Sam Po Keng Temple

Built in 1795 by Kapitan Chua Su Cheong, Sam Po Keng Temple was constructed to ensure that the prayers for those buried in Bukit China would not be interrupted. Bukit Cina is the place where many early traders from China were buried.

Many of these traders came to Malacca with high expectations of success, but sadly, some passed away before fulfilling their dreams. As such, the Chinese Kapitans initiated prayers on their behalf because many of them were in the country without a family, hence there was no one else to pray for their souls. However, the prayers were often hampered by strong winds and heavy rainfalls. Hence Sam Po Keng Temple was erected to provide shelter for prayers from strong winds and heavy rains.

You can see a small Cheng Ho statue in Sam Po Keng Temple. Sam Po Keng Temple is said to be dedicated to Admiral Cheng Ho, the famous voyager and navigator of China who often made his stopover in Malacca during his voyages. The temple was named after the fish ‘Sam Po Keng’ that had saved his ship from sinking. Legend has it that Admiral Cheng Ho was travelling and his ship sprung a leak. The fish then got stuck in the hole and successfully sealed it, preventing the ship from sinking. However, it is also disputed that this temple is not dedicated to Admiral Cheng Ho as there is no evidence of Admiral Cheng Ho’s involvement in the history of the temple.

The main deity is “Fu De Zheng Shen” or “Tua Pek Kong”. It is the tradition of the Chinese to dedicate the graveyard temples to “Tua Pek Kong”.

You can see the well in Sam Po Keng Temple and it is believed to be one of the Admiral Cheng Ho’s Seven Wells. These wells were dug by Admiral Cheng Ho’s Expeditionary Naval Force during their stop in Melaka during the Ming Dynasty. The Admiral Cheng Ho’s Seven Wells are also known as the Dragon’s Wells based on Feng Shui principles. The local government demolished some of these wells during the 1950s due to road building. To-date only three wells are left intact.

You can also taste the well water in the temple. An interesting fact to take note – the well water can rise above the brim of a cup. If the cup is covered with a piece of cloth and overturned, the well water won’t spill. (This is because it has a higher water tension and higher mineral contents, increasing the size of the water molecules).

Location

Address: Jalan Puteri Hang Li Poh, Bukit Cina, Melaka
GPS Coordinate: N 2.196068, E 102.255619

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Admission Fee

Open to public and admission is free.

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