Soon Thian Keing Temple 顺天宫, Singapore

Soon Thian Keing Temple, Singapore

Soon Thian Keing Temple 顺天宫 (GPS: 1.31486, 103.88572), also known as Tua Konsi, is a Chinese temple in Geylang, Singapore. This otherwise unassuming temple has a surprising hold to Singapore history.

Soon Thian Keing was originally located at Malabar Street, which is not incorporated into Bugis Junction. In 1981, a pair of stelae was discovered in this temple. It was embedded into the back wall of the temple, whose temple structure dated to 1847. Inscription on the stelae places the founding of the temple to the year 1812. It was a major surprise to historians, for Singapore was only established as a British settlement in 1819. How then could the temple pre-date Singapore? So far, the authenticity and veracity of the stelae have not been challenged, but it caused a shift in understand on the history of Singapore.

Until then, it had been assumed that Singapore was largely uninhabited, with the only people living there being local sea gypsies. The discovery of the stelae pointed to the possibility that there has been a Chinese community in Singapore pre-dating the arrival of Raffles.

Despite its significance, in 1984 Soon Thian Keing Temple had to make way for the construction of the Bugis MRT Station, for the East West Line. It relocated to nearby Albert Street before relocating again to Geylang, to its present site at Lorong 29 Geylang, and was officially opened on 25 February 1994.

The principal deity at Soon Thian Keing is the Tua Pek Kong, along with a host of subsidiary deities.

Taking the MRT to Soon Thian Keing Temple

On foot, Soon Thian Keing Temple is 550 meters from Aljunied MRT Station (EW9).

Soon Thian Keing Temple on Google Street View (Aug 2019)

Soon Thian Keing Temple is on the Map of Geylang

Soon Thian Keing Temple is on the Map of Chinese Temples in Singapore

List of the Chinese Temples in Singapore; Discover Singapore

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