Simpah Kuan Im Teng Temple (Butterworth Nine Emperor Gods Temple)

Butterworth Simpah Kuan Im Teng Temple (北海新芭观音亭) (GPS: 5.43138, 100.38356), also called the Butterworth Simpah Guan Yin Teng Dou Mu Gong Temple (北海新芭觀音亭斗母宮), is a community Chinese temple in the Raja Uda area of Butterworth, Penang. It is commonly listed at 18 Medan Melur Selatan, off Jalan Raja Uda, with some directories also citing No. 27 on the same street; both refer to the same temple complex used by worshippers and local residents. ¹¹¹

Originally built in the 1980s, it was rebuilt in 2015 on a much larger scale. Not to be confused with the Tow Boo Kong Temple further north on Jalan Raja Uda, this is the second major temple in Butterworth for the worship of Dou Mu, the bodhisattva Marici that is associated with the Nine Emperor Gods, and is also known as Thean Hou 天后. The new temple building comprises a porch, a main prayer hall, a central court and a three-tier pagoda. The pagoda is the main feature of the temple. I first visited it in 2015, and again in 2017, when the new temple building was nearing completion. The old building of Simpah Kuan Im Teng is located across the road, Medan Melur Selatan, from it. This being a Dou Mu Gong temple, it is painted yellow, as is the new building.

Address

Rumah Berhala Guan Yin Ting Dou Mu Gong
27, Medan Melur Selatan
12300 Butterworth, Penang.

Name, Deities and Role

The temple’s name uses the Hokkien/Mandarin honorific for the Buddhist bodhisattva Guanyin (Kuan Im/Kuan Yin), reflecting its role as a place of compassion and mercy in Chinese folk-Buddhist practice. The complex also venerates Dou Mu (斗母)—the Mother of the Big Dipper—closely associated with the Nine Emperor Gods rites held annually in the lunar ninth month, a tradition widely observed across northern Seberang Perai. ²

Location and How to Get There

Butterworth Simpah Kuan Im Teng sits on Medan Melur Selatan just off the Raja Uda corridor, a short hop from the food streets and coffee shops that make Raja Uda famous. Geocoding sites place the temple at approximately 5.43186°N, 100.38394°E, useful for GPS navigation. ⁷

Public transport access is via the main stops on Jalan Raja Uda. Rapid Penang bus 604 runs between Penang Sentral and the Sungai Dua (Desa Murni) area and serves the Raja Uda spine; from the nearest 604 stop on Jalan Raja Uda it is an on-foot approach into Medan Melur Selatan. Service details vary by timetable, but route references and published hours confirm regular daytime operations. ³⁹¹⁰

Architecture and Layout

While details are modest compared to grander complexes, Butterworth Simpah Kuan Im Teng follows familiar Chinese temple cues: a forecourt opening into a principal prayer hall, side altars to attendant deities, and spaces adapted for community events. Photographic posts show typical ornament such as dragon finials, painted door guardians, and a central incense area—elements shared with Penang’s historic Kuan Yin temples, though on a smaller neighbourhood scale. ⁶⁸

Festivals, Devotions and Community Life

Nine Emperor Gods observances. Social posts and listings identify the temple as active during the Ninth Lunar Month, when devotees honour the Nine Emperor Gods under Dou Mu’s patronage. Processions, vegetarian food stalls and nightly prayers are typical features in this season for Raja Uda–area temples, with event teasers and ritual announcements appearing on the temple’s feeds. ⁴⁵¹²

Thursday night market. A popular neighbourhood attraction is the weekly night market held on the temple grounds or immediately around it, typically on Thursdays, featuring hawker snacks and stalls—an easy add-on to a Raja Uda food crawl. ⁸

Youth and learning. The temple’s social media announces children’s and students’ Dharma camps and related community programmes, underscoring its role beyond ritual worship. ⁶

Visiting Information

Hours. Third-party listings indicate the temple is typically open daily with extended hours (e.g., 07:00–22:00). As hours can change during festival periods, visitors should check the latest notices before planning. ⁵

Etiquette. As in most Chinese temples, modest dress, reverent conduct, and care around incense and candles are expected. Photography is usually welcomed in the courtyard; ask before photographing inside the main shrine.

What to bring. Light joss sticks are commonly offered; devotees may also bring fruits or floral offerings (especially white jasmine, an emblem often associated with Guanyin) when paying respects.

Context in the Raja Uda Corridor

Raja Uda is home to several temples and community halls, with the wider North Seberang Perai area also known for the prominent Tow Boo Kong (Nine Emperor Gods) Temple a short distance north along the same corridor. Butterworth Simpah Kuan Im Teng complements this landscape as a neighbourhood worship space linked into the same festival calendar and food culture. ¹²

Practical Tips

Getting there from George Town: Take the ferry or bus to Penang Sentral, then ride Rapid Penang 604 along Jalan Raja Uda; alight at a stop near Medan Melur Selatan and walk in. ⁹¹⁰
Parking: Limited roadside spaces exist around Medan Melur Selatan; arrive early for festivals or the Thursday night market. ⁸
Best time to visit: Evenings for the market (Thursdays) and during the Ninth Lunar Month for processions and vegetarian stalls; mornings are quieter for prayer. ⁸¹²

A Note on the Address

Different platforms list the temple either as No. 18 or No. 27, Medan Melur Selatan. The temple’s Facebook “About” section uses No. 18, while several community/aggregator listings cite No. 27. In practice, both will lead you to the same compound off Jalan Raja Uda; if navigating by car or e-hailing, pairing either entry with “Medan Melur Selatan, Raja Uda” is effective. ¹⁴⁷

Why It Matters

The temple exemplifies Butterworth’s living Chinese heritage—where places of worship double as social commons. A weekly market, youth activities and highly participatory festival cycles keep the compound active year-round while preserving devotional practices to Guanyin and Dou Mu. For travellers exploring the mainland side of Penang, it offers an intimate complement to headline heritage sites across the channel.

Quick Facts

Official/Popular Name: Butterworth Simpah Kuan Im Teng Temple (北海新芭观音亭)
Address used on platforms: No. 18 or No. 27, Medan Melur Selatan, off Jalan Raja Uda
Main deities: Guanyin (Goddess of Mercy), Dou Mu (Mother of the Big Dipper)
Signature season: Ninth Lunar Month (Nine Emperor Gods) with vegetarian stalls and nightly rites
Weekly highlight: Thursday night market with hawker food and community stalls
Access: Walk-in from Jalan Raja Uda bus stops (Rapid Penang 604)
Approx. coordinates: 5.43186°N, 100.38394°E

Simpah Kuan Im Teng Temple is on the Map of Butterworth, Seberang Perai

Photographs from 11 December 2017

Simpah Kuan Im Teng Temple, also known as the Butterworth Nine Emperor Gods Temple (11 December 2017)

Close up of the Simpah Kuan Im Teng Temple, also known as the Butterworth Nine Emperor Gods Temple (11 December 2017)

Side view of the Simpah Kuan Im Teng Temple. This photo was taken before the temple dedication, and so the figures have their eyes blindfolded. (11 December 2017)

Front porch of the temple with its dragon pillars. Note the dragons are also covered with yellow cloth ahead of a proper dedication. (11 December 2017)

Ornate curving roof ridges, with yellow-orange roofing indicative of a Dou Mu Gong temple. (11 December 2017)

The newly installed life-size granite figures ahead of the temple dedication. (11 December 2017)

At the time of this photograph, work was still on-going to tile the courtyard. (11 December 2017)

Photographs from 17 August 2015

Work was partially completed on the main pagoda during the visit in 2015. (17 August 2015)

During 2015 visit, much of main temple still encased in scaffolding. (17 August 2015)

This is the old Simpah Kuan Im Teng Temple, located at Medan Melur Selatan, behind the new temple building. (17 August 2015)

Artist impression of the new temple on display in the old temple. (17 August 2015)

Notice at the old temple soliciting funds for the construction of the new temple building. (17 August 2015)

Prayer hall in the old temple building. (17 August 2015)

Artwork of the Old Simpah Kuan Im Teng

References

Page Details

This page was created on 22 August 2025.

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