Temple on Phoenix
Phoenix (mythology)
The phoenix or phenix is a mythical sacred firebird that can be found in the mythologies of the Arabian, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Chinese, Indian and Phoenicians....
Hill". Sited on the side of Institution Hill, the temple was situated on high ground with a view of the sea. According to the principles of Chinese geomancy
Feng shui
Feng shui ' is a Chinese system of geomancy believed to use the laws of both Heaven and Earth to help one improve life by receiving positive qi. The original designation for the discipline is Kan Yu ....
, this is a prime spot for a temple.
The construction of the temple began in 1908 with materials imported from China. The chief director of the temple's Board was Lim Loh, the father of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
hero Lim Bo Seng
Lim Bo Seng
Lim Bo Seng was a World War II anti-Japanese resistance fighter based in Singapore and Malaya.-Family background and early life:...
. The temple was completed in 1913 at the cost of $56,000. It was renovate
Renovation
Renovation is the process of improving a structure. Two prominent types of renovations are commercial and residential.-Process:The process of a renovation, however complex, can usually be broken down into several processes...
d once in 1934 and again in 1962. In 1970 renovations to the temple were not done according to restoration
Building restoration
Building restoration describes a particular treatment approach and philosophy within the field of architectural conservation. According the U.S...
guidelines and several features were removed. These are to be restored to make the temple faithful to its original early twentieth century architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
. One major change, now likely to have been removed, was the addition of ornate carving
Wood carving
Wood carving is a form of working wood by means of a cutting tool in one hand or a chisel by two hands or with one hand on a chisel and one hand on a mallet, resulting in a wooden figure or figurine, or in the sculptural ornamentation of a wooden object...
s paint
Paint
Paint is any liquid, liquefiable, or mastic composition which after application to a substrate in a thin layer is converted to an opaque solid film. One may also consider the digital mimicry thereof...
ed in gold
Gold (color)
Gold, also called golden, is one of a variety of orange-yellow color blends used to give the impression of the color of the element gold....
all along the truss
Truss
In architecture and structural engineering, a truss is a structure comprising one or more triangular units constructed with straight members whose ends are connected at joints referred to as nodes. External forces and reactions to those forces are considered to act only at the nodes and result in...
es of the temple.
As with some of the other Chinese temples in Singapore, its premises were used as a school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
for children from nearby village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
s. Called Nan Ming School, it was closed after ten years when it ran into financial
Finance
"Finance" is often defined simply as the management of money or “funds” management Modern finance, however, is a family of business activity that includes the origination, marketing, and management of cash and money surrogates through a variety of capital accounts, instruments, and markets created...
difficulties.
Today, Hong San See has lost its view of the sea, blocked by high-rises which now surround it. However, it remains on high ground, and to reach the temple, devotees have to climb a long flight of stairs
Stairway
Stairway, staircase, stairwell, flight of stairs, or simply stairs are names for a construction designed to bridge a large vertical distance by dividing it into smaller vertical distances, called steps...
.
Hong San See Temple was gazetted as a national monument
National Monuments of Singapore
National Monuments of Singapore are buildings and structures in Singapore that have been designated by the Preservation of Monuments Board as being of special historic, traditional, archaeological, architectural or artistic value....
on 10 November 1978.
Extensive renovations were carried out from 2006 to 2010. In 2010, the temple was given the Award of Excellence for the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award for Culture Heritage Conservation.
Architecture
Hong San See is located on a hill with the entranceGate
A gate is a point of entry to a space enclosed by walls, or a moderately sized opening in a fence. Gates may prevent or control entry or exit, or they may be merely decorative. Other terms for gate include yett and port...
facing south or the yang
Yin and yang
In Asian philosophy, the concept of yin yang , which is often referred to in the West as "yin and yang", is used to describe how polar opposites or seemingly contrary forces are interconnected and interdependent in the natural world, and how they give rise to each other in turn. Opposites thus only...
position at the back of the complex against higher ground and the cold north that generates yin
Yin and yang
In Asian philosophy, the concept of yin yang , which is often referred to in the West as "yin and yang", is used to describe how polar opposites or seemingly contrary forces are interconnected and interdependent in the natural world, and how they give rise to each other in turn. Opposites thus only...
, which also has a good feng shui
Feng shui
Feng shui ' is a Chinese system of geomancy believed to use the laws of both Heaven and Earth to help one improve life by receiving positive qi. The original designation for the discipline is Kan Yu ....
. There are granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
plaque
Commemorative plaque
A commemorative plaque, or simply plaque, is a plate of metal, ceramic, stone, wood, or other material, typically attached to a wall, stone, or other vertical surface, and bearing text in memory of an important figure or event...
s in the entrance hall, dated between 1868 and 1913 which list the donor
Donation
A donation is a gift given by physical or legal persons, typically for charitable purposes and/or to benefit a cause. A donation may take various forms, including cash, services, new or used goods including clothing, toys, food, and vehicles...
s who contributed to the building of the temple. There are other modern plaques on the wall
Wall
A wall is a usually solid structure that defines and sometimes protects an area. Most commonly, a wall delineates a building and supports its superstructure, separates space in buildings into rooms, or protects or delineates a space in the open air...
s commemorating donors in recent years. The granite column
Column
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a vertical structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. For the purpose of wind or earthquake engineering, columns may be designed to resist lateral forces...
on either side of the main entrance are engrave
Engraving
Engraving is the practice of incising a design on to a hard, usually flat surface, by cutting grooves into it. The result may be a decorated object in itself, as when silver, gold, steel, or glass are engraved, or may provide an intaglio printing plate, of copper or another metal, for printing...
d verse
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
s extolling the site's once excellent view of the sea
Sea
A sea generally refers to a large body of salt water, but the term is used in other contexts as well. Most commonly, it means a large expanse of saline water connected with an ocean, and is commonly used as a synonym for ocean...
and its wealthy neighbourhood. This view has since been blocked by high-rise development in the 1990s. There are four carved granite columns in the temple, with two at the entrance are six-sided columns with entwined dragon
Dragon
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
s and figurines of the Eight Immortals
Eight Immortals
The Eight Immortals are a group of legendary xian in Chinese mythology. Each Immortal's power can be transferred to a power tool that can give life or destroy evil. Together, these eight tools are called "Covert Eight Immortals" . Most of them are said to have been born in the Tang Dynasty or...
. Just past the entrance on either side of the courtyard
Courtyard
A court or courtyard is an enclosed area, often a space enclosed by a building that is open to the sky. These areas in inns and public buildings were often the primary meeting places for some purposes, leading to the other meanings of court....
are two columns with carvings of peony flowers, magpies and pheonixes.
The main door is made of double-leafed timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
and painted with phoenixes
Phoenix (mythology)
The phoenix or phenix is a mythical sacred firebird that can be found in the mythologies of the Arabian, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Chinese, Indian and Phoenicians....
. The two side doors flanking the main door are painted with door god
Door god
A door god is a Chinese decoration placed on each side of an entry to a temple, home, business, etc., which is believed to keep evil spirits from entering....
s. The main door is usually kept barred except on important occasions. The roof
Roof
A roof is the covering on the uppermost part of a building. A roof protects the building and its contents from the effects of weather. Structures that require roofs range from a letter box to a cathedral or stadium, dwellings being the most numerous....
ridge
Ridge
A ridge is a geological feature consisting of a chain of mountains or hills that form a continuous elevated crest for some distance. Ridges are usually termed hills or mountains as well, depending on size. There are several main types of ridges:...
s and eaves of the temple have chien nien ornamentation and plaster
Plaster
Plaster is a building material used for coating walls and ceilings. Plaster starts as a dry powder similar to mortar or cement and like those materials it is mixed with water to form a paste which liberates heat and then hardens. Unlike mortar and cement, plaster remains quite soft after setting,...
relief
Relief
Relief is a sculptural technique. The term relief is from the Latin verb levo, to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is thus to give the impression that the sculpted material has been raised above the background plane...
-work. Chen nien ornamentation is the tradition southern Chinese art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
of creating figures, flowers, leaves and other images with small pieces of colourful porcelain
Porcelain
Porcelain is a ceramic material made by heating raw materials, generally including clay in the form of kaolin, in a kiln to temperatures between and...
. Another key feature of traditional Chinese building
Chinese architecture
Chinese architecture refers to a style of architecture that has taken shape in East Asia over many centuries. The structural principles of Chinese architecture have remained largely unchanged, the main changes being only the decorative details...
is exposed structural elements. Traditionally constructed without nails
Nail (engineering)
In woodworking and construction, a nail is a pin-shaped, sharp object of hard metal or alloy used as a fastener. Formerly wrought iron, today's nails are typically made of steel, often dipped or coated to prevent corrosion in harsh conditions or improve adhesion...
, the weight of the roof is supported on the columns on which rest of the beam
Beam (structure)
A beam is a horizontal structural element that is capable of withstanding load primarily by resisting bending. The bending force induced into the material of the beam as a result of the external loads, own weight, span and external reactions to these loads is called a bending moment.- Overview...
s. Walls in Chinese temples do not bear the weight of the roof. The exposed structure shows off the ingenious carpentry
Carpentry
A carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
. The roof of the main hall is a two-tier
Layer
Layer may refer to:* A layer of archaeological deposits in an excavation* A layer hen, a hen raised to produce eggs* Stratum, a layer of rock or soil with internally consistent characteristics...
ed xie shan roof with curved swallow
Swallow
The swallows and martins are a group of passerine birds in the family Hirundinidae which are characterised by their adaptation to aerial feeding...
tail ridge ends. In the centre of the roof ridge are two prancing dragons on either side of a blazing pearl
Pearl
A pearl is a hard object produced within the soft tissue of a living shelled mollusk. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pearl is made up of calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form, which has been deposited in concentric layers. The ideal pearl is perfectly round and smooth, but many other...
. At the ends of the lower-tier roof are Minnan spiral
Spiral
In mathematics, a spiral is a curve which emanates from a central point, getting progressively farther away as it revolves around the point.-Spiral or helix:...
s.
The main hall of the temple with the altar
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
to patron deity
Deity
A deity is a recognized preternatural or supernatural immortal being, who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, and respected by believers....
Guang Ze Zun Wang is raised on a nine-metre podium
Podium
A podium is a platform that is used to raise something to a short distance above its surroundings. It derives from the Greek πόδι In architecture a building can rest on a large podium. Podia can also be used to raise people, for instance the conductor of an orchestra stands on a podium as do many...
and opens out to the internal open-air courtyard in front of it. The courtyard is flanked by covered corridor
Hall
In architecture, a hall is fundamentally a relatively large space enclosed by a roof and walls. In the Iron Age, a mead hall was such a simple building and was the residence of a lord and his retainers...
s which lead to the side halls. The secondary altars are dedicated to Cheng Huang (城隍) and Xuan Tian Shang Di (玄天上帝; Heavenly Emperor). These altars are positioned at the back of the main hall to the left and right of the main altar. The main hall has six solid timber columns that are convex
Convex and Concave
Convex and Concave is a lithograph print by the Dutch artist M. C. Escher, first printed in March 1955.It depicts an ornate architectural structure with many stairs, pillars and other shapes...
in mid-shaft. They rest on carved granite bases. On the black columns are verses written by a Singaporean calligraphist, the late Pan Shou. The side halls have square columns set in granite bases. They are plain and without ornamentation. Nan Ming School used two halls from 1915 as classroom
Classroom
A classroom is a room in which teaching or learning activities can take place. Classrooms are found in educational institutions of all kinds, including public and private schools, corporations, and religious and humanitarian organizations...
s. The children came from nearby villages such as Bukit Ho Swee
Bukit Ho Swee
Bukit Ho Swee is a place in Singapore which is located near Jalan Bukit Ho Swee, near Taman Ho Swee. Built over with wood frame huts with thatched roofs, it was an unplanned self-built township of about 20,000; although, like favelas everywhere, no census was ever taken...
and would not otherwise have been able to afford an education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
. The school closed in 1925 due to financial problems.