History Of The Temple
Kew Ong Yah Temple (Upper Serangoon Road)
Kew Ong Yah Temple (Upper Serangoon Road) 后港斗母宫 is the oldest Nine Emperor Gods Temple in Singapore. According to the inscription, the incense comes from Penang, Malaysia. Doumu Temple in Hong Kong Street, Penang is the birthplace of the local Nine Emperor Gods incense and has a history of more than 100 years. In the mid-19th century, the tin mining industry in Southeast Asia developed rapidly, and the British colonial government recruited a large number of laborers from the southeastern coastal areas of China. The introduction of the Nine Emperors belief is believed to be closely related to these workers. At that time, the medical conditions were poor and epidemics often occurred. According to folklore, eating Nine Emperor Gods could ward off disasters. Therefore, when the disease panic struck, people prayed for God’s protection. This is how the Nine Emperor Belief Association spread.
According to the current fourth generation temple Zhu Qiu Baowang of Hong Kong Lane Doumong in Penang, the predecessors said that the Nine Emperors incense in Penang was brought by ship owners and sailors from Fujian, China. It has taken root since then and the incense has spread far and wide.
According to the inscription, the incense from Kew Ong Yah Temple (Upper Serangoon Road) in Hougang, Singapore was brought in in the Renyin year of Guangxu (1902). According to newspapers, at that time there was a man named Wang Zhuji, from Jinbingshe, Xiangyun Township, Nan’an County, Fujian Province, who lived four miles away from Hougang.
Dou Mu Temple in Hougang in the early days, the year of filming is unknown.
He once left Singapore and lived in Malaysia for more than three years. After Wang Zhuji returned to Singapore, he brought the Nine Emperor Gods to the Dew Garden four miles away in Hougang to worship him, which became famous far and wide. At that time, there was a wealthy businessman, Wang Shuidou, who believed in the Nine Emperor Gods very devoutly. He donated a piece of vacant land five miles away from Hougang to build the Nine Emperor Gods Temple in Hougang, and handed it over to Wang Zhuji to take charge of it. Wang Shuidou’s ancestral home is Zhao’an, Fujian. He was once employed by overseas Chinese leader Tan Kah Kee as a rickshaw driver. Later, he founded a pineapple factory. When the First World War broke out, the price of pineapples rose sharply, and he made a fortune. Wang Shuidou’s name ranks first on the Dou Mu Gong inscription. After the Dou Mu Gong was built, the incense became increasingly popular. Every year in the ninth month of the lunar calendar, the celebration of the birthday of the gods attracted countless people to participate. When ceremonies such as “inviting the gods”, “parading” and “sending off the gods” were held, there must be lively parades. follow.
Mission and Vision
Mission
Actively carry out cultural exchanges with the Nine Emperor Gods at home and abroad; spread Taoist culture; serve Singaporean citizens regardless of race, language, and belief through charity; and promote understanding and exchanges between different faiths in Singaporean society.
Vision
The Kew Ong Yah Temple (Upper Serangoon Road) Trust Management Committee is committed to leading the temple, promoting the education of Taoist culture and the dissemination of the belief in the Nine Emperor Gods, and benefiting the community and the public through charity.
