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Kuan Yin Temple or also known as Quan Yin (Kuan Imm in hokkein), is known as one of the oldest chinese temples in Penang. Kuan Yin refers to The Goddess or Mercy with a loving compassion and pure devotion. Kuan Yin temple is located along the Lebuh Masjid Kapitan Keling, George Town in Penang.

On the three enlightenment days of Kuan Yin, the 19th day of the 2nd, 6th and 9th Chinese lunar month, the whole temple is packed with devotees and visitors who
turn up not only for worship but also to join in the celebrations and to watch puppet and Chinese opera shows which are staged on the temple’s open grounds.

The Kuan Yin temple was known to have saved a large number of Penangites who took shelter in the Kuan Yin temple during the World War 2, and the Japanese bomb dropped onto the courtyard instead of the temple.

In the courtyard of the Kuan Yin temple, there are flocks of pigeons and people are free to feed the pigeons. There are birds seller around too, for devotees or visitors who wish to buy the bird and set it free, known as a charity act to set a bird free.

In the inner shrine of Kuan Yin temple, there is a place for people to “ward off bad luck” and you can go for “Tiu Ciam” as well, meaning kneel down in front of the Goddess of Mercy, pray with sincerity with your question in mind and shake a tin given to you that contains a lot of sticks with words. One of the sticks will drop out from the container, then the devotees will “puak cheng poi” meaning to ask God whether this stick is the answer. There are ways to look at the result of the “cheng poi”. Once the devotee got the stick, he will then proceed to a “counter”, and the person in charge will read to him/her the meaning of the sticks written.