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Kuan Yin Temple (1884 onwards, rebuilt 1982)

This temple is dedicated to Guanyin, the Chinese goddess of mercy. It was built in 1884 on Waterloo Street, which contains a number of historic buildings.

The temple was rebuilt twice, first in 1895 and then again in 1982 to expand its capacity. Within the grounds of the original temple, the entry sequence consisted of a large covered courtyard followed by a recessed porch leading to a screened anteroom. The main hall at that time contained three altars: the central one for the Goddess Guan Yin and one each for Da Moh, also known as Bodhidarma*, and Hua Tuo** on the flanking altars. A large image of the Sakyamuni (historical) Buddha was kept in the rear hall.

Today, within the rebuilt temple, all deities are now placed on a single altar in the prayer hall with the elevated statue of Sakyamuni Buddha positioned just behind Guan Yin. The relative positions of the other deities remain unchanged. The temple remains one of the focal points of religious activity in the historic Waterloo and Bugis Street area. with thousands of devotees enlivening the temple each day.

The most festive period is the Chinese New Year when the temple is packed.

(Author's opinion: the 1982 renovation was a regrettable incident, as it led to the destruction of most--if not all--of the original temple).

*Bodhidarma is the traditional founder of Chan (Zen) Buddhism in China ** Hua Tuo is the Chinese patron saint of medicine and healing