Zheng He Temple
Trip Start
Apr 14, 2007
1
Trip End
Apr 15, 2007
A pagoda style entrance, on either side huge carved dragons, leads to the main building with its tall red columns and large four feet high candles always alight. Small shrines with their deities can be found on the right hand side as you walk through the entrance, but it is the main building itself, with its curved roof that is the most striking. It was built around what seemed like a massive rock wall, thus giving the temple the name of Gedung Batu - 'Stone Building'. There is a small cave-like recess in the rock, high enough to enter, which is sacred and spiritual in its essence. Inside is the statue of Sam Poo Kong surrounded by flamed candles and burning incense. It is here, where people come from all over Java to meet the mystic and learn of their destiny by tossing josh sticks from a bamboo container or shaking vigorously until one josh stick leaves the container. This is then exchanged for a slip of paper - a fortune slip. It is said that this determines good fortune or bad, health or sickness, and love or disaster in marriage.
