Perched high above the city, in Robson Heights, is the Thean Hou Temple. This temple is one of the largest Chinese Temples in South East Asia. Thean Hou, also known as Mazu, is the Chinese Sea Goddess.
Statue of the Goddess Thean Hou, also known as Mazu
Thean Hou is also regarded as a Queen of Heaven and also as the "Maternal Grandmother". This apparently equates her status with the Christian belief of Mother Mary.
The temple was completed in 1987 and officially opened in 1989. Funded by Malaysian Hainanese, it is run by the Selangor & Federal Territory Hainan Association. Although the temple is dedicated to Thean Hou, it is also a place of worship to the Goddess Guan Yin or the Goddess of Mercy.
The front entrance has a gateway with dragon-themed columns and pagoda rooftops. The main temple hall, located on the top floor, is beautifully decorated. Inside the temple is a statue of the Goddess Thean Hou who is flanked on her right by the Goddess of Waterfront and the Goddess of Mercy on her left. The temple incorporates elements of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism and you will find other statues in the temple grounds reflecting this syncretism.
Other than a place of worship, the temple is also used for Chinese dinner ceremonies as well as a marriage registration center. You can also get panoramic views of the city from here.
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