Lifestyle Fashion

Pray, Eat, Rest at Green Hill Temple, Muara Thebes, Kuching

Anyone who has seen the 2010 film based on the Julia Roberts memoir, Eat, Pray, Love, would have a good idea what I meant by Pray, Eat, Rest, in “Ching San Yen” (Green Hill Temple), also known as “Cheh Sua” in the Hokkien dialect, located in Muara Thebes, Kuching, Sarawak. Of course, it is not the same sequence or setting, but quite close to it, as experienced on a day trip to a Malay fishing village, located on the estuary or mouth of the Sarawak River, and called Kampung Muara Tebas in Kuching. , Sarawak.

Prayer is performed at the Green Hill Temple, Kuching if you are a Buddhist or in praying to the temple’s host deity, Buddha Shakyamuni, and other Chinese deities such as the Male Sea Goddess. If not, don’t be discouraged, as visiting this 200-year-old Chinese temple was in itself a special panoramic occasion due to its history, design, view, and the intriguing incongruity of a thriving Chinese temple in the middle of a fishing Malay. town.

Located on an ancient 2.5-acre hilltop site, 120 feet above sea level, Green Hill Temple Kuching stood as a silent but vigilant sentinel, overlooking the Malay fishing village and the distant China Sea. Southern. In centuries past, seafarers paid their respects and thanked at the temple for a safe crossing of the South China Sea to and from the then prosperous trading port of Muara Thebes. They would also get blessings for good health and good fortune.

My family and I left for Green Hill Temple Kuching or Cheh Sua in the middle of the morning, and it was a quiet and peaceful drive to Kampung Muara Thebes, about 35 kilometers away and a 30-minute drive from Kuching City, Sarawak. As we were going on a normal weekend, not when it was the 1st or 15th of the lunar month or during the Chinese New Year, where hundreds or even thousands of worshipers and devotees flocked to the Green Hill Temple. There were enough parking spaces; and no parking or entrance fee was imposed. Otherwise, local village children would charge a nominal fee of RM2 to RM3 to help look after your car.

At the foot of Green Hill’s Kuching Temple, be prepared to climb a long flight and series of steps to reach the main entrance, guarded by statues of fierce-looking lions and dominating figures of celestial deities. I was quite out of breath when I reached the top, but the view was breathtaking and took your breath away. Green hills and blue sea surrounded by a calm natural environment. It was great feng shui indeed!

The temple, which underwent major renovations and improvements between 1994 and 2000, shone brilliantly and attractively in the sun. It was an impressive sight to see: the white walls, columns, and structures were contrasted with colorful patterns, images and artifacts of dragons, fish, flowers painted in red, green, blue, yellow, and all shades of the rainbow. The Green Hill temple covered an area of ​​almost 10,000 square feet, encompassing the main hall with an intermediate chamber and two wings, left and right; a vegetarian dining room; two public toilets; a decorative fence wall; garden with beautiful landscaping; A fountain; and the pair of huge Buddha or Buddhapada footprints, inscribed with 108 auspicious golden marks or symbols on them.

After climbing those steps and walking around the Green Hill temple admiring the temple, I was ready to eat at the foot of the temple. You can taste the fresh seafood, for which Muara Tebas is known to this day.

The meal took place at Lim Yong Seng Seafood Restaurant, one of two seafood restaurants in Kampung Muara Thebes, Kuching. The other is the Sin Soon Lee seafood restaurant, which I have yet to try. What a gastronomic lunch we had with the catch of the day: Steamed Drunken Prawns, Steamed Crabs, Steamed Fish Head, Steamed Oysters, Lobster Sashimi, Sauteed Jungle Ferns with Belacan (Spicy Prawn Paste), Sauteed Cangkok Manis (local vegetables) with eggs, accompanied by steamed white rice, and all washed down with coconut pandan drinks. Fresh seafood should be enjoyed steamed, without too many strong seasonings or fried, to savor its innate sweetness and freshness. Although lunch wasn’t cheap, considering the seafood dishes we ordered and consumed, it was worth the money.

The rest was necessary, after the delicious meal and we continued to sit and relax in the rustic atmosphere, looking at the floating boats anchored near the shore and the jetty area, listening to the tides and appreciating the sea breeze that comes in to cool the water. interiors of the restaurant, but the rotating fans around the outlet also helped with the cooling effect. We left Green Hill Temple and Kampung Muara Thebes very satisfied, and the rest continued on the way back to Kuching City, and for the rest of the afternoon with a nap, at least for me after such a hearty meal.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *