Sin Sze Si Ya Temple 仙四師爺宮, Kuala Lumpur

Sin Sze Si Ya Temple (8 July, 2016)


Sin Sze Si Ya Temple (GPS: 3.14565, 101.69635), (Chinese: 仙四師爺宮; Pinyin: Xiān Sì Shīyé Gōng) is the oldest and most important Chinese temples in Kuala Lumpur. Like many of the very old Chinese temples of the major cities of Malaysia - the Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi comes to mind - Sin Sze Si Ya has remained steadfast in its location while the rest of town evolved and developed, so much so that it does not command a street frontage. The main access to Sin Sze Si Ya is via a passage off Jalan Tun HS Lee, between Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock and Lebuh Pudu. The temple proper does not face any of the main roads. There are two entrances. The main entrance, with an ornate archway, opens to Jalan Tun HS Lee, while a smaller entrance opens to Lorong Bandar 19, a city alley.

The history of Sin Sze Si Ya Temple goes back to the very founding of Kuala Lumpur. The temple was founded by Kapitan Cina Yap Ah Loy, the third kapitan Cina of Kuala Lumpur who was generally credited as the one who established the city. According to the plaque at the temple, it was founded in 1864. He left such an indellible imprint on the temple that it is often called the Yap Ah Loy Temple.

Sin Sze Si Ya Temple is dedicated to the worship of two deified personalities: Kapitan Shin Kap alias Kapitan Sheng Meng Li of Sungai Ujong (now known as Seremban) and Yap Ah Loy's chief commander, Sze Si Ya.

Yap Ah Loy had revered Sheng Meng Li as his mentor. Sheng was killed in one of the many clashes over tin mining rights. After his death, Sheng continued to appear to Yap in his dreams, where he promised to grant protection to Yap in his subsequent battles. True enough, Yap Ah Loy won many warfare when he brought with him the Sheng Ming Li spirit tablet.

The festive days at Sin Sze Si Ya Temple, when it is most crowded with devotees, are on the Eve and First Day of Chinese New Year. Many devotees come to this temple to usher in the new year, and to pray for good luck. There is a belief among devotees that if they crawl under the altar table of the Sin Sze Si Ya deities, their back luck of the previous year would be cast away.

Another festive day at Sin Sze Si Ya Temple is on Jingzhe Day, which falls on the third of the 24 solar terms of the Chinese calendar. Devotees believe this is the day insects come out of hibernation. During this day, devotees participate in a ceremony called Da Xiao Ren, or villain hitting.

Sze Si Ya, also called Chung Lai, was Yap Ah Loy's chief commander and blood brother in many of his civil warfare. He was instrumental in recapturing territories lost in earlier battles, helping to bring peace to the area that became Kuala Lumpur, and laying the foundation for the settlement to develop as a major city.

Kapitan Sheng Ming Li and Chung Lai were honoured with the construction of the Sin Sze Si Ya Temple, where they were worshipped as deified personalities and tutelary deities of the settlement. Before Sheng Ming Li was worshipped in Kuala Lumpur, there was already a shrine built in his honour in Rasah, Seremban. To move the deity to Kuala Lumpur, Yap Ah Loy donated the land in Kuala Lumpur, along with six commercial lots in the vicinity. The Sin Sze Si Ya Temple in Kuala Lumpur opened in 1883.

Yap Ah Loy built the Sin Sze Si Ya Temple after he repeatedly dreamt of Kapitan Shin Kap telling him to go to Kuala Lumpur to prospect for tin. Yap built the first Sin Sze Si Ya Temple in Sungai Ujong in 1864. After he made his fortune in Kuala Lumpur, he relocated the temple to its present site in 1885.

There are two deities at the main altar of Sin Sze Si Ya Temple. The one on the right is the deitified form of Kapitan Shin Kap. The effigy on the left is said to represent either Chong Piang. Chong Piang was the right-hand man to Yap Ah Loy. He was said to have been killed in one of the clashes during the civil war that erupted in Kuala Lumpur.

Doorway of Sin Sze Si Ya Temple. (6 July, 2016)


Interior of Sin Sze Si Ya Temple. (6 July, 2016)


The intricate decor of Sin Sze Si Ya Temple. (6 July, 2016)


Sin Sze Si Ya Temple prayer hall. (6 July, 2016)


A shrine or sedan at Sin Sze Si Ya Temple. (6 July, 2016)


Photographs of the pioneers of Sin Sze Si Ya Temple, along with various figurines of deities, with the statue of Kapitan Yap Ah Loy in the centre. (6 July, 2016)


View across the prayer hall of Sin Sze Si Ya Temple towards its front door. (6 July, 2016)


Shrine on the left side wing of Sin Sze Si Ya Temple. (6 July, 2016)


Shrine on the right side wing of Sin Sze Si Ya Temple. (6 July, 2016)


I was a bit surprised to learn that this Indian lady is a caretaker of the Sin Sze Si Ya Temple. (6 July, 2016)

How to reach Sin Sze Si Ya Temple

Take the light rail transit Kelana Jaya Line to the Pasar Seni LRT Station. Walk east along Jalan Sultan until you reach Jalan Tun HS Lee. Turn left and walk north along Jalan Tun HS Lee until you reach the temple. Sin Sze Si Ya Temple is open daily from 7:00am to 5:00pm, when the gate closes.

Sin Sze Si Ya Temple is on the map of Chinese temples in Kuala Lumpur

The front gate of Sin Sze Si Ya Temple. (6 July, 2016)


The back gate of Sin Sze Si Ya Temple. (6 July, 2016)

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