yesterday i was home
Lunar calendar March, 23th
the birthday of 媽祖, Matsu
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In Melaka
there are no parades so far as I know
but prayers are conducted at Matsu’s Temple
興安會館 houses the largest Matsu’s Temple in Melaka
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i supposed most of the temples
with 媽祖 as the main goddess
will be known as 天后宮
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興安會館 is something so familiar
my house is only less than 1km away
so it’s a place we know since children
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it’s a 4 storey building consists of
- a multi-purpose sport hall (MPSH) 金樹堂
- a mid-range hotel, 雅舍
- the temple 天后宮
- a badminton stadium behind the main building
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The main temple… 金碧輝煌
color theme is the typical black and gold
the main structures are mostly newly constructed
imitating the old quaint temple design
some are real antique items preserved
like tables, lamps etc…
but the whole structures are blended harmoniously
the old and the new one
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actually there are some amazing structures
that I should have captured
but due to the crowd
and the smokiness due to the josstick
it is kinda difficult for me
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will capture more next time during normal days
we used to come here quite often
with home-planted flowers as offering
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The opera…
This year it is kinda special
because the group presenter
was from China, 漳州
usually the opera will be shown for one week
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the show yesterday was known as 《宮廷恩怨》
starring… 包青天
Justice Pao
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My dad stayed back to watch the whole thing
but he said it wasn’t as good as those
he used to watch as a kid
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the opera is something like
part of the offerings to the god too
but of course
in the past, it is a great entertainment
for the people who visit the temple
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there was a mini firework show too
i missed to take the photo
because that time
the kid was scared
and clutching to me so tight
harassing me to go to the side
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at the main hall,
there are Taoism Monk, SaiKong
to perform a praying rituals,
with elaborated setup and offerings
can last up to days i think
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public can pay an affordable sum of money
to ‘register’ as part of the praying rituals
in other words,
the monks will be praying
on behalf on the person
usually people are praying for
good health, luck etc….
this is quite a common practice
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my shirt with the blessing chop
done by the “god in trance "
a.k.a DangJi 覘童
i just wish myself good luck
for the coming exams
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the glowing building
forgot to take the view right from the front
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met an middle-aged (must emphasize this)
Australian guy
when i was watching the opera
he is an English teacher
travelling around
he showed me his photos
while at China, Guangxi
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he is very interested in cultural stuffs
he even mentioned watching such Opera before
during Hungry Ghost Month
at Sungai Petani
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besides, he showed me photo of
the reverend Master 淨空
and he knows about 星雲大師 and 寂晃長老
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p.s.
few years back,
the society also introduced
marriage registration service here
so couples can be sworn in as husband and wife
right in the temple,
in front of all the gods and goddesses.
how sweet is that to be married
at such a quaint place…
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p.s.
would like to blog more about
local events and occasions
finally I decided to use English
because i think it may expose
non-Mandarin readers to be exposed
to new things
although i am not really an expert in these things
still learning and discovering
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i will try to describe things
in the most exact and appropriate term possible
will cover more of this temple soon…
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