National monuments of Singapore: Tan Si Chong Su

What is a National Monument? Who gazettes them? How many national monuments are there in Singapore? To date, the Preservation of Sites and Monuments, a division of National Heritage Board, has identified and gazetted 75 buildings, structures and sites of national significance as an integral part of Singapore’s built heritage.

In this edition, we cast a spotlight on a Chinese temple that has been around for close to 150 years, Tan Si Chong Su.

Location

Tan Si Chong Su was the 12th building to be gazetted as a National Monument, and is located near other National Monuments such as the Former Ministry of Labour Building (now Family Justice Courts) and Former Thong Chai Medical Institution. The MRT stations nearest to it are Clarke Quay and Fort Canning.

Significant dates

Date built:

• 1876: Tan Si Chong Su temple was built on reclaimed land at Boat Quay

Milestones:

• 1889: Po Chiak School was founded
• 1962: Po Chiak School was closed due to declining enrolment
• 1982: The temple was opened to all Chinese worshippers

Date gazetted: Nov 19, 1974

History

Initially situated on the banks of the Singapore River, Tan Si Chong Su (also known as "Ancestral Hall of the Tan Clan") now stands further inland due to land reclamation. Its construction was primarily funded by Tan Kim Ching and Tan Beng Swee.

Tan Kim Ching was the eldest son of renowned philanthropist Tan Tock Seng, who had founded the Chinese Pauper Hospital (now Tan Tock Seng Hospital) and contributed significantly to Thian Hock Keng’s building fund.

Tan Beng Swee was the son of Tan Kim Seng, celebrated for his generous support of local waterworks and commemorated by a memorial in Esplanade Park.

Also known as Po Chiak Keng, po chiak meaning "protection of the innocent", the temple historically mediated disputes and protected newly arrived Chinese immigrants. Its role was akin to the Chinese Protectorate established in 1877, which was later relocated to the Former Ministry of Labour Building.

The Main Hall enshrines Chen Sheng Wang, the temple's chief deity and patron of the Tan clan. He was known as General Chen Yuanguang during the Tang dynasty and is venerated for his leadership in stabilising southern Chinese towns. Following his contributions, he was deified and worshipped by people in southern China, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia.

There are other deities revered in the temple, such as Yu Huang Shangdi (Jade Emperor), the highest sanctity of Taoisim; Emperor Shun, a fabled Chinese king; Mazu, Goddess of the Seas; the Goddess of Mercy; and Confucius.

The Rear Hall holds ancestral tablets of prominent Tans and past trustees, as well as tablets of members from seven other surnames: Lu, Sun, Tian, Yuan, Hu, Yu, and Yao, who are believed to share common ancestry.

In 1889, the Yu Lan Study Hall was established as a private school within the temple and later renamed Po Chiak School post-Japanese Occupation (1942-1945). It primarily educated children of the Tan clansmen — it had about 200 students at its peak — but closed in 1962 due to declining enrolment.

While Tan Chong Si Su began as a temple for the Tan clan, it has been opened to all Chinese worshippers since 1982.

Design and architecture

Tan Si Chong Su exemplifies traditional Hokkien architecture, with three halls and distinctive curved roof ridges with forked ends upturned like swallow tails.

The temple bears similarities to other temples adorned with sculptures of dragons, flowers, and animals, including Thian Hock Keng, Hong San See, and Lian Shan Shuang Lin Monastery.

The sculptures were designed using the jian nian ("cut and paste") technique, where colourful ceramics are carefully cut into tinier fragments and pieced together to form beautiful ornamentations. The temple also features dancing dragons and flaming pearls — the former symbolise power and justice, and the latter, immortality and perfection.

Similar to Thian Hock Keng, the wall adjacent to the left entrance of this temple (facing the road) showcases the relief of a dragon, while the wall of the right entrance displays that of a tiger.

Tradition dictates that worshippers should enter through the "Dragon's Door", representing a request for the deity's blessings, and exit via the "Tiger's Gate", signifying protection from misfortunes. The central entrance is typically reserved for the movement of the deities and remains closed, except during festivals.

The temple is filled with intricate carvings and stunning paintings. It features granite columns embellished with dragon sculptures, a rarity in Singapore.

The solid timber double-leafed doors leading to the entrance hall are painted with dragons and door deities to ward off evil spirits. Inside, vibrant wall murals illustrate scenes from Chinese myths, particularly those related to the legendary Emperor Shun.

Opening hours

Regular visiting hours are daily from 9am to 11pm.

Admission

Entry is free.

ALSO READ: National monuments of Singapore: Former Ministry of Labour Building

This article was first published in Wonderwall.sg.