Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple

Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho was founded in 1884 and is probably the most heavily used temple in Singapore, with a constant stream of worshippers to Guanyin, the bodhisattva of compassion, and a particular reputation for the accuracy of its fortune sticks. What makes the street unusual is the Sri Krishnan temple directly next door: Chinese worshippers routinely offer at the Hindu temple as well, and the two communities have coexisted on this pavement for over a century.

Background

The temple stands at 178 Waterloo Street. Inscriptions on site record that it began in 1884, when a company named Chen Liang Cheng gave a plot of land for a temple. It was renovated in 1895, and in 1980 a major expansion costing $5 million brought it to 1500 square meters, close to twice its original size. The Four Heavenly Kings stand above the altar. Through its charity work the temple supports several health and educational organisations. The shared worship with the Sri Krishnan Temple next door is known as cross-worshipping, and in the late 1980s a Hainanese chicken rice seller donated a big urn to the Hindu temple, valued at approximately S$1,000, for the joss sticks of Chinese devotees.

Source: Wikipedia, "Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple"

What to look for

• The Guanyin hall - the main shrine, in near-constant use.
• The fortune sticks - the kau chim divination the temple is known for.
• Sri Krishnan next door - the Hindu temple whose deities Chinese devotees also honour.
• The street - flower and joss sellers along the pedestrian stretch of Waterloo.

When to go

Year round; the temple opens early and is busy from dawn. Chinese New Year and Guanyin's birthdays bring enormous crowds. Weekday mornings are the calmest, relatively.

Before you go

It is extremely crowded and thick with incense smoke, which some find overwhelming. Photography inside is discouraged. This is a place of worship, not a sight.

Nearby

Bugis is south, and the Mint Museum of Toys is nearby.

Key facts