Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang Hill, Malaysia

Looking down from higher level to lower level.

And huge it is; it is built on several levels on Penang Hill and consisting of many temple buildings and pagoda’s. To see it you have to either climb and descend a lot, or you can take the funicular up and down. And if you come by car or taxi it is simple, you can drive or be driven from one level to the other.

We did a combination: the taxi dropped us of at the highest level. There we wandered around, took the funicular to the level below. There again we wandered around, taking some steps up or down every now and then. When we reached the lowest level, we were still quite far away from where the taxi would wait for us: at the foot of Penang Hill. There are covered pedestrian stairs all the way down, lined by seemingly endless stalls selling everything. Commercially very smart, although I would not like to be one of the vendors, never seeing the day of light.

Let’s explore this enormous temple complex, shall we?

We start our tour at the top.

The views over Georgetown are fantastic from up here.

At the top there is a temple, a 30 meter high statue of Kuan Yin, that replaces the former (plaster) one that got destroyed in a fire.

The head of that former one was rescued and placed near the new version.

I actually much prefer this older version with it’s colors.

There is a pond with real koi fish and fake lotus flowers.

Loving the fake lotus flowers; super kitsch!

And there is a small industry in fundraising there, to pay for ongoing renovations and additions.

Devotees can donate smaller or bigger amounts in various ways. You can buy Wishing Ribbons and hang them on trees or lines. Or you can buy a roof tile and have something painted on it, like your name.

We bought four ribbons….

…and hung them in this ‘tree’.

Adopt a tile;-)

Crates filled with roof tiles, waiting to be adopted?

All sorts of figurines, ready to be added.

Minny Mouse? Panda bear? Really?

A doggie? Weird! But weird is gooooood! I love weird.

All of this of course helps out the temple, but it is also supposed to bring luck to the person who does the donation. A win-win situation.

There is a prayer hall with an unusual design of no shoes signage. And with a gorgeous lotus flower-tiled floor.

Oh, and then there was this ugly, fierce guy standing on his pedestal:

Ok, that was the top level. Let’s take the cable car and go down to the following level.

What do you think of this way of fundraising? I found it rather creative and nice. There are more obnoxious ways, don’t you think?