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Penang Chinese Temples are some of the most elaborate and ornate in Malaysia, due partly to the sheer number of Chinese inhabitants in the community, and also to the prosperity of the Chinese especially from the second half of 19th century until the Second World War, when most of the Chinese temples of Penang were built.
The earliest of the Chinese temples is Kong Hock Keong, better known as Kuan Yin Teng, or in English, the Temple of the Goddess of Mercy. Initially built by early immigrants to venerate Ma Chor Po, also called Matsu, the patron deity of seafarers, over time the temple became better associated with the Kuan Yin, or Goddess of Mercy. Its formal name of Kong Hock Keong came about because it is the temple built by those the Hokkien and the Cantonese dialect groups in Penang.
In addition to the Temple of the Goddess of Mercy, other noted Chinese temples in Penang include the Kek Lok Si Temple in Ayer Itam, the Tanjong Tokong Tua Pek Kong Temple, which is the most famous of all the Tua Pek Kong temples in Penang, and the Sam Poh Footprint Temple in Batu Maung venerating the footprint of Admiral Zheng He. Not to be left out, the Thai and Burmese communities also built temples in Penang. But while many of the Chinese temples are Taoist by nature, and used for the worship of Taoist deities or deitified personalities, the Thai and Burmese temples are chiefly Buddhist temples, albeit with local elements incorporated into them.
On this page we view the Chinese temples in Penang. The majority are those located on Penang Island, although a few Chinese temples on the mainland is also included, as well as the Thai and Buddhist temples.
 | Cantonese Tua Pek Kong Temple
King Street
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 | Chor Soo Kong Temple
Batu Maung
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 | Chung Keng Kwee Ancestral Temple
Church Street
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 | Dhammikarama Burmese Temple
Burmah Lane
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 | Han Jiang Teochew Ancestral Temple
Chulia Street
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 | Hock Teik Cheng Sin
@ Hokkien Tua Pek Kong Temple,
Armenian Street
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 | Jade Emperor's Pavilion
Air Itam
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 | Kek Lok Si
@ Pagoda of Ten Thousand Buddhas,
Air Itam
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 | Kuan Yin Teng
@ Temple of the Goddess of Mercy,
Pitt Street / Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling
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 | Nine Emperor Gods Temple of Butterworth
@ Tow Boo Kong Temple
Jalan Raja Uda, Butterworth
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 | Nine Emperor Gods Temple of Penang
@ Toe Boe Keong Kew Ong Tai Tay Temple
Macallum Street Ghaut, Penang
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 | Penang Buddhist Association
Anson Road
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 | Sam Poh Footprint Temple
Batu Maung
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 | Seng Ong Beow
Bridge Street
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 | Snake Temple
Sungai Keluang, Bayan Lepas
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 | Sun Qiang Temple
Harbour Trade Centre
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 | Tanjong Tokong Tua Pek Kong Temple
Tanjong Tokong
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 | Thean Hock Keong
Bagan Ajam, Butterworth
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 | Wat Chaiyamangkalaram
Burmah Lane
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 | Wat Pinbang Onn
Burmah Lane
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