Leong San See Temple; Singapore

If there is a temple called Hong San See/Temple on Phoenix Hill/Phoenix Hill Temple there is a temple that is called Leong San See (Chinese: 龍山寺 Lóng Shān Sì; "Dragon Hill Temple" or "Temple on Dragon Hill").

Leong San See is a temple dedicated to the Goddess/Bodhisattva of Compassion and Mercy, Kuan Yin (觀音菩薩; also known as: Avalokiteśvara Sanskrit: अवलोकितेश्वर, Chenrézik/Chenrézig Tibetan: སྤྱན་རས་གཟིགས).

Leong San Si is a Buddhist-Taoist temple built by Abbot Chuan Wu/Zhuan Wu from Nan'an City Fujian Province, China in 1917. He came to Singapore with only a statue of Kuan Yin, an urn and a mission to help people. He set out and purchased a plot of land and established a lodge, known then as Leong San Lodge. There he treated the sick and the poor. By 1926, thanks to donations from Tan Boon Liat (a local philanthropist, who also donated funds for the construction of the Kusu Island Tua Pek Kong Temple), the lodge consisting of only a few huts, was remodelled and became a temple known by the locals (up to this day) as Leong San See. After the remodelling the temple became a beautiful intricate piece of art, had a new altar for the Goddess of Compassion and Mercy, Kuan Yin and a statue of Confucius.

Leong San See used to have a school within the temple's grounds. The school was put up in order to help educate and improve the lives of the youth living around the area. After a number of years the school's students had doubled and became overcrowded. The need for a new school became a priofity for Venerable Zhuan Feng, who founded the Leong San School. The decision was made to build a new school on the piece of land adjacent to the temple. The new school was constructed and was named Mee Toh School and was managed by the Leong San See Temple up until 1957.

The Leong San See was gazetted as a national monument on November 10, 1978.

Leong San See/Long Shan Si; "Temple on Dragon Hill"

Leong San See is very intricate and ornate. As with most traditional Chinese temples zero nails were used in its construction. The temple itself is designed and built in traditional southern Chinese style, with red and yellow as its dominant colour motifs.

When you enter the temple Kuan Yin's altar stand front and centre among the other Gods/Deities that are housed in the temple. Behind the temple is an Ancestral Hall to house the remains, urns and spirit tablets of the dead.

The other Gods and Deities housed in the temple are:

*Main Deity:
Kuan Yin (Goddess of Mercy and Compassion) 觀音

Other Deities 众神/佛
Ma Zu (Goddess of the Sea) 妈祖
Justice Bao 包公
Cheng Wang Ye (City God) 城王爷
Monkey King 齐天大圣
Xuan Tian Shang Di 玄天上帝
Sixty Tai Sui 六十太岁
Hua Guang Da Di 华光大帝
Taiyang Gong (Sun God) 太阳公
Yue Gong Niang Niang (Moon Goddess) 月宫娘娘
Madam Zhu Sheng 注生娘娘
Bao Sheng Da Di (God of Medicine) 保生大帝
Dou Mu Yuan Jun 斗姆元君
God of Literature 文昌帝君
Yue Lao (God of Marriage) 月下老人/月老

A beautiful porcelain statue of Kuan Yin on one of the other altars

Tai Sui 太歲

Outside the temple you will notice a large padlock that looks like it's made of 2 hearts put together with a Dragon and a Phoenix on it. I'm not sure why there's a Love Lock such as this one in the temple, but it could be due to the presence of Yue Lao, the God of Marriage (月下老人/月老), he is the old man on the moon who ties the red string of destiny to the pinky fingers of 2 people. There is a saying that: "Marriages are made in Heaven, but prepared on the Moon", that saying comes from Yue Lao, the God of Marriage, who lives on the Moon and ties the fates of 2 people together. When Dragons and Phoenixes are put together, their union symbolises Love, Happiness and Harmony.

Love Lock

Dragon and Phoenix

There is also a white statue (probably made of marble) of Kuan Yin as how she is depicted as Chenrézig (སྤྱན་རས་གཟིགས)/Avalokiteśvara (अवलोकितेश्वर).

Kuan Yin/Chenrézig/Avalokiteśvara

Leong San See is another temple that doesn't feel intimidating, it may be less grand as some others, but the feeling inside the temple is a lot more intimate and personal. It's as if the Gods/Deities are like your grandmother/grandfather or your favourite auntie/uncle, who you could talk to about anything and they would not judge you for the choices that you've made or your view on life.

The Leong San See Temple is located at:

#371 Race Course Rd, Singapore 218641

Operating Hours: 7:30am-5:00pm

*It's only a 5-10 minute walk from Farrer Park MRT Station!