Early Chinese temples in Medan
Historical temples in Medan is a record of Chinese diaspora. Tjong Yong Hian initiated the first temple in Medan to promote solidarity amongst Chinese. Temples are part of people’s life and a cultural heritage.
Deli on the east coast of Sumatra was first developed in the 1860s by Dutch merchants to produce tobacco and and plantation products. The economic development attracted the migration of Chinese workers and traders. When the Chinese moved to a new place, they established temples to pay respect to gods and deities to seek protection, blessing, and fortune.
Tjong Yong Hian built initial temples to unite and promote solidarity amongst Chinese in Deli.
Labuhan Deli
Labuhan was the first main trading hub of Deli. Tobacco leaves produced from different parts of Deli were collected here and then transported to Belawan by the Deli River to be shipped to Europe. The Chinese called it 老武汉, Lao Wuhan or old Wuhan. It was also called 老虎坑 Lao Fu Keng, meaning tiger pit, as tigers roamed freely in the surrounding jungles.
When Nienhuys (Dutch planter) and Netscher (resident of Riau) first arrived in Labuhan in 1863, they were shocked by the decaying kampong with run-down houses and neglected roads. They estimated the population was about 1000 people with 20 Chinese. It was an underestimation.
Labuhan was described as a nest of mud and mosquitoes when it became the capital of Deli in 1873. It had Chinese shops, carpenters workshops, and goldsmiths.
Shoushan gong
The first great temple in Labuhan is Shoushan gong or Siu San Keng, a temple dedicated to the goddess of mercy, Guanyin. It was set up by Fujian people in 1888. The stone inscription described that the Chinese had already settled in Deli for thirty years (the 1860s) when this temple was established.
The stone lists the main donors, headed by Qiu Dingguo, Lin Deshui, and Wen Shaochang, who gave 1160, 1000, and 1000 yuan. The total donation is 14,500 yuan. (Lin Deshui or Lim Tek Soei was the Chinese Lieutenant in Labuhan in 1881–1893).
About 100 m from Shousan gong is Masjid Al-Osmani, which was built earlier by the Sultan of Deli in 1854.
Although Shousan gong has been rebuilt and refurbished many times, it still maintained its original architecture. People came from Belawan until Medan to seek blessing and prosperity from the benevolent of Guanyin.
Medan
Labuhan is a low-lying area that was frequently flooded, and so the Deli tobacco company moved its office to Medan in 1870. The Chinese followed suit and established a foothold in Kesawan with shops that served European needs.
Zhang Yunan (Tjong Yong Hian) arrived in Labuhan Deli from Batavia in 1880. He soon moved to Medan and became Lieutenant of the Chinese of Medan in 1884. The first thing he did for the Chinese was built a temple.
Guandi Miao or Kwantee bio
In the early days, the Chinese clans Hokkien, Cantonese, Teochew, and Hakka did not always get along. They were very superstitious, and the slightest misunderstanding could provoke a bloody fight. Tjong Yong Hian established a temple in honour of Guandi, the protector god that symbolises brotherhood, to unite and prevent brawls amongst the Chinese.
The role of Guandi or Guan Gong can be summarised by the following title bestowed by Emperor Shunzhi of the Qing dynasty:
“Guan the Holy Great Deity; God of War Manifesting Benevolence, Bravery, and Prestige; Protector of the Country and Defender of the People; Proud and Honest Supporter of Peace and Reconciliation; Promoter of Morality, Loyalty and Righteousness”
The temple is known locally as Kwan Tee bio, the first temple in Medan, established in 1884. The location is at Klingenstraat, and later renamed Kwanteebiostraat and now jalan Irian Barat.
Zhang Yunan composed an introduction on a stone inscription to commemorate the temple’s construction. The text described the Chinese people of scholars, farmers, industrialists, and merchants settled in Deli Shawan (Deli Kesawan). They seek blessings from Guandi shengjun, Caibe xinhjun (Chai shen, god of fortune), and Fude zhengshen (god of virtue). One of the purposes of establishing this temple is to promote solidarity of the different ethnic groups of Guangdong. It was signed by Zhang Yunan and Rongxuan family (Tjong Yong Hian and Tjong A Fie).
The donors were led by Zhang Yunan and three others, each provided 1000 or more silver-yuan. The total donation for the temple construction is more than 10,000 yuan.
The temple has been rebuilt many times. The first rebuild was around the late 1920s, as it was in a dilapidated state. Gerard Janzen, a Dutch officer in 1934, described that the restoration made the temple lost its original characteristic. He described that during the fifth month of the lunar calendar, the temple had a big festival with busy stalls across the temple’s yard and a Chinese opera on show day and night.
In 1970, the temple was fully refurbished. Soon afterward, one-third of its land on the back part of the building was repossessed by the government for road widening. Thus, it went another extensive rebuilding. It was refurbished again in the 1980s. Another significant extension was constructed in the 2000s.
It is still considered the most powerful God in Medan. People would consult Guan Gong on any decision related to business and personal matters, and his advice is always right. People would make an oath in front of Guan Gong for various reasons to show their sincerity.
Tianhou Gong
Tjong Yong Hian initiated a second temple to honour deity Tianhou (goddess of the sea) especially for Fujian people in Medan. Tianhou means the Queen of Heaven, referring to goddess Mazu, a very popular god for the Fujian coastal people. She is regarded as the mighty and benevolent heavenly queen that will protect Chinese merchants on their seas journey.
Tianhou gong was established at Kapiteinsweg (Jalan Pandu) around 1906, organised by the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce of Deli. An inscription dated 1911 noted the donors headed by Wan Lianxing, Zhang Zhenxun (Thio Tiauw Siat), and Zhang Yunan (Tjong Yong Hian), each gave 2,000 yuan. Zhang Hongnan (Tjong A Fie), Xie Rongguang, and Qiu Zhaozong gave 1,000 yuan each. This is followed by another 124 names with a total of 20,000 yuan. Tjong Yong Hian further donated 4,000 yuan to cover the shortfall.
Gerard Jansen (1934) noted that “What strikes immediately is that the temple is built slightly skewed in relation to the roads.” which was built according to good feng shui.
As the donation suggests, it used to be the largest in Medan, located opposite to the water tower and occupied a large piece of land. Now it is obscurely hidden between shops of tailors. The temple has been refurbished many times, notably from 1976 to 1978. It is now called Vihara Ariya Satyani and doesn’t look like the original structure anymore but is still considered powerful.
Pulo Brayan
Guanyin gong
Tjong Yong Hian erected another temple in Pulo Brayan in 1886, dedicated to goddess Guanyin, called Guanyin gong 觀音宮.
Tjong Yong Hian headed the donation with 51 yuan, followed by Liu Yuanzhen with 50 yuan. Further 86 names contributed, altogether 765 yuan. As the amount suggested, it is a much smaller temple.
In the 1970s, it was rebuilt and renamed as Qingyin chansi 消音禪寺 incorporating other deities (Shakyamuni, Dizang wang). It is currently located at Jalan Jos Sudarso in Pulo Brayan and called Vihara Avalokites Wara, managed by Henghua people.
Nearby there is another temple called Wudi-miao with Guandi as the main deity. It was built around 1890, also known as Kuan Tee bio located at jl. Pertempuran №48a, Pulo Brayan.
Titi Papan
Zhenjun miao
Another important early location for the Chinese is Titipapan, halfway between Belawan and Medan. The Chinese called it 半路店 (banlu dian) or half way shop. Titipapan is also the area where Nienhuys established the first tobacco field in Deli.
Zhenjun miao 真君廟 is located in Titipapan, locally called Go Ya Kong. The main deity is Zhenjun 真君 or 吳真人 (Wu, the true man). Zhenjun is a deity with the surname Wu (or Go in Hokkian) who fought against pirates in Guangdong.
The temple is managed by Lufeng people (Hailok Hong). It was built around 1895 by the Chinese tobacco farm workers. It is located around the old Helvetia tobacco estate owned by Deli Maatschappij.
A wooden tablet in the temple was donated by Zheng Cifu, from Mahua, and his fellow plantation workers, dated late 1895. The temple was recently rebuilt in 2019.
Another Zhenjun miao is located at Tanjung Mulia, Haikoulu 海口路, between Titipapan and Labuhan. It was built around 1878.
Temples as cultural heritage
Along Labuhan to Medan, we can find several old temples built in the late 19th to early 20th century. Most of them had been rebuilt, some relocated, and some even demolished. Chinese temples were also set up on every plantation, but most of them are gone.
Temples are landmarks of the Chinese diaspora in Deli, and each has its stories of dreams and journey. Tjong Yong Hian envisioned temples to unite the Chinese and promote solidarity. They are not just a place of worship, they are part of people’s life and history that need to be maintained as a cultural heritage.
References
Wolfgang Franke. 1988. Chinese epigraphic materials in Indonesia. Vol. 1. South Seas Society, Singapore.
Gerard Jansen. 1934. De Andere Helft. Geloof en Gebruiken van onze Oostersche Stadgenooten. Köhler & Co., Medan.