Hock Teik Soo Temple

Where the god of prosperity watches over the people of Earth

This temple is commonly known as the Mak Mandin Tua Pek Kong Temple, as it is located on the southern end of Jalan P Patto, very close to the Mak Mandin area. 

It was built for Tua Pek Kong, the Taoist god of prosperity who is revered throughout southern China as well as in Southeast Asia. The temple was established in 1965, with major renovations and construction of the hall taking place in 2009.

The main deity is Fu De Zheng Shen. Known as Hok Tek Ceng Sin in Hokkien, this deity is revered as the god of prosperity in Chinese mythology. Fu De Zheng Shen is depicted as a friendly sitting old man with blissful cheery face and flowing white beard. The altar is high above the ground as though the divine figure is looking over the mortal world below his heavenly plane.

When the Chinese left China and resettled in Malaysia , Singapore and Indonesia, they brought the Fu De Zhen Shen worshiping culture with them. Gradually the deity’s dressing evolved to be in tune with local cultural setting of that time, and so the god became dressed much like a Malay elder wearing a religious cap and sarong. This is how he also came to be known locally as Datok Gong. 

The birthday of Fu De Zheng Shen, which falls on the 29th day of the third month of the lunar calendar, is celebrated with pomp and prayer.

A Hindu temple, the Sri Murugan Paribalana Avai, has been located next door for many years but was recently demolished. The deity there is now housed in a temporary shed.

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Written by Himanshu Bhatt
Photographs by Adrian Cheah