Places in Malaysia Site Map
Hong San Si Tua Pek Kong Hiang Thian Siang Ti
Sarawak is not only multi-racial but also multi-ethnic state. This is because about half of its population consists of about 27 ethnic groups of indigenous people.

The majority of the people in Sarawak is Iban. Previously, they practise mainly animism but now they are either mostly christian and some muslim, animism and other religions. In fact, many of the indigenous people are now christians. A few popular worship places are St Thomas Cathedral, Kuching Divisional Mosque, Gurdwara, Tua Pek Kong temple, Hong San Si temple and Hiang Thian Siang Ti temple.

In Kuching old town, there is one St Thomas Cathedral. This church was first built in 28 August 1849 by Reverand Francis Thomas McDougall who was invited by Sir James Brooke, the first White Rajah of Sarawak.

Reverand Francis Thomas McDougall was a priest and a doctor. He landed in Sarawak on the 29 June 1848 and was given a big area of land to built a church. This first church was a wooden gothic church which can accommodate 250 people. It then served as a Pro-Cathedral until 1920 when it was enlarged and upgraded to Cathedral status.

There are at least two mosques in Kuching old town. One is the Kuching Divisional Mosque just at the junction of a bus terminal. The other one which I saw was very small, squeezed between two shophouses, in front of the Kuching river bank.

I did not see any indian / hindu temple but there is one gurdwara in Kuching old town, also near a bus terminal.


There are at least three chinese temples in Kuching old town. One is the Hong San Si temple which was managed by the Kuching Hokkien Association.

The second is the famous and popular Tua Pek Kong temple facing the Kuching River bank. This temple is the oldest Tua Pek Kong temple in Kuching. It has been in Kuching since 1770 and has been repaired in 1856 and 1965. This temple is owned by the Kuching Chinese Community Charitable Trust Board.

The main deity here is the Tua Pek Kong, also known as Hock Teck Cheng Shin or the Earth Deity. Tua Pek Kong has his carrier, the Master Tiger under his alter. Tua Pek Kong originated from ancient China when their main source of income was agriculture. They believed that the Earth Deity was the protector of crops and help people get rich.

Other deities in Tua Pek Kong temple are the Avalokiteshvara (better known as Guan Yin, the compassionate Bodhisattvas) and Kshitigarbha (consoler of the dead and protector of travellers and pilgrims).

The third is the Hiang Thian Siang Ti temple was built by Teochew immigrant from China in the Main Bazaar area. This temple was built in this current location in 1863, then was destroyed in a fire and was rebuilt in 1889. A yearly celebration on the 04th day 12th month of chinese lunar calendar to commemorate the renovation that was done in 1968. The management was done and is still being managed by the Kuching Teochew Association.
St Thomas Cathedral
St Thomas Cathedral
Kuching Divisional Mosque
Kuching Divisional Mosque
A small mosque in Kuching old town
A small mosque
A Sikh gurdwara
A Sikh temple, Gurdwara
Tua Pek Kong Temple
Tua Pek Kong Temple
Hong San Si Temple
Hong San Si Temple
Hiang Thian Siang Ti Temple
Hiang Thian Siang Ti Temple



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