Palmer Road Tua Pek Kong Temple
50H Palmer Road
Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar Station
Singapore

Palmer Road Tua Pek Kong Temple

Built by Hakka immigrants from the districts of Jia Ying, Fong Shun, Yong Ding and Da Bu, 'Foot Tet Soo'(Hakka translation) is in fact the oldest living Tua Pek Kong temple in Singapore. Established as early as in 1819, the present temple was built in 1844 and expanded several times throughout its history. Most of the building components of this temple were shipped from Teochew (Chaozhou) with local workers finishing the assemby (not unlike how Suzhou gardens are being exported to the whole world nowadays). One may wonder why a Hakka temple should be fashioned in Teochew architectural style. The answer is simple, the Hakkas who built this temple mostly came from Hakka districts that were within the Teochew district. Incidentally, the Teochew district has always been considered as part of the Guangdong province. Chinese academics usually refer to the Teochew district as 'Yuedong' (east of Guangdong). If we go further up north-east from the Teochew district, we will find ourselves ending in the walled Hakka settlements in Yongding, Hokkien province.

Legend has it that an elderly beggar had been found dead under a tree near the temple's present premises. Unfortunately, there is no sign of that tree anymore. A josshouse possibly built in an 'attap' form was established in around 1819 due to the increasing worshippers attracted to the 'blessings' from the spirit of the deceased vagrant. According to historical records, many of the early Hakka and Cantonese immigrants had come to Singapore via Penang. Many of them were carpenters, plasterers and members of the Hai Shan secret society. Of course, judging from the temple's seafront location, many of these Hakka sinkehs also arrived from Chinese junks. Chow Ah Chi's accompaniment to Raffles' founding of a new free port could also have attracted more Hakkas and Cantonese from Penang to Singapore. Basing on the skills that are already available in the Hakka/Cantonese community in that era, it is quite safe to assume that this temple were actually built by these skilled workers from Penang. The layout of the temple reflects a typical Teochew courtyard house known as 'See Tiam Kim' (the Beijing hutong houses are knwon as Siheyuan). Two other common Teochew house forms known as 'Xia Shan Hu' (the tiger descending from a hill) and 'Si Ma Tuo Che' ( carriage drawn by four horses). There are no records of the 'Xia San Hu' temple form in Singapore or Malaysia. An elaborate version of 'See Tiam Kim', or 'Si Ma Tuo Che' can be found in Clemencceau Avenue, in the Chicago School of Management. The present building meant for MBA courses used to be the House of a rich Teochew 'towkay'(merchant) known as Tan Yeok Nee. Two other century-old Hakka temples built in the 'See Tiam Kim' form are the 'Wu Shu Yi Ci' at Holland Close and 'San Yi Ci' at Holland Link. Other variations of the Teochew 'See Tiam Kim' forms include 'Seng Ong Beo' at Peck Seah Street, 'Wak Hai Cheng Beo' at Phillip Street and 'Tong Xian Tng' at Devonshire Road. If you cross over the Straits, you will find an old 'See Tiam Kim' temple in Johor's Chinatown not far from the Hindu temple. This temple, although built in traditional Teochew-styled architectural form, belongs to all the major Chinese dialect groups in Johor.