Guardian of the Ages: Remembering Guan Ze Zun Wang
One of Malaysia’s Oldest and Most Revered Temples.
The Hock Soon Keong Temple in Teluk Intan, Perak, stands as a timeless emblem of the Hokkien Chinese community’s spiritual resilience and cultural heritage in Malaysia. Established as early as 1845, with its current structure rebuilt in 1883, the temple has served for generations not only as a sacred place of worship but also as a social and cultural anchor for the early Chinese settlers in the region. At the heart of its spiritual pantheon lies the veneration of Guang Ze Zun Wang, a deity deeply revered by the Hokkien people across Southern Fujian, Taiwan, and throughout the Hokkien diaspora, including Malaysia.
Known affectionately as Seng Gong, Guang Ze Zun Wang is based on the life of a real historical figure Guo Zhongfu, a virtuous and pious youth from the Nan’an region of Fujian Province during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period (10th century CE). Famed for his filial piety, purity of character, and spiritual insight, Guo Zhongfu died at the tender age of 16. Following his death, villagers began reporting miraculous encounters and divine interventions attributed to his spirit. Over time, his deeds and spiritual presence became so widely venerated that the imperial court conferred upon him the title “Guang Ze Zun Wang”, meaning “Revered King of Broad Benevolence”.
As Hokkien immigrants migrated to Peninsular Malaya in the 18th century, they brought with them their ancestral gods, rituals, and cultural traditions. Among these deities, Guang Ze Zun Wang held a particularly significant place, not just as a spiritual protector, but as a symbol of collective memory and identity. Within Hock Soon Keong, his image sits centrally on the main altar, where he is worshipped as the temple’s primary patron deity. His youthful visage, courtly robes, and ceremonial posture symbolize not only divine dignity but also the eternal youthful virtue and justice he represents. Devotees seek his blessings for protection, healing, prosperity, and righteous judgment.
The temple’s most vibrant and important celebration is the birthday of Guang Ze Zun Wang, observed annually on the 22nd day of the second lunar month. This grand occasion includes elaborate Taoist rituals, incense offerings, Chinese opera performances, dragon and lion dances, and large-scale communal feasts. The festival draws devotees not only from Teluk Intan but from across Malaysia, creating a powerful moment of cultural reaffirmation that bridges generations and reaffirms the spiritual ties of the Hokkien community.
In recognition of the temple’s historical leadership and its founding figures, the community hall and council chamber within the temple complex houses three statues honoring elderly men figures believed to represent the founders and key pillars of the temple’s early establishment. These statues are not just commemorative sculptures; they embody the gratitude and respect of later generations for the foresight, piety, and unyielding dedication of the original temple founders. Worshippers today often pay respects to these statues, offering incense and bowing as a gesture of continuity and reverence for those who laid the spiritual and cultural foundations of their community.
Architecturally, Hock Soon Keong is a treasure trove of Southern Chinese temple artistry. Its roof, adorned with elegant upturned eaves, ceramic dragons, and mythological figures, radiates protection and auspicious energy. The interiors feature intricate wood carvings, painted beams, and guardian stone lions, all bearing the distinctive hallmarks of traditional Chinese craftsmanship. The air inside the temple is thick with the scent of burning incense, the gentle glow of oil lamps, and the rhythmic chanting of sacred scriptures elements that transport visitors into a realm of spiritual calm and timeless ritual.
Beyond its religious significance, Hock Soon Keong Temple historically functioned as a community and council hall, a vital civic space during colonial times when there was no formal government structure for Chinese settlers. The temple committee, composed of respected elders and merchants, took on the roles of mediators, caregivers, and community leaders. They resolved disputes, organized communal events, offered aid to the needy, and maintained the socio-cultural order of the local Chinese society.
Today, amid the changing urban landscape of Teluk Intan, Hock Soon Keong Temple endures as a living monument, preserved by the care of devoted stewards and generations of faithful worshippers. For many in the Hokkien community, the temple remains more than just a house of worship. It is a repository of ancestral wisdom, a symbol of cultural continuity, and a spiritual home that affirms identity in a modern world.
The enduring presence of Guang Ze Zun Wang, alongside the honored statues of the temple’s founders, reminds us that faith, heritage, and community are not bound by time. Through their worship and rituals, the people of Hock Soon Keong continue to tell a story of migration, perseverance, spiritual depth, and collective memory, a story that remains as vibrant today as it was nearly two centuries ago.