18 Jalan-Jalan Thean Hou Temple

We take the words "Let's go jalan-jalan."  to mean as an invitation to go for a jaunt nearby.

From Penang's Sleeping Buddha to Ipoh's cave temples and from Kajang to Kuala Lumpur, I see a pattern in my traveling habits that I've never really noticed before, interestingly leaning towards visiting places of worship, particularly ones with ornate architecture.

Not all were blogged about of course, but the main ones were. I'm particularly drawn to the calmness that washes over me when I take the whole place in with my ears and eyes. The low humming chants of monks is therapeutic.  

This post is about my recent visit to one of the largest Chinese temples in Kuala Lumpur -- Thean Hou Temple, an impressive six-tiered building in Robson Heights.

I was here with relatives. We parked our car in an open gravel parking lot, and hopped out in excitement at the view of the structure before us.

Thean Hou Temple, Kuala Lumpur

This is what it looks like a couple of floors up.

Thean Hou Temple

The entrance to the prayer hall is decorated with Chinese art.

Thean Hou Temple Prayer Hall

These are a few pics taken inside the hall. It was really beautiful to look at. I was as quiet as a mouse and stayed in corners where I wouldn't disturb any of the devotees.

Thean Hou Goddess

Thean Hou Temple Prayer Hall

The amount of detailing in the ceiling left me breathless in awe.

The Ceiling In Thean Hou Temple

The red door of the entrance is embossed with gold-painted figures. We walked round to the back of the temple and followed a flight of steps down to the herbs and tortoise garden.

The red door at the entrance and a Tortoise and Herbs Garden

Along the roadside of the temple is a pebbled path, decorated with statues of animals from the Chinese zodiac sign.

Chinese Astrology

 The dragon is the most impressive piece as it is also a fountain.

Dragon Water Fountain

This is the 'old man under the moon', God of marriage and love. There is an interesting story to this old man, which I will not elaborate here because it would be too long of a post.

God of Marriage and Love (Yue Lao)

The light from the candle symbolises enlightenment (the light of wisdom). My sister-in-law lit one.

Lighting A Candle

With that, ends our Sunday outing.