It will be held from March 30 to April 1 next year at the picturesque Quarry Recreational Park, Botanic Gardens. Promised to be an exciting event in the Penang tourism calendar, the festival will features international acts with musicians from various countries confirming their participation. Among them are from Australia, India, China, Korea, Africa, Russia as well as local Malaysian bands.

Various attractive programs have already been lined up for this open-air festival and they include music workshops, Kidz World workshop, festival bazaar and night concerts. The music workshop will be held from 2pm onwards while the festival bazaar will start from noon during the three days of the festival. The night concert is starting at 7pm.

Mahayana Buddhism and traditional Chinese rituals blend into a harmonious whole, both in the temple architecture and artwork as well as in the daily activities of worshippers.

History of Kek Lok Si

The construction of the temple began in 1890 and was inspired by the chief monk of the Goddess of Mercy Temple at Pitt Street. With the support of the consular representative of China in Penang, the project received the sanction of the Emperor Guangxu, who bestowed a tablet and gift of 70,000 volumes of the Imperial Edition of the Buddhist Sutras.

The primary benefactor of the Kek Lok Si Temple in 1906 was none other than Kapitan Chung Keng Quee.

In 1930, the seven storey main pagoda of the temple or the Pagoda of 10,000 Buddhas, was completed. This pagoda combines a Chinese octagonal base with a middle tier of Thai design, and a Burmese crown; reflecting the temple’s embrace of both Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism.

In 2002, a 30.2m bronze statue of the Kuan Yin was completed and opened to public. It replaced the previous white plaster Kuan Yin statue which was damaged due to a fire a few years earlier. The bronze statue is located on the hillside above the pagoda while the head of the previous statue which survived the fire is preserved and placed on the right hand corner of the new statue.

The temple is still growing. Generous donations from the affluent Chinese community allow the construction of additional buildings. From 2005 to 2009 an ornate shelter for the Kuan Yin statue was constructed. 16 carved dragon pillars were built, carrying the top of three concentric octogonals roof.

What to see at Kek Lok Si Temple

Most visitors approach the temple as they ascend a stairway, roofs of which provide shelter to a multitude of shops selling souvenirs and other – mostly secular – commodities. They pass by a so-called Liberation Pond, following the buddhist tradition of merit-making, turtles may be released into freedom, albeit a limited one.

The temple itself consists of several large halls for assembly and prayer, here, statues of Buddha, various Bodhisattvas as well as Chinese gods are being venerated. Intricate woodwork, often brightly painted and a plethora of lanterns add to the visual impression.

There is an inclined lift to carry pilgrims and visitors further uphill. On the elevated platform, you can find a pond filled with Koi and the towering statue of Kuan Yin, Goddess of Mercy, which can also be regarded as Avalokitheshvara, Bodhisattva of Universal Compassion.

Festivals Celebration

The temple is a focal point of festivals of the Chinese community in Penang. The Chinese New Year celebrations are particularly impressive. For 30 days following Chinese New Year, the temple remains open until late at night whilst thousands of lights turn the scenery into a sea of light.

Admission Fees

The entrance to the Kek Lok Si Temple is free but the entrance fees to the Pagoda is RM 2.00 per entry. Incline Lift to see the statue of Kuan Yin is RM 2.00 each way.

The Kek Lok Si parking fees is RM 2.00 per entry for a car and RM 0.80 per entry for a motorcycles.

On a lighter note, the Esplanade Field is famous for the Chap Goh Meh celebration. Since the 19th century, eligible young Nyonyas would gather on the 15th day of the Chinese New Year, known fondly among locals as Chap Goh Meh or Chinese Valentine’s Day, at the Esplanade Field to throw Mandarin oranges into the sea in the hopes of finding a good suitor – a tradition still practiced today.

These days, the Esplanade Field comes to life with hawkers, hungry diners and your average angling enthusiasts. At the centre of it all, is a beautifully landscaped public park where locals often bring their families to enjoy the cool, breezy air.