Snake temple
The Snake Temple ( Chinese 蛇 庙 , Pinyin Shé Miào ) is a Daoist temple and a pilgrimage destination in Malaysia in the southeast of the island of Penang .
The temple is about 1.5 kilometers north of the airport in Bayan Lepas on the road to Georgetown . The building was built in 1850 in memory of the 11th century Buddhist Holy Choir Soo Kong. Chor Soo means “the most revered”, a title given to him as a healer and protector of snakes. A Chinese monk brought its statue with him from his homeland, it is said to have magical powers. Around the altar table, lazy green-yellow venomous snakes of the Wagler's lance viper species ( Tropidolaemus wagleri ) crawl , these are considered holy servants of the Soo Kong choir. Their indolence may be related to the smoke from the incense sticks. They feed on chicken eggs that are offered as a sacrifice. These and other snakes are bred in an outbuilding (serpentarium).
literature
- Anita Rolf: Malaysia and Singapore. DuMont art travel guide. DuMont, Cologne 1989, p. 299
Web links
- Snake Temple Photo Gallery. asiaexplorers.com
Coordinates: 5 ° 18 ′ 50.2 " N , 100 ° 17 ′ 6.7" E