太上老君庙: July 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。

Sunday, July 26, 2009

孔子石像落成 - 书法赛

太上老君庙孔子石像落成
8 月办华小生书法赛

配合孔子石像落成开光仪式，关丹林明路太上老君庙将于8月8日举办“华小学生书法邀请赛”，希望通过该活动推广中华文化。
该庙负责人丘尉邦今日在新闻发布会上表示，太上老君庙于上个月正式完成了“至圣先师” - 孔子石像，也设有石碑介绍孔夫子的生平简介，并定于8月8日举办隆重的开光仪式。
他指出，“华小学生书法邀请赛”于8月8日上午10时30分，在该庙举办，举办单位将于在近期内，发函邀请关丹县及甘马挽等地的华小，鼓励校方派出参赛者参与其盛，目标为300人，当中也分为高年级组及低年级组。
另外，由于获得善信报效，在比赛中首150位获得优胜的学生，将获得一套中国入口的精美“文房四宝”文具组。同时，冠，亚季军都获得奖金及奖牌。
任何疑问请联络活动负责人丘福荣 (019-9482020)

本文章摘自于[星洲日报]17日7月2009年

100 Devotees turn up for Consecration Ceremony

About 100 devotees congregated at the Lao Zi temple here to witness the unveiling the deity Kwan Tai riding a horse statue to commemorate the birth of the sage, who founded Taoism.
There were treated to vegetarian lunch after consecration ceremony and a prayer session.
A ritual for the devotees to seek a change of fortune and to pray for good health throughout the year was also performed.
Lao Zi temple founder Kui Wai Pong, 70, advised the devotees to avoid spending lavishly and to live within their means.
Meanwhile, the temple's caretakers Kui Fook Weng, 40, said there were plans to upgrade and refurbish the temple's premises for a religious ceremony to be held in the middle of the year.
He said a statue of Confusius, which was ordered from China was expected to arrive soon.
Fook Weng said several activities including cultural preformances and a Chinese calliraphy demonstration would be held during the consecration ceremony of the 2.4m high Confucius statue.
"We have appealed to the state government to tar the road leading into the temple for the benefit of visitors."
"Our temple is well known throughout the country and is one of the main tourist attractions in Kuantan," he said.
Last year, Fook Weng said its sculpture of a golden dragon was listed as the longest in the country in the Malaysia Book of Records.
The temple also boasts of the landscaped garden and other attractions including the 7m high Lao Zi statue, the God and Goddess of Heaven and the brass image of the Goddess of Mercy.
For more information on the temple's activities, call 019-9482020 or 016-9362629.

This article is taken from [The Star Metro] Friday 27 March 2009, article that wrotten by Simon Khoo