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[[Image:Jin Long Si Temple.jpg|300px|thumb|Jin Long Si Temple at Lorong How Sun, [[Singapore]].]] |
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'''Jin Long Si Temple''' ({{zh-s|s= |
'''Jin Long Si Temple''' ({{zh-s|s=???}}), which is located on a hilltop at Lorong How Sun (off [[Bartley Road]]), is a unique "san-jiao" (three religion) village temple in [[Singapore]], with its teachings derived from the books of [[Buddhism]], [[Taoism]] and [[Confucianism]]. Within its premises, lies a nearly 120-year old [[Bodhi tree]] (''[[Ficus religiosa]]''), which is the oldest of its kind found in Singapore to date. The Bodhi tree shares a [[symbiotic]] relationship with the temple as its roots are deeply intertwined with the building's foundation. In 2003, the Singapore government announced that both the temple and the Bodhi tree will have to make way for redevelopment in early 2008. The temple began to actively organised events to generate public awareness and support on its plight, as well as making repeated appeals to the relevant authorities to review its decision to acquire the temple. As a result, the case generated much publicity and growing calls among Singaporeans and nature-lovers to preserve the 66-year old temple and its ancient Bodhi tree as a common heritage of Singapore. |
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==History== |
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[[Image: |
[[Image:JLS Bodhi Tree-2.JPG|200px|thumb|The majestic 120-year old (est.) Bodhi tree continue to provide shade and tranquility to the devotees of Jin Long Si Temple.]] |
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Jin Long Si Temple |
Jin Long Si Temple, originally known as ''Jin Long Miao'', was constituted under a trust and established as a religious and charity mission in 1941, with funds and donations from philanthropic Chinese merchants. It was founded to provide public shelter and a place of worship for the [[Chinese in Singapore|Chinese]] community during the period of great uncertainty of an imminent war sweeping through [[South East Asia]] in the 1940s.<ref name="JLS"/> |
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Starting off as an attap hut on a land donated by a grateful devotee earlier. It was later rebuilt into a zinc-roof and wooden structure which has remained barely unchanged ever since. |
Starting off as an [[attap]] hut on a land donated by a grateful devotee earlier. It was later rebuilt by Wan Guan Lin into a zinc-roof and wooden structure which has remained barely unchanged ever since. Displaying much resourcefulness and artistic talent, the devotees had constructed a huge statue of the [[Laughing Buddha]] out of saw dust, a [[pagoda]] and also a [[pavilion]] with the life-size figure of their patron deity, ''Nan Wu Wu Ji Sheng Mu''.<ref name="JLS"/> |
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===Unique religious fusion=== |
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While the temple is basically a Chinese [[Mahayana]] Buddhist temple, its teachings is a fusion of the "san-jiao" (three religion) derived mainly from Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. The temple also has many unique Taoist deities like Nan Wu Wu Ji Sheng Mu and Pan Gu ( |
While the temple is basically a Chinese [[Mahayana]] Buddhist temple, its teachings is a fusion of the "san-jiao" (three religion) derived mainly from Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. The temple also has many unique Taoist deities like ''Nan Wu Wu Ji Sheng Mu'' and ''Pan Gu'' (??) which clearly demostrate a high level of religious tolerence and acceptance by the temple's community since its early days. The taped teachings of the temple's late master continue to be played especially to the elderly devotees in [[Min Nan|Hokkien]] [[dialect]] every Sunday afternoons. |
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===Community service=== |
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Occupying an area of 1,840 square metres today, the temple has approximately 4,000 regular worshippers and more than 300 registered members. It continue to provide free vegetarian meals each day to more than 100 aged and impoverished devotees residing near the temple. The temple has also been very active in contributing to the grassroots organizations in Braddell Heights with funds and manpower despite modest resources to this day.<ref name="JLS"/> |
Occupying an area of 1,840 [[square metres]] today, the temple has approximately 4,000 regular worshippers and more than 300 registered members. It continue to provide free vegetarian meals each day to more than 100 aged and impoverished devotees residing near the temple. The temple has also been very active in contributing to the grassroots organizations in Braddell Heights with funds and manpower despite modest resources to this day.<ref name="JLS"/> A notable example was featured in [[The Straits Times]] that the temple regularly sponsors functions at the Ramakrishna Mission Home for orphans and wayward boys, its next door neighbour. To reciprocate their kindness, the home opened its gates for the devotees to take a short cut through its compound to the temple.<ref>{{cite news | title = Homing in on harmony | date = [[30 March]] [[2007]] | publisher = [[The Straits Times]] | page = Review section }}</ref> |
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===The oldest Bodhi tree=== |
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[[Image: |
[[Image:JLS Bodhi Tree.jpg|200px|thumb|A close-up look of the Bodhi tree.]] |
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| ⚫ | The [[Bodhi tree]] is considered sacred to all Buddhists. Its significance can be traced when it sheltered the [[Buddha]] from the elements during his quest for [[Bodhi|enlightenment]] and it is under the Bodhi tree that the Buddha attained enlightenment subsequently. Thus the Bodhi tree has come to symbolise the Buddha's enlightenment, His wisdom and compassion. |
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| ⚫ | The Bodhi tree at Jin Long Si Temple was one of the twelve seeds that were brought by monks from [[Sri Lanka]] in the nineteen century. It has an age of approximately 120 years and over 30 metres tall and has a girth of 8.5 metre which is considered to be the most ancient and largest Bodhi tree in Singapore according to verifications made by the [[Nature Society Singapore]] (NSS) and [[National Parks Board]] (Nparks) separately. Its roots are deeply embedded into the slope of the hill where the temple is located and even extended to the inner recesses of the temple premises. Due to its ancient age and its [[symbiotic]] relationship with the temple, both the NSS and Nparks have recommended the Bodhi tree to be preserved as a 'Heritage Tree' after their findings.<ref name="JLS">{{cite web | url = http://jinlongsi.blog.com/ | title = Archived news of Jin Long Si Temple | accessdate = 2007-05-01 | publisher = Jin Long Si Temple}}</ref> Trees that are classified as 'Heritage Tree' cannot be cut down and are protected with lightning conductors with money from the Heritage Trees Fund. A panel of officials and nature-loving volunteers decide if a tree should be placed on the register, based on its appearance, height and girth, as well as its social, historical and educational significance.<ref>{{cite news | title = NParks starts register to track rising number of heritage trees | date = [[23 April]] [[2006]] | publisher = [[The Straits Times]] | page = News section }}</ref> |
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| ⚫ | The [[Bodhi tree]] |
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==Jin Long Si Temple today== |
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| ⚫ | The Bodhi tree at Jin Long Si Temple was one of the twelve seeds that were brought by monks from [[Sri Lanka]] in the nineteen century. It has an age of approximately 120 years and over |
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===Urban redevelopment=== |
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On 20 January 2003, the [[Urban Redevelopment Authority]] (URA) issued a compulsory land acquisition order to acquire the plot of land belonging to the temple as part of URA's redevelopment plan for a [[Mass Rapid Transit_%28Singapore%29|Mass Rapid Transit]] construction of [[Circle MRT Line|Circle Line]] (Phase III). The new rail-line stretches from Bartley Road to Marymount Road, and will have five stations along its 5.7 [[kilometres]] stretch. These stations will be part of the Circle Line, which will loop around the [[Downtown Core|city]], cutting across existing stations like [[Bishan MRT Station|Bishan]] and [[Paya Lebar MRT Station|Paya Lebar]]. To be built in five stages, construction has started for the first two phases of the Circle Line, and the construction on this phase, which will cost [[S$]]1.2 [[billion]], ([[US$]] 800 million) will take five years to complete.<ref>{{cite news | author= Karamjit Kaur, Ginnie Teo | title = Temple to go to make way for MRT Circle Line | date = [[21 January]] [[2003]] | publisher = [[The Straits Times]] | }}</ref> As a result, both the temple and the Bodhi tree will have to make way for redevelopment in early 2008. The Urban Redevelopment Authority said the temple grounds, are being acquired to be joined with state land next to them so more homes can be built there. It said: |
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{{cquote|Given Singapore's limited land area, there is a need for a continuous effort to optimise the use of our land, especially at sites served by major public transport infrastructure such as the Circle Line and other MRT stations.<ref name="Tan"/> }} |
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== Uncertain future == |
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On 20 January 2003, the [[Urban Redevelopment Authority]] (URA) issued a compulsory land acquisition order to acquire the plot of land belonging to the temple as part of URA's redevelopment plan for a [[Mass_Rapid_Transit_%28Singapore%29|Mass Rapid Transit]] construction (Circle Line Stage 3). As a result, both the temple and the Bodhi tree will have to make way for redevelopment in early 2008. The temple has been offered an alternative site in [[Punggol]], but its management still hopes it will be allowed to stay. |
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===Public appeals=== |
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Since then, the temple has actively organised events to generate public awareness and support on its plight as well as making repeated appeals to the relevant authorities to review its decision to acquire the temple.<ref>{{cite news | title = Visitors flock to save revered Bodhi Tree | author = Tan Hui Yee | date = [[19 August]] [[2006]] | publisher = [[The Straits Times]]}}</ref> amongst them to preserve a rare and ancient Bodhi tree ever found within its compound but has to date not received a positive reply. |
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The temple has been offered an alternative site in [[Punggol]] as well as compensation, but its management still hopes it will be allowed to stay. Since then, the temple has actively organised events to generate public awareness and support on its plight as well as making repeated appeals to the relevant authorities to review its decision to acquire the temple, amongst them to preserve a rare and ancient Bodhi tree ever found within its compound but has to date not received a positive reply.<ref name="Tan">{{cite news | last = Tan | first = Hui Yee | title = Visitors flock to save revered Bodhi Tree | date = [[19 August]] [[2006]] | publisher = [[The Straits Times]]}}</ref> As a result, there arose a huge groundswell of public interest in the media over the temple's and its Bodhi tree fate, as well as the gradually disappearing of natural heritage landmarks; Busloads of local visitors as well as tourists from countries like [[Japan]], [[Thailand]] and [[China]] flock to the temple every weekends<ref name="Tan"/> and some visitors have set up [[blogs]] and started an online [[petition]]<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.petitiononline.com/bodhi3/petition.html | title = Help save Jin Long Si Temple and the biggest and oldest Bodhi Tree in Singapore | accessdate = 2007-05-01 | publisher = Save Our Roots }}</ref> to save the temple and the Bodhi tree. A concerned reader named Ng Siek Moi even wrote to the ''[[The Straits Times|Straits Times]] Forum Page'' twice to highlight the issue:<ref> Her first letter was dated 11 April 2007. Another follow-up letter was dated 18 July 2007.</ref> |
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{{cquote|Being an environmentally friendly country, I think our Government should do its part to try to save this only one 100-year-old bodhi tree located at Jin Long Si Temple. Years of cutting down big and small trees for development have caused the temperature in our garden country to increase each year. A few years back, a contractor accidentally chopped down a big tree at [[Changi]]. Although the contractor or company was penalised, the damage had been done. Do we wait another 100 years to see such a rare tree in Singapore?<ref>{{cite news | last = Ng | first = Siek Moi | title = Save our only 100-year-old bodhi tree | date = [[11 April]] [[2007]] | publisher = [[The Straits Times]] | page = ST Forum }}</ref> }} |
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{{portal|Singapore|Flag of Singapore.svg}} |
{{portal|Singapore|Flag of Singapore.svg}} |
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*[[Old National Library Building]] |
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*[[Mahayana Buddhism]] |
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*[[Poh Ern Shih Temple]] |
*[[Poh Ern Shih Temple]] |
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==References== |
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==Notes and references== |
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<div class="references-small"> |
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*[http://saveourroots.googlepages.com/morepictures Picture gallery of Jin Long Si Temple and its Bodhi tree] |
*[http://saveourroots.googlepages.com/morepictures Picture gallery of Jin Long Si Temple and its Bodhi tree] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Buddhist temples in Singapore]] |
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[[Category:Taoist temples in Singapore]] |
[[Category:Taoist temples in Singapore]] |
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[[Category:Visitor attractions in Singapore]] |
[[Category:Visitor attractions in Singapore]] |
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Revision as of 03:00, 24 October 2007
Jin Long Si Temple (Chinese: ???), which is located on a hilltop at Lorong How Sun (off Bartley Road), is a unique "san-jiao" (three religion) village temple in Singapore, with its teachings derived from the books of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. Within its premises, lies a nearly 120-year old Bodhi tree (Ficus religiosa), which is the oldest of its kind found in Singapore to date. The Bodhi tree shares a symbiotic relationship with the temple as its roots are deeply intertwined with the building's foundation. In 2003, the Singapore government announced that both the temple and the Bodhi tree will have to make way for redevelopment in early 2008. The temple began to actively organised events to generate public awareness and support on its plight, as well as making repeated appeals to the relevant authorities to review its decision to acquire the temple. As a result, the case generated much publicity and growing calls among Singaporeans and nature-lovers to preserve the 66-year old temple and its ancient Bodhi tree as a common heritage of Singapore.
History
Jin Long Si Temple, originally known as Jin Long Miao, was constituted under a trust and established as a religious and charity mission in 1941, with funds and donations from philanthropic Chinese merchants. It was founded to provide public shelter and a place of worship for the Chinese community during the period of great uncertainty of an imminent war sweeping through South East Asia in the 1940s.[1]
Starting off as an attap hut on a land donated by a grateful devotee earlier. It was later rebuilt by Wan Guan Lin into a zinc-roof and wooden structure which has remained barely unchanged ever since. Displaying much resourcefulness and artistic talent, the devotees had constructed a huge statue of the Laughing Buddha out of saw dust, a pagoda and also a pavilion with the life-size figure of their patron deity, Nan Wu Wu Ji Sheng Mu.[1]
Unique religious fusion
While the temple is basically a Chinese Mahayana Buddhist temple, its teachings is a fusion of the "san-jiao" (three religion) derived mainly from Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. The temple also has many unique Taoist deities like Nan Wu Wu Ji Sheng Mu and Pan Gu (??) which clearly demostrate a high level of religious tolerence and acceptance by the temple's community since its early days. The taped teachings of the temple's late master continue to be played especially to the elderly devotees in Hokkien dialect every Sunday afternoons.
Community service
Occupying an area of 1,840 square metres today, the temple has approximately 4,000 regular worshippers and more than 300 registered members. It continue to provide free vegetarian meals each day to more than 100 aged and impoverished devotees residing near the temple. The temple has also been very active in contributing to the grassroots organizations in Braddell Heights with funds and manpower despite modest resources to this day.[1] A notable example was featured in The Straits Times that the temple regularly sponsors functions at the Ramakrishna Mission Home for orphans and wayward boys, its next door neighbour. To reciprocate their kindness, the home opened its gates for the devotees to take a short cut through its compound to the temple.[2]
The oldest Bodhi tree
The Bodhi tree is considered sacred to all Buddhists. Its significance can be traced when it sheltered the Buddha from the elements during his quest for enlightenment and it is under the Bodhi tree that the Buddha attained enlightenment subsequently. Thus the Bodhi tree has come to symbolise the Buddha's enlightenment, His wisdom and compassion.
The Bodhi tree at Jin Long Si Temple was one of the twelve seeds that were brought by monks from Sri Lanka in the nineteen century. It has an age of approximately 120 years and over 30 metres tall and has a girth of 8.5 metre which is considered to be the most ancient and largest Bodhi tree in Singapore according to verifications made by the Nature Society Singapore (NSS) and National Parks Board (Nparks) separately. Its roots are deeply embedded into the slope of the hill where the temple is located and even extended to the inner recesses of the temple premises. Due to its ancient age and its symbiotic relationship with the temple, both the NSS and Nparks have recommended the Bodhi tree to be preserved as a 'Heritage Tree' after their findings.[1] Trees that are classified as 'Heritage Tree' cannot be cut down and are protected with lightning conductors with money from the Heritage Trees Fund. A panel of officials and nature-loving volunteers decide if a tree should be placed on the register, based on its appearance, height and girth, as well as its social, historical and educational significance.[3]
Jin Long Si Temple today
Urban redevelopment
On 20 January 2003, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) issued a compulsory land acquisition order to acquire the plot of land belonging to the temple as part of URA's redevelopment plan for a Mass Rapid Transit construction of Circle Line (Phase III). The new rail-line stretches from Bartley Road to Marymount Road, and will have five stations along its 5.7 kilometres stretch. These stations will be part of the Circle Line, which will loop around the city, cutting across existing stations like Bishan and Paya Lebar. To be built in five stages, construction has started for the first two phases of the Circle Line, and the construction on this phase, which will cost S$1.2 billion, (US$ 800 million) will take five years to complete.[4] As a result, both the temple and the Bodhi tree will have to make way for redevelopment in early 2008. The Urban Redevelopment Authority said the temple grounds, are being acquired to be joined with state land next to them so more homes can be built there. It said:
Given Singapore's limited land area, there is a need for a continuous effort to optimise the use of our land, especially at sites served by major public transport infrastructure such as the Circle Line and other MRT stations.[5]
Public appeals
The temple has been offered an alternative site in Punggol as well as compensation, but its management still hopes it will be allowed to stay. Since then, the temple has actively organised events to generate public awareness and support on its plight as well as making repeated appeals to the relevant authorities to review its decision to acquire the temple, amongst them to preserve a rare and ancient Bodhi tree ever found within its compound but has to date not received a positive reply.[5] As a result, there arose a huge groundswell of public interest in the media over the temple's and its Bodhi tree fate, as well as the gradually disappearing of natural heritage landmarks; Busloads of local visitors as well as tourists from countries like Japan, Thailand and China flock to the temple every weekends[5] and some visitors have set up blogs and started an online petition[6] to save the temple and the Bodhi tree. A concerned reader named Ng Siek Moi even wrote to the Straits Times Forum Page twice to highlight the issue:[7]
Being an environmentally friendly country, I think our Government should do its part to try to save this only one 100-year-old bodhi tree located at Jin Long Si Temple. Years of cutting down big and small trees for development have caused the temperature in our garden country to increase each year. A few years back, a contractor accidentally chopped down a big tree at Changi. Although the contractor or company was penalised, the damage had been done. Do we wait another 100 years to see such a rare tree in Singapore?[8]
Even if the public appeals are successful and an extension of stay is granted by the government subsequently, the temple may still fall victim to the unrelentless urbanisation in land-scarce Singapore in the near future again.
See also
References
- ^ a b c d "Archived news of Jin Long Si Temple". Jin Long Si Temple. Retrieved 2007-05-01.
- ^ "Homing in on harmony". The Straits Times. 30 March 2007. p. Review section.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "NParks starts register to track rising number of heritage trees". The Straits Times. 23 April 2006. p. News section.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Karamjit Kaur, Ginnie Teo (21 January 2003). "Temple to go to make way for MRT Circle Line". The Straits Times.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help) - ^ a b c Tan, Hui Yee (19 August 2006). "Visitors flock to save revered Bodhi Tree". The Straits Times.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Help save Jin Long Si Temple and the biggest and oldest Bodhi Tree in Singapore". Save Our Roots. Retrieved 2007-05-01.
- ^ Her first letter was dated 11 April 2007. Another follow-up letter was dated 18 July 2007.
- ^ Ng, Siek Moi (11 April 2007). "Save our only 100-year-old bodhi tree". The Straits Times. p. ST Forum.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help)