太上老君庙: 2009

孔子简略

孔子（公元前552或前551 - 前479），名丘，字仲尼，春秋后期鲁国人。是儒学家派的创建者，中国古代最著名的思想家和教育家。孔子原属殷商一族，先世是宋国的大臣，后迁于鲁。孔子出生时家境已经衰落，但他在早年还是接受了良好的贵族教育，对传统的礼，乐，射，御，书，数六艺十分熟悉。孔子天资聪颖，又极为谦虚好学，故而学识日进。到30岁左右，已经已博学知名于世，开始招收门徒，转授《诗》，《书》，《礼》，《乐》等古代文化典籍。他一方面对以前的文化，思想资料进行系统总结，同时也结合春秋后期动荡不安的社会形势，对一系列伦理道德和社会政治问题提出自己的看法，从而创建了儒家学派。孔子早年曾在路过执政季氏手下担任管理仓储，牛羊的小官，都能恪尽职守。因鲁国内乱，一度旅居齐国。后仍回鲁国收徒讲学，门下弟子达三千之众。年过50后，一度被鲁国国君委以官职，做到司寇，主管鲁国司法工作。他希望加强国君权威，消弱卿大夫权力，与当政的季氏等三家大夫产生矛盾，最终被迫弃官离开鲁国。这段做官的时间，大约不超出五年。此后，孔子为了推行自己的政治理想，奔走各国，先后到过卫，曹，宋，郑，陈，蔡，楚等诸侯国，并曾在卫国，陈国停留了较长时间。然而，他始终没有得到机会参与各国的政治活动，也没有找到贤明的君主来实现自己的政治主张，一般只是被供养起来装点门面，还有很多时候备受冷遇和迫害。在这段时间里，孔子坚持不懈地进行治学和教育，与弟子们反复探讨人生，社会的重大问题，留下了不少著名的言论。在公元前484年，经过大约14年的流浪生涯之后，孔子终于重返鲁国，将余生精力贯注于文化，教育事业。他一边继续讲学，一边整理文化典籍，对《诗》，《书》，《礼》，《乐》，《易》，《春秋》六部古籍进行删订，编成最后的教材定本。晚年的孔子在鲁国受到较高规格的礼遇，但仍没有得到真正的重用。生活上也迭遭不幸，独子孔鲤和两个重要弟子颜渊，子路都先他而死。公元前479年，孔子病逝于家中。鲁哀公专门写了悼词，弟子们为孔子举行隆重的葬礼，并守孝三年。

Thursday, December 10, 2009

09华小书法邀请赛照片

**这一系列的照片都要谢谢Vincent Fong，经过他的同意把照片放上来，我们真诚的感激他，谢谢。这些照片都是09年华小书法邀请赛所拍到的。

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Kuantan Famous Temple

KUANTAN: Nestled within a 6ha plot of private land off Jalan Sungei Lembing near here is the famed Lao Zi temple.

Every year, close to 100,000 visitors drop in here to pay homage to the founder of Taoism.

Impressive: The head of the dragon from where visitors will emerge after their walk.

The main attraction of the temple is a sculpture of the Golden Dragon, reputed to be the longest in the world.

Visitors are taken on a guided tour inside the dragon, going in through its tail and coming out from its mouth.

It takes about 15 minutes to walk the 823m path.

Written on the walls are a 5,000- word scripture, known as the “Book of Tao and its Virtues.”

A pair of longevity and prosperity tortoises in the temple.

The temple’s caretaker Kui Fook Weng, 39, said it was a common belief that when a person comes out from the dragon’s mouth, he would be blessed with good fortune.

He said visitors would be asked to make a wish and touch the dragon’s pearl, strategically perched in front of its majestic head.

“The dragon sculpture cost a whopping RM550,000 derived from my father’s personal savings and public donations.

“Work started in 2000 and was completed after three years,” he said in an interview.

New attraction: Wai Pong showing the 18-levels of hell which he will erect in the temple’s premises by August next year.

Fook Weng said the land where the temple’s sits was inherited from his grandfather and developed by his father.

Among the other attractions are the sculpture of Lao Zi measuring 7m high, a fish pond surrounded by 12 animals from the Chinese zodiac, brass image of the Goddess of Mercy dating back to the Ming dynasty, a wishing bell, a pair of longevity and prosperity tortoises, a pair of “Earth” dragons, images of the 18 Lo Hans (arhats) and the prosperity Buddha.

There is also a beautiful landscaped garden with fruit trees, rocks inscribed with words of wisdom and a house of antiques.

Most of the antiques are of Chinese origin comprising porcelain wares, ancient stone carving, brassware and other rare artefacts.

Fook Weng said most of their visitors were tour groups on a day-trip to Kuantan, adding that they sometimes had tourists from Singapore during weekends.

According to the temple’s founder Kui Wai Pong, 70, the origin of Taoism and Confucianism could be traced back to the Zhou dynasty (1122 to 221 BC).

Attention to detail: One of the many sculptures in the temple.

Lao Zi was then the head of the state library and much of his time was devoted to learning through self-effacement and without fame.

After witnessing the decline of the Zhou dynasty, Lao Zi departed on an oxen to travel westward.

In response to a request from Yinxi – a guardian of the Western Pass – Lao Zi wrote a book in two sections dealing with Tao religion.

In later times, the book became the most important scripture of Taoism and hence, Lao Zi was widely regarded as the founder.

Wai Pong dedicates his time and resources to looking after the temple with his eldest son Fook Weng.

Occasionally, he travels to Thailand and Myanmar for religious activities and to scout for Chinese herbs, leaving his son to take charge of the temple’s affairs.

Wai Pong has been a sinseh and a medium, providing guidance and advice to followers over the past 50 years.

Must-see: Some of the antiques in the temple.

“I started to actively expand the temple in 1998 after receiving an intuition to construct a golden dragon.

“My next aim is to build an image of the 18 levels of hell at a cost of RM360,000,” he said, adding that he had already raised the money and was awaiting for the material from China to commence work by August next year.

He said the image of hell was to remind the people to do good as they would have to pay for their bad deeds in the “other world.”

Wai Pong said although the temple was located in a secluded area, many people would congregate in the premises for religious activities held at least twice a year.

For more information on the temple or to arrange for a guided tour, contact Fook Weng at 019-948 2020 or 016-936 2629.

Original article from The Star, written by SIMON KHOO