I’m sure I’ve mentioned Singapore’s rich religious tapestry in previous blogs. But I learnt something very interesting today about a particular Chinese temple and the worship rites performed.

Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple, is a beautifully ornate Buddhist temple, located on Waterloo Street, just around the corner from where I study. It’s one of the older temple sites in the city, built 125 years ago in 1884, although it was completely rebuilt in the 1980s. It is said to bestow good luck on all its worshippers, and I heard that the temple itself had an extremely lucky escape during WWII, when a Japanese bomb landed, but never exploded, although damage was caused to surrounding buildings. The temple is dedicated to the goddess of mercy, Kuan Yin and hundreds of people flock here to offer prayers and ask for blessings. Legend has it that just as she was about to enter Nirvana, Kuan Yin heard a plaintive cry from earth and her compassion compelled her to return and help alleviate the suffering of the world.

Most notably, the goddess is supposed to be able to answer the questions of her devotees. They enter the temple bare-footed and take a handful of bamboo sticks with writing on. These are divining sticks called ”qian”, which are placed in a brass cannister and shaken whilst you recite your question.  Eventually a stick will fall from the can. This stick has been chosen by the goddess to provide you with your answer. The most auspicious days to perform this ritual are during Chinese New Year, when people flock to the temple in order to start the new year with good fortune. To recieve your answer, you must hand the stick back to the counter at the entrance where you’ll be handed a slip of paper corresponding to your stick. For English speakers, there is a handy reference book you can consult for a comprehensive response.

Just feet away from the Kwan Im temple, is the Hindu temple of Sri Krishnan. Interestingly, and perhaps due to its proximity, many Chinese come here to light incense and pray so the temple has since built its own altar to Kuan Yin, who sits alongside a the Hindu god Krishna. This is such a prime example of how harmoniously the different religious persuasions in Singapore co-exist. A lot of the world could learn a much needed lesson from spending some time here…