Loyang Tua Pek Kong temple in Loyang, Singapore, may be one of the most unique religious sites I’ve visited. I’ve been to dozens of temples, churches, and other houses of worship, and each one is usually dedicated to just one or two faiths (Taoism and Buddhism have a way of intermingling in many countries). But Loyang Tua Pek Kong hosts deities from four distinct religions: Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, and the Malay-Chinese Datuk Kong — and that makes it a site worth seeking out.

At First Glance: A Traditional Taoist Temple in Singapore

Looking from the outside, you might think this is just another Chinese temple. And indeed, it has many features in common with other Chinese temples on the island. You have your Tiangong censer (a joss-paper-burning tower) …

… your tiger in a cave …

… and your God of Wealth — this one well over two stories tall — being decked out for Chinese New Year.

But inside, the temple is divided into four different religious sections. The largest and most prominent, filled with dozens of Taoist deities, is the Taoist prayer area.

Many parts of the temple were under construction during my visit, hence the red plastic. This prevented me from seeing the statue of the temple’s namesake deity: Tua Pek Kong, the Peranakan God of Prosperity.

Ganesha & Beyond: The Hindu Pantheon

Just to the right of the Taoist deities, you’ll find the Hindu section. Here, Lord Ganesha and his mount — a mouse named Krauncha — feature most prominently.

The Guardian Spirit: Datuk Kong

Three other Hindu deity statutes preside in archways behind Ganesha. Just to their right is the worship space for Datuk Kong, a Malayan guardian spirit.

The Fourth Faith: The Buddhist Room

Finally, a Buddhist prayer hall sits at the back, housing an altar and a lotus ceiling (perhaps because of the construction, I did not see the temple’s main bodhisattva, Ksitigarbha, at the altar).

Multiple traditional Chinese folk gods flank the Buddhist altar. But my favorite part of this room was this abacus, filled with animal motifs and divided into the 12 months of the Lunar year.

Why Four Faiths?

How did four religions end up under a single roof at Loyang Tua Pek Kong Temple? If the internet is to be believed (always an iffy proposition), it all began in the early 1980s, when someone stumbled on a group of Taoist, Buddhist, and Hindu deities statues lying together on a beach. Worshippers first built to protect the statues, and then people began coming to worship there. Eventually, the hut burned down — and though only the Taoist statue still survives, a proper temple was figuratively built from the ashes of that fire.

Visiting the Temple: What to Expect

Loyang Tua Pek Kong is divided into 14 stations, and worshippers are invited to burn a certain number of joss sticks at each one. This is station number 10, the Pavilion of the Wandering Souls, where 3 joss sticks are recommended.

The architecture and iconography at Loyang Tua Pek Kong are all very Chinese (here’s Guan Yin, the goddess of mercy, with some Chinese plaques).

But despite the nearly-entirely Chinese trappings, I saw worshippers of multiple ethic backgrounds going from station to station to pray. As far as bringing in practitioners goes, it probably helps that there’s a huge emphasis on praying for wealth. at Loyang Tua Pek Kong. The temple houses an oracle stone where you can pray for lucky numbers, and people write those numbers all over the place.

I’ve never seen a temple that combines multiple religions like this before, so I was glad that I made the trek out to visit. Of course, if religion isn’t your thing, you can stop by the temple’s chicken pavilion — an unusual and delightful addition to a pretty serious place.

Love the temples of Singapore? Arumugam Road has three, and you can read about them here!