Goddess of Mercy Temple
| Goddess of Mercy Temple | |
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| 觀音亭 (Traditional Chinese) Kuan Yin Teng (Hokkien) 廣福宮 (Traditional Chinese) Kong Hock Keong (Hokkien) |
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| Basic information | |
| Location | George Town |
| Geographic coordinates | 5°25′06″N 100°20′20″E / 5.418444°N 100.338792°ECoordinates: 5°25′06″N 100°20′20″E / 5.418444°N 100.338792°E |
| Affiliation | Taoism |
| Deity | Guanyin |
| Municipality | Penang Island |
| State | Penang |
| Country | Malaysia |
| Heritage designation | 2008 |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | ii, iii, iv |
| Designated | 2008 (32nd session) |
| Reference no. | 1223 |
| Region | Asia-Pacific |
| Architectural description | |
| Architectural style | Chinese |
| Groundbreaking | 1728 |
| Construction cost | $4,000 (Spanish dollar) |
| Direction of façade | East |
The Goddess of Mercy Temple, also known colloquially as Kuan Yin Teng or Kong Hock Keong, is a Taoist temple in the city of George Town in Penang, Malaysia. Situated at Pitt Street, it was first built in 1728, making it Penang's oldest Taoist temple.
Today, the Goddess of Mercy Temple is dedicated to the Taoist Goddess of Mercy, Guanyin. However, the temple had been originally established for the worship of Mazu, a sea deity. Following an influx of ethnic Chinese into George Town after the founding of the settlement in 1786, the temple transitioned into one dedicated to Guanyin in 1824; by then, it also began to function as a neutral mediator between the rival Cantonese and Hokkien communities.
While the temple's more secular functions have since been passed on to the Penang Chinese Town Hall, it retains its religious significance and remains popular amongst Penangites of Chinese descent. It becomes a focal point for Chinese festivities such as the annual feast days for Guanyin and the Jade Emperor's Birthday, attracting devotees from across Southeast Asia.
What is now the Goddess of Mercy Temple was first constructed in 1728. The temple, built at a cost of $4,000 (Spanish dollar), was dedicated to Mazu, a sea goddess worshipped by the Hokkiens as a patron for seafarers. At the time, Penang Island was sparsely populated and the temple, built by the seafaring Hokkiens, was located relatively closer to the sea.
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