Johor Old Chinese Temple
Johor Old Chinese Temple
4
7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Monday
7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Tuesday
7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Wednesday
7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Thursday
7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Friday
7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Saturday
7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Sunday
7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
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4.0
149 reviews
Excellent
41
Very good
51
Average
51
Poor
4
Terrible
2
macedonboy
Glasgow, UK185,662 contributions
Mar 2020
This is one of the oldest religious buildings in Johor Bahru and the oldest Chinese temple. The front of the building is beautifully decorated with paintings of the 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac. The front entrance is painted in bold red and contrasts beautifully against the predominantly white background of the front wall. The temple interestingly serves all the main dialectal Chinese groups of the city. So it’s not a surprise that the temple has a mixture of shrines for Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese deities. The Chinese deity Yuan Tian Shang Di is most prominent in the temple as the shrine is in the main central building while there is a subsidiary building for the Goddess of Mercy.
A beautiful temple to visit in the city.
A beautiful temple to visit in the city.
Written 5 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ernestine T
45 contributions
Feb 2017 • Friends
Just an overview for your understanding
of this Temple & also the Major Annual Parade:
This Temple is a place of worship and a symbol of unity among Five Chinese Dialect Groups which are "Teochew", "Hokkien", "Cantonese", "Hakka" , "Hainan".
The temple hosts 5 Deities from the 5 different Chinese Dialect Group.
There are:
Yuan Tian Shang Di - (元天上帝) (大老爷)
Hong Xian Da Di - (洪仙大帝) (洪仙公)
Gan Tian Da Di - (感天大帝)
Hua Guang Da Di - (华光大帝)
Zhao Da Yuan Shuai - (赵大元帅)
Every year on the 20-23rd of the first lunar month,
the Temple organizes its annual Chingay known as
the Parade of Deities (古廟游神).
The Chingay parade lasts for four days.
The climax of the parade is on the night of the 3rd day when
the Deities parade around the Johor Bahru Town Centre
or in Chinese known as 圣駕巡游.
The annual Chingay has attracted more than 300,000 people to march around the major roads of Johor Bahru together with the 5 Deities being worshiped in the Old Temple.
If you ever is in Johor Bahru during this period of the parade time,
I will say a "MUST GO" to see this parade in town!
You will never see this anywhere else!
of this Temple & also the Major Annual Parade:
This Temple is a place of worship and a symbol of unity among Five Chinese Dialect Groups which are "Teochew", "Hokkien", "Cantonese", "Hakka" , "Hainan".
The temple hosts 5 Deities from the 5 different Chinese Dialect Group.
There are:
Yuan Tian Shang Di - (元天上帝) (大老爷)
Hong Xian Da Di - (洪仙大帝) (洪仙公)
Gan Tian Da Di - (感天大帝)
Hua Guang Da Di - (华光大帝)
Zhao Da Yuan Shuai - (赵大元帅)
Every year on the 20-23rd of the first lunar month,
the Temple organizes its annual Chingay known as
the Parade of Deities (古廟游神).
The Chingay parade lasts for four days.
The climax of the parade is on the night of the 3rd day when
the Deities parade around the Johor Bahru Town Centre
or in Chinese known as 圣駕巡游.
The annual Chingay has attracted more than 300,000 people to march around the major roads of Johor Bahru together with the 5 Deities being worshiped in the Old Temple.
If you ever is in Johor Bahru during this period of the parade time,
I will say a "MUST GO" to see this parade in town!
You will never see this anywhere else!
Written 14 November 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
John Bentley R
32 contributions
Apr 2017 • Family
This temple is 170 years old years with the brick and mortar structured rebuilt in the 1950s. It is still a functioning temple that has no guide and with info written on the wall on the temple located at the rear of the temple. You have to explore the whole temple to get the idea of the temple. A great place to be but sadly no info regarding the temple as the temple caretakers do not speak English. You have read the info written on the wall on the temple located at the rear of the temple.
Written 1 July 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
cornishcay
4 contributions
Feb 2013 • Family
To the local Johorean, we seldom visit this over 100 years temple on normal day. It is at its most interesting state on 2 occasions - 1) the night before 1st day of Chinese New Year and 2) 20th to 23rd of Chinese New Year period.
1) We visit this temple on the night before 1st day of CNY after our reunion dinner to pray for good blessings for the coming year. It is packed to its brim with fireworks display, lion and dragon dances etc.
2) 20th to 23rd day of CNY period, there are 4 days of special event. The god in this temple will go out for a parade! 1st day, it will be invited out to another temple. 2nd & 3rd day, one full day for people to pray in that other temple and prepare for the biggest parade of the Johor night. 3rd night is the night of the parade! Just find a spot along the route and you see the most fascinating street performances, including lion and dragon dances, balancing of 4metres tall flags etc. One of the famous performance is glow-in-the-dark dragon dances! And the most important of all performances and most popular is the parade of the god in the wooden carrier. People are always squeezing to carry the wooden carrier. However, only special designated group of people belonging to the clan or association in their t-shirt are official carriers. Every so often, they will swing the wooden carrier from side to side, rocking it!
When i was younger, I join this parade every year. For a few years, i dressed up as chinese fairy and stood on the parade lorry to distribute sweets! Those years were fun. One year i was dressed up as chinese butterfly fairy. To wear that costume, we had to pray and ask for permission. Seems very serious. Thanks to my daddy who held positions in one of the clan (Heng Ann Association) that gave me these special chances to have fun and beautiful memories!
Hope you can join the parade one day too. There is no booking of seats and no seatings for that matter. Just a random congregation of crowds along the roads, just the original way of doing it.
To know more, you can google johor temple chingay or festival parade etc. Have fun!!
1) We visit this temple on the night before 1st day of CNY after our reunion dinner to pray for good blessings for the coming year. It is packed to its brim with fireworks display, lion and dragon dances etc.
2) 20th to 23rd day of CNY period, there are 4 days of special event. The god in this temple will go out for a parade! 1st day, it will be invited out to another temple. 2nd & 3rd day, one full day for people to pray in that other temple and prepare for the biggest parade of the Johor night. 3rd night is the night of the parade! Just find a spot along the route and you see the most fascinating street performances, including lion and dragon dances, balancing of 4metres tall flags etc. One of the famous performance is glow-in-the-dark dragon dances! And the most important of all performances and most popular is the parade of the god in the wooden carrier. People are always squeezing to carry the wooden carrier. However, only special designated group of people belonging to the clan or association in their t-shirt are official carriers. Every so often, they will swing the wooden carrier from side to side, rocking it!
When i was younger, I join this parade every year. For a few years, i dressed up as chinese fairy and stood on the parade lorry to distribute sweets! Those years were fun. One year i was dressed up as chinese butterfly fairy. To wear that costume, we had to pray and ask for permission. Seems very serious. Thanks to my daddy who held positions in one of the clan (Heng Ann Association) that gave me these special chances to have fun and beautiful memories!
Hope you can join the parade one day too. There is no booking of seats and no seatings for that matter. Just a random congregation of crowds along the roads, just the original way of doing it.
To know more, you can google johor temple chingay or festival parade etc. Have fun!!
Written 18 March 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BettyandLingShing
Malaysia638 contributions
Old Chinese Temple is really old, aged 130, built by some Chinese leaders. Now, the unique part of the temple is the oddness of the temple in the middle of the most developed area in Johor Bahru. The temple is really easy to access- Located in Trus Road, less than 5 minutes walk from City Square.
The temple is small, with a small museum inside. You can take a few minutes stop over the temple to take a look on the place of praying for chinese people in JB for more than 130 years. For more information about my trip in Johor Bahru, please visit my blog at:
http://bettyandlingshing.blogspot.com/2010/09/johor-bharu.html
The temple is small, with a small museum inside. You can take a few minutes stop over the temple to take a look on the place of praying for chinese people in JB for more than 130 years. For more information about my trip in Johor Bahru, please visit my blog at:
http://bettyandlingshing.blogspot.com/2010/09/johor-bharu.html
Written 21 October 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SOH KIEN PENG
Singapore, Singapore9,283 contributions
Jul 2023 • Solo
This temple was founded by Tan Hiok Nee, a wealthy and influential Teochew businessman in Singapore and Johor during the 19th century. Jalan Tan Hiok Nee which was a road located within walking distance from the temple was named after him.
The temple is one of the oldest structure in Johor Bahru and become a unifying symbol among the 5 Chinese ethnic groups, namely, the Hokkein, the Cantonese, the Teochew, Hakka and Hainanese. The 5 deities in the temple are representative of each of the 5 ethnic groups:
Yuan Tian Shang Di (元天上帝) (大老爷)
Hong Xian Da Di (洪仙大帝) (洪仙公)
Gan Tian Da Di (感天大帝)
Hua Guang Da Di (华光大帝)
Zhao Da Yuan Shuai (赵大元帅)
Tan Hiok Nee was able to command the respect of the other ethnic groups because he was able to gain the favor of the Johor Sultan who appointed him as Major China of Johor, the highest ranking Chinese official in his government.
Unlike the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British who came to colonalise Malaya, the Chinese like Hiok Nee amassed wealth through sheer diligence and entrepreurship and had no political ambition. They chose to live harmoniously with the local Malay rulers and help to create a peaceful and conducive business environment by unifying the Chinese ethnic groups .
The prosperity of today Johor Bahru is due to the solid foundation laid down by these pioneers and the harmonious relationship enjoy by all the races. The Temple continues to be a living symbol of the mission of the Chinese entrepreneurs in Johor Bahru.
The temple is one of the oldest structure in Johor Bahru and become a unifying symbol among the 5 Chinese ethnic groups, namely, the Hokkein, the Cantonese, the Teochew, Hakka and Hainanese. The 5 deities in the temple are representative of each of the 5 ethnic groups:
Yuan Tian Shang Di (元天上帝) (大老爷)
Hong Xian Da Di (洪仙大帝) (洪仙公)
Gan Tian Da Di (感天大帝)
Hua Guang Da Di (华光大帝)
Zhao Da Yuan Shuai (赵大元帅)
Tan Hiok Nee was able to command the respect of the other ethnic groups because he was able to gain the favor of the Johor Sultan who appointed him as Major China of Johor, the highest ranking Chinese official in his government.
Unlike the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British who came to colonalise Malaya, the Chinese like Hiok Nee amassed wealth through sheer diligence and entrepreurship and had no political ambition. They chose to live harmoniously with the local Malay rulers and help to create a peaceful and conducive business environment by unifying the Chinese ethnic groups .
The prosperity of today Johor Bahru is due to the solid foundation laid down by these pioneers and the harmonious relationship enjoy by all the races. The Temple continues to be a living symbol of the mission of the Chinese entrepreneurs in Johor Bahru.
Written 12 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Phi Somchai
Bangkok, Thailand3,739 contributions
Mar 2020 • Family
This is one of the oldest Chinese temple in JB. Lots of history. Still very well maintained. Rather small, but worth a short visit if you are in the vicinity.
Written 22 June 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
J Lee
Friedrichshafen, Germany203 contributions
Jul 2019
We were there and bit disappointed. Is really not much to see unless you are a believer and like to pray there.
Written 11 August 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jack101213
Johor Bahru, Malaysia663 contributions
Feb 2014 • Solo
The temple is more than 130 years old. On the 20th day of the Lunar New Year, the deities representing the main 5 Chinese dialects of Johor Bahru will be moved from this temple to the Tiong Hua hill where they will reside temporary before returning to the temple on the 22nd day of the Lunar New Year. The main procession around the city of Johor Bahru will be on the 21st night and the deities will be accompanied by dragon and lion dance troupes, floats and Chinese cultural groups. Recently foreign cultural troupes were invited to take part as it has become an international event and it is the biggest Chinese religious event outside of China. This procession is an annual affair held without fail dating back to more than 100 years except during World War 2 when the Imperial Japanese Army occupied what was then Malaya. This event had been awarded the Heritage Status of Malaysia by the government and attracts many foreign visitors and locals to view the procession.
Written 18 February 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KYinSEAsia
34 contributions
Oct 2011 • Friends
The Old Johor temple is a nice place to begin to get a bit of understanding of the various Chinese communities in Malaysia. The temple is open to visitors and you are allowed to take photos. On the right side is a small walk-through museum explaining some of the history of the Chinese settling in Johor and some info about the temple itself.
One reminder: it is a working temple where people go to pray, so dress and behavior should be respectful.
One reminder: it is a working temple where people go to pray, so dress and behavior should be respectful.
Written 20 November 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello,
We booked the hotel room on 10/22,we would like to know any bus shuttle we can take from DMK airport to your hotel?
Thanks,
Written 19 January 2015
What is DMK? Never hear such airport in Johore. Is it a private airport??
Written 20 January 2015
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