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Kek Lok Si Temple

Giant Goddess of Mercy

Founded in 1891 in Penang by Venerable Beow Lean from Fujian, China, the Kek Lok Si Temple took dozens of years to complete and became one of the largest Buddhist monasteries in Southeast Asia. The Kek Lok Si Temple was a powerful catalyst for the spread of Chinese Buddhism and is home to the Pagoda of Ten Thousand Buddhas and the bronze statue of Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy.

In the late 19th century, Venerable Beow Lean, who came from Kushan Abbey, Fujian Province, China, came to Penang to raise funds. In 1891, Beow Lean founded the Kek Lok Si Temple 极乐寺, or Temple of Supreme Bliss in Penang. The mountain-side Kek Lok Si Temple is one of the Largest Buddhist Temples in Southeast Asia.

The Penang Kek Lok Si Temple has Buddhist halls such as the Hall of the Heavenly Kings, the Mahavira Hall, the Hall of the Five Buddhas, the Hall of Guanyin. The giant bronze statue of Guanyin, and the Pagoda of Ten Thousand Buddhas at the top of the hill are well-known landmarks. Because Venerable Beow Lean had donated ten thousand taels of silver during the invasion of Beijing by the Eight-Nation Alliance, the temple also has edicts and buddhist scriptures given by Emperor Guangxu and Empress Dowager Cixi.

The bronze statue of Guanyin of the Kek Lok Si Temple, about 30 meters high, was completed in 2002 and is accessible by cable car from the bottom of the mountain to the foot of the statue, which was The Tallest Outdoor Guanyin Statue in the World then.

Pagoda of Ten Thousand Buddhas

The seven-story Pagoda of Ten Thousand Buddhas is designed in the Buddhist architectural style of China, Thailand and Burma, with a delicate and novel design. There are 10,000 statues of Buddha inside and outside the pagoda, and from The Pagoda Top, you can overlook the temple complex and enjoy the panoramic Penang city view.

The construction of the temple has given a strong boost to the spread of Chinese Buddhism in the region, and in recent years the temple has become a popular tourist destination in Penang. During the Chinese New Year, the temple is decorated with lights and decorations to celebrate the festival.