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Kun Iam Temple

Kun Iam Temple

Kun Iam Temple, or called Kun Iam Tong is one of the Three Ancient Temples of Macao, where there are many worshippers. On the gate there are couplets: “Sultans come from India and Kun Lam manifest miracles in the south sea”

Constructed in the late Ming Dynasty, Kun Iam Temple was presided in its early years by the Famous Monk Dashan of Lingnan School. The temple is also mentioned in the Annals of Macao: Once was a Kun Iam Temple.

There are two antiques kept in Kun Iam Temple, descending from the early years of Ming Dynasty. One is the stone altar of the 7th year of Tianwuqi Reign of the Ming Dynasty (1627), the other is the ancient bell cast in the Chongzhen Reign of the Ming Dynasty, which was mentioned in the fifth volume of Annals of Xiangshan of the 7th year of Daoguang Reign(1827) as “the inscription on the bell of Kun Iam Temple, situated in Mong Ha village in the 5th year of Chongzhen Reign”

After an expansion of a large scale in Jiaqing Reign and reconstruction in the reigns of Xianfeng of Guangxu, Kun Iam Temple gets its now form.

Kun Iam Temple is a construction with three entrances. The first entrance is of the Main Buddha’s Palace dedicated to Buddha of Three Treasure; the second entrance is of the Longevity Hall dedicated to Maitreya; the third entrance is of the Kun Iam Hall dedicated to Goddess Kun Iam, Wieto, God of Earth and the eighteen Arhat. Kun Iam Temple, also named Kun Iam Tang, is named to memorize that Goddess Kun lam was worshipped at the very beginning.

Besides, there are other halls like Tin Hau Hall dedicated to Tin Hau, Hall of God of Earth dedicated to God of Earth, God of Hell, Rhadamathus (official in charge of life-and-death register in hell) and Anitya, and Mou Tai Hall dedicated to Kwan Tai.

As a temple of a large scale in construction, Kun Lam Temple also consist of other hall like a Hall of Eulogy, Hall of Tan Yue, Hall of Miao Xiang, Buddhist Dining Hall of Abbot. There are ancient sky-reaching trees growing in the garden of the back mountain, a memorial archway in commemoration of Abbot Monk Dashan and Memorial Pavilion in commemoration of ex-abbot Monk Huiyin.

Kun Iam Temple, situated in the first biggest village Mong Ha in the suburb of Macao, near to the county Xiangshan, was the place where the second unequal treaty Mong Ha Treaty between China and United States of America was assigned in the summer of 1884 after the Opium War by the Imperial Envoy Qiying and Caleb Cushing on behalf of USA. In 1944, one-hundredth anniversary of the signature, a tablet was erected to relate the event in the garden of the back mountain.

Kun Iam Temple, in its early years was presided by Monk Dashan (1633-1795), an active man in Lingnan, who got along with scholars of Lingnan and South China. Soon after the establishment of Kun lam Temple, along with the transition of dynasties from Ming to Qing, many adherents of the dynasty became Buddhist monks and most of them got acquainted with Monk Dashan. The traditions of the temple keeping a relation with scholars went on continuously. Since the dynasties Ming and Qing, many literateurs have visited the temple like Qu Dajun, Chen Gongyin, Ling Peilan, Xie Lansheng, Ji Shan, Bao Jun, Huang Xiangshi, Gao Jianfu, Guan Shanyue, etc. Many ancient are kept in the temple, such as the diary of Calligraphist Yin Bingshou of Qing Dynasty.

Besides, there is also large number of ancient antiques of celebrities and literateurs in the temple, such as the tablet inscription of reconstruction written by Zhao Yunjing, a juren (successful imperial candidate in the examination of provincial level) of Macao of the Qing Dynasty, and the tablet of the Main Hall written by Xie Jiawu, of Dongyu guild of the Thirty-three Guilds of Guangzhou.

Located in the Avenida do Coronel Mesquita, Kun Iam Ancient Temple is one of the five temples established in the Ming Dynasty, which is said was erected in Tianqi Reign.

Kun Iam Ancient Temple was previously constructed to the south of Mong Ha Mountain, later was reconstructed in the sixth year of Tongzhi Reign (1867) to enlarge its construction scale to the now look. There are couplets: “With eighty-four thousand of square meters (or kilos) in area, the land is connected with Yanling; with thirty-two Buddhist supernatural powers illuminate Macao.” The Yanling refers to the swallow nest, near to the original temple to the south of Mong Ha Mountain.

The halls, respectively Kun lam Hall dedicated to Kun Iam Hall of Kam Fa and Dou Mou, dedicated to Goddess Kam Fa and Goddess Dou Mou, and Hall of Lu Zu, dedicated to Lu Zu, God of Wealth and Tower King Li, compose Kun lam Ancient Temple.

(Source: Macau Temples by Chan, Lei and Chendra published by IACM SAR 2002).

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