Singapore

This state in Southeast Asia, located on an island off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, is densely populated, rich, and thriving. As with so many Asian countries, modernity and tradition stand side by side in Singapore. While the majority of the population is Chinese, descendants of the poor immigrants who arrived from southern China starting from the 19^th century, several other ethnic groups are also present here, particularly Malays, the original inhabitants, and Indians who originally came from the southern part of the Indian sub-continent. Singapore’s diversity is evident in the way traditional religions continue to be practised by each ethnic group: Hinduism by the Indians, Islam by the Malays and some Indians, and mainly Buddhism by the Chinese. That said, there are many Christians to be found nowadays among the Chinese and the Indians, the result of ongoing evangelising efforts carried out by different Christian denominations. Unlike most of Southeast Asia, the prevalent form of Buddhism in Singapore is Mahayana, particularly the Pure Land School from China. In most instances, though, the Mahayana Buddhism here is mixed up with Taoist and folk beliefs.

The many spectacular Buddhist temples in Singapore are built in the Chinese traditional style, such as the Thian Hock Keng Temple (which is also Taoist, like many Chinese temples) and the Lian Shan Shuang Lin Temple, with its seven-tiered Dragon Light Pagoda. However, I was personally most inspired by the fairly recent (completed: 2007) Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum, a big five-storey temple built in the ancient Tang style in the middle of Singapore’s Chinatown.

Lian Shan Shuang Lin with its seven-tiered Dragon Light Pagoda

Guanyin inside Lian Shang Shuang Lin

Thian Hock Keng, the Temple of Heavenly Happiness

Thian Hock Keng