Penang - Goddess of Mercy Temple

Founded in 1728, the Goddess of Mercy Temple, in George Town, Penang, is the island's oldest. It is dedicated to Kuan Yin, the Taoist goddess of mercy, but started life dedicated to Ma Zu, the Hokkien deity of the sea, patron of seafarers.

Its conversion took place in 1824, when the temple was renovated, reflecting the more diverse origins of the Chinese community in the city by that juncture. The temple acted as mediator in disputes between the Hokkien and the Cantonese, run as it was by a balanced committee of the two ethnic groups.

These secular purposes transferred to the Penang Chinese Town Hall subsequent to the Penang Riots of 1867. Remarkably, the temple survived unscathed the aerial bombing that presaged the arrival of the Japanese in December 1941.

The building features extensive porcelain decorations, created in the chien nien style, which involves clipping into the requisite shapes many thousands of pieces from broken-up Chinese bowls of various colours.