Sin Sze Si Ya Temple

Sin Sze Si Ya Temple
Malay: Kuil Sin Sze Si Ya Chinese: 仙四師爺廟
The temple in 2022
Religion
Affiliation	Taoism
Location
Location	Kuala Lumpur
Country	Malaysia
Architecture
Type	Chinese temple
Founder	Yap Ah Loy
Date established	1864^[1]
Completed	1883^[2]
Website
www.sytemple.org

Sin Sze Si Ya Temple (Chinese: 仙四師爺廟; Jyutping: Sin1 sei3 si1 je4 miu6; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Sian-sù-sai-iâ-biō) (also called as Sze Yah Temple)^[3] is a Chinese temple located at 14A Lebuh Pudu, close to the Central Market of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.^[2] It was built by Yap Ah Loy for two deities who guided him in the Selangor Civil War. The temple is the oldest Taoist temple in the city.^[4]

History

The information board at the front entrance says the temple site was founded in 1864 by Kapitan Yap Ah Loy, dedicated to patron deities of Sin Sze Ya and Si Sze Ya.^[1] The deities has guided Yap to defeat the enemies and defend the town of Kuala Lumpur during the civil war from 1870 to 1873,^[1] with the two patron deities are actually based on two real persons of Sheng Meng Li (Kapitan of Sungai Ujong) and Chung Lai, a loyal lieutenant of Yap.^[4] The temple structures was finally built in 1883.^[2]

This temple was initially built solely for Hakka worshipers.^[5] However, when Kapitan Cina Yap Kwan Seng passed away, the Hakka influence declined and during the first decade of the 20th Century, the temple’s property entrusted rights were transferred from Kapitan to a committee organised by the Chinese community. In 1907, the owners of the Sin Sze Si Ya Temple and the owners of the neighborhood shops had a dispute about the use of the surrounding lands. This dispute was brought to court. As a result from the loss of such a powerful Hakka leader, assistance was sought from Chan Sow Lin, a Cantonese leader and also a member in the Selangor State’s Legislative Assembly at that time to settle the dispute. The Hakkas, in gratitude, gave up the Chairmanship of the Sin Sze Ya Temple’s Property Trust Committee to Chan. In the later months of 1907, there were 11 new members of the Chinese elite from different Chinese dialect groups elected into this committee, including Cheong Yoke Choy.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "Sze Ya Temple". VisitKL. Archived from the original on 8 March 2019. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
^ ^a ^b ^c Ewe Paik Leong (26 January 2017). "Where tradition and old beliefs abound". New Straits Times. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
^ Malaysia, Singapore & Brunei. Lonely Planet Publications. 2004. ISBN 9781740593571.
^ ^a ^b "Sin Sze Si Ya temple". TimeOut Kuala Lumpur. 23 April 2014. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
^ Wen, W; Wong, D (2019). "From Dialect to Ethnic Identity: The Chinese Community in the Klang Valley as a Case Study". Journal of the Department of History. 28 (2): 21–42. doi:10.22452/sejarah.vol28no2.2.

External links

Official website

Mythology of Malaysia

Legends

Priestesses, shamans

Types of Malay ghosts

Malay saints

Datuk Keramat

Chinese spirit places

Na Tuk Kong
Tua Pek Kong
Sin Sze Ya and Si Sze Ya

See also

v t e Prominent Taoist temples in Malaysia
Johor	Johor Bahru Old Chinese Temple
Kuala Lumpur	Sin Sze Si Ya Temple Thean Hou Temple
Malacca	Cheng Hoon Teng Temple Poh Onn Kong Temple [zh] Poh San Teng Temple
Pahang	Chin Swee Caves Temple
Penang	Jade Emperor God Temple Snake Temple
Sabah	Che Sui Khor Moral Uplifting Society Peak Nam Toong Temple Sam Sing Kung Temple Tam Kung Temple
Sarawak	Hong San Si Temple Jade Dragon Temple San Ching Tian Temple Tua Pek Kong Temple, Kuching Tua Pek Kong Temple, Miri Tua Pek Kong Temple, Sibu
Terengganu	Ho Ann Kiong Temple Tian Hou Gong Temple
Category Taoism in Malaysia

Historical buildings, memorials, monuments and sites in Malaysia

West Malaysia

Buildings

Johor	Arulmigu Sri Rajakaliamman Glass Temple Church of the Immaculate Conception Istana Besar Istana Bukit Serene Johor Bahru railway station Johor Bahru Old Chinese Temple Pulau Pisang Lighthouse Sultan Abu Bakar State Mosque Sultan Ibrahim Jamek Mosque Sultan Ibrahim Building Sultanah Aminah Hospital Sultanah Fatimah Specialist Hospital
Kedah	Kedah State Art Gallery Zahir Mosque Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah Gallery Sungai Petani clock tower
Kelantan	Istana Batu Istana Jahar Kampung Laut Mosque
Kuala Lumpur	Buddhist Maha Vihara Coliseum Theatre DBKL City Theatre Hotel Majestic Masjid Jamek Kuala Lumpur railway station Lee Rubber Building National Mosque of Malaysia National Textile Museum Pasar Seni Sin Sze Si Ya Temple Sri Kandaswamy Kovil Sri Mahamariamman Temple Sultan Abdul Samad Building St. John's Cathedral St. Mary's Cathedral Victoria Institution
Malacca	Cheng Hoon Teng Temple Christ Church Church of St. Francis Xavier Cape Rachado Lighthouse Fortress of Malacca Kampung Hulu Mosque Kampung Kling Mosque Malay and Islamic World Museum Malaysia Architecture Museum Malaysia Youth Museum Middelburg Bastion Poh San Teng Temple Proclamation of Independence Memorial Stadthuys St. John's Fort St. Paul's Church St. Peter's Church Straits Chinese Jewellery Museum Sri Poyatha Moorthi Temple Tamil Methodist Church Tranquerah Mosque Undan Island Lighthouse
Negeri Sembilan	Istana Ampang Tinggi Istana Seri Menanti Seremban railway station
Pahang	All Souls' Church Sri Marathandavar Bala Dhandayuthapani Alayam Sultan Abu Bakar Museum
Penang	Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Temple Church of the Risen Christ Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion Church of the Assumption Church of the Immaculate Conception Dhammikarama Burmese Temple Eastern & Oriental Hotel Fort Cornwallis Fort Cornwallis Lighthouse Goddess of Mercy Temple Holy Spirit Cathedral Jade Emperor God Temple Jalan Baru Sri Muniswarar Temple Jubilee Clock Tower Kapitan Keling Mosque Kek Lok Si Khoo Kongsi Lebuh Aceh Mosque Mahindarama Buddhist Temple Nattukkottai Chettiar Temple Penang City Hall Penang High Court Penang Islamic Museum Penang Masonic Temple Penang State Assembly Building Pinang Peranakan Mansion Penang Town Hall Seri Mutiara Thean Kong Thnuah Temple Snake Temple Seri Teratai Sri Aghora Veerapathra Temple Sri Mahamariamman Temple St. Anne's Church St. George's Church Suffolk House Wat Buppharam Wat Chayamangkalaram
Perak	All Saints' Church Church of St. Anthony of Padua Dutch Fort Ipoh railway station Kellie's Castle Leaning Tower of Teluk Intan Perak State Museum Sam Poh Tong Temple Taiping Hospital Ubudiah Mosque
Perlis	Alwi Mosque
Selangor	Alaeddin Mosque Church of Our Lady of Lourdes Klang Hatter's Castle Istana Bandar One Fathom Bank Lighthouse Sri Sunderaraja Perumal Temple Sri Sithi Vinayagar Temple Sultan Sulaiman Mosque Sultan Abdul Aziz Royal Gallery Wat Chetawan
Terengganu	Abidin Mosque Duyong Old Fort Ho Ann Kiong Temple Istana Maziah Rumah Warisan Haji Su Tian Hou Gong Temple

Memorials
and monuments

Site

East Malaysia

Buildings

Labuan	Labuan Chimney Labuan Clock Tower
Sabah	Agnes Keith House Atkinson Clock Tower Batu Tinagat Lighthouse Jesselton Freemason Hall Jesselton Hotel Keningau Heritage Museum Kinarut Mansion Melalap railway station Sabah Tourism Board Sacred Heart Cathedral, Kota Kinabalu Sam Sing Kung Temple Sandakan Heritage Museum Sandakan Jamek Mosque St. Michael's Church, Penampang St. Michael's and All Angels Church, Sandakan Tawau Bell Tower
Sarawak	Chinese History Museum Ching San Yen Temple Fort Alice Fort Hose Fort Margherita Fort Sylvia Hong San Si Temple Islamic Heritage Museum Kuching Old Courthouse Sacred Heart Cathedral, Sibu Sarawak State Museum Square Tower The Astana Tua Pek Kong Temple, Kuching Tua Pek Kong Temple, Miri Tua Pek Kong Temple, Sibu