Title: The first Tua Pek Gong of Indonesia
Description: "By Mr Raymond Goh from API"
Description: "By Mr Raymond Goh from API"
javewu - December 27, 2006 12:29 AM (GMT)
Article courtesy by Mr Raymond Goh from API
The first Tua Pek Gong of Indonesia
This is a story about ANCOL Dabogong Temple, Sam Po Sailor Ng Wu, a dancer Siti Wati and their love story.
Ancol Dabogong (Klenteng Ancol, also known as Wihara Bahtra Bakti)
Ng Wu was Cheng Ho private chef, and also one of Cheng Ho's trusted confidant. He is young, good looking, clever and had a outgoing character.
600 years ago, when Cheng Ho and his crew landed in Batavia (present day Jakarta), they were welcomed by the local villagers. The local villagers were surprised and marvelled at Cheng Ho's entourage and boats.
They gathered at that night near the harbour front to start a dinner feast and celebration to honour Cheng Ho and his men.ta
Full celebrations were underway when suddenly there appeared a beautiful lady dancing gracefully amidst the music.
Her name was Siti Wati, she danced with so much grace and charm that everyone in the audience was mesmerized.
Ng Wu was also struck by the dancer's beauty and fell in love with her at first sight. After the dance, he stepped up to her and told her, " I LOVE YOU"
Siti, of course does not understand him, so Ng hurriedly found a translator to translate his feelings for her.
When Siti heard the words, her face reddened, and she softly said, "A sailor's love is like the many ports he embark."
Ng immediately clarified that he is a chef and not a sailor.
Siti smiled and said," Nevertheless, a chef will still put his wife in the kitchen to cook for him."
Ng was amazed at Siti's wit, and he continued to profess his love for her.
"If you can accept my love, I will marry you as my wife, and treat you as my princess."
He also swore to Heaven and say, " Let ALLAH be my witness, I have never profess my love before to a woman, and I am willing to circumcize again for her"
Siti was silent for a while, digesting the situation. "Love should have two way communication, but we don't understand our language, how do we live together in future?"
However, Siti was apparently touched by Ng's genuine feeling, because he exhibit an open mind, shown courage and sincerity.
Ng told Siti through the translator, " I can teach you Chinese"
Siti teased him and said," I am a fool, you are smart, a fool cannot learn a new language, but smart people can."
Ng promised her that he will learn Malay when he returned back from his current trip and come back for her.
During the trip, Ng fulfilled his promise and learn Malay during the journey. He also learnt to write Malay and even wrote, " I LOVE YOU" in ancient Malay script.
When Siti saw this, she was touched by his sincerity, and decided to accept him.
So a true story of love at first sight was to bear fruit.
When they married, both of them made a vow, Siti was not to eat pete, jengkol (a kind of smelly beans) and Ng was not to eat pork. (These kind of food were not permitted to be offered at their altar later)
After their marriage, they lived happily together. ANCOL beach was full of Ng and Wati's shadows, full of their laughter and joy. Their marriage even carried beyond Cheng Ho's 7 voyages. But unfortunately the happy
couple did not have any children.
When they died, both of them were buried in a keramat in which the present Dabogong altar was built. One story was that the altar was built to commenorate their love for each other. Another story say that one day
the local villagers saw some smoke coming out from the graves. They went to seek flavors and got their wishes granted and hence started to build an altar and later a temple.
The keramat hidden below the main altar table
The temple structure was believed to be built around 1650. In 1883 during the great eruption of Krakatoa's volcano and a big tsunami, the whole of Ancol was devastated except for the Ancol Dabogong temple which
miracuously remaining standing.
As time goes by, the love story of Cheng Ho's cook and a beautiful dancer was spread through the generations, and many people came to pray to this old temple to pray to Da Bo Gong and Da Bo Po.
And so it came to pass that Ng and Siti, both Muslims, became the Tua Pek Kong and Tua Pek Soh of Ancol, Batavia, and worshipped by Chinese from all over Indonesia.
Ibu Siti Wati and Sampo Soei Soe (means Cheng Ho's sailor)
Sampo (Cheng Ho), next to Ibu Siti Wati and Sampo Soei Soe
Siti Witi's father was also honoured. He was said to be the village chief
Plaques honouring Dabogong
Qian Long plaque (1755)
front view of Dabogong temple
Door God
The first Tua Pek Gong of Indonesia
This is a story about ANCOL Dabogong Temple, Sam Po Sailor Ng Wu, a dancer Siti Wati and their love story.
Ancol Dabogong (Klenteng Ancol, also known as Wihara Bahtra Bakti)
Ng Wu was Cheng Ho private chef, and also one of Cheng Ho's trusted confidant. He is young, good looking, clever and had a outgoing character.
600 years ago, when Cheng Ho and his crew landed in Batavia (present day Jakarta), they were welcomed by the local villagers. The local villagers were surprised and marvelled at Cheng Ho's entourage and boats.
They gathered at that night near the harbour front to start a dinner feast and celebration to honour Cheng Ho and his men.ta
Full celebrations were underway when suddenly there appeared a beautiful lady dancing gracefully amidst the music.
Her name was Siti Wati, she danced with so much grace and charm that everyone in the audience was mesmerized.
Ng Wu was also struck by the dancer's beauty and fell in love with her at first sight. After the dance, he stepped up to her and told her, " I LOVE YOU"
Siti, of course does not understand him, so Ng hurriedly found a translator to translate his feelings for her.
When Siti heard the words, her face reddened, and she softly said, "A sailor's love is like the many ports he embark."
Ng immediately clarified that he is a chef and not a sailor.
Siti smiled and said," Nevertheless, a chef will still put his wife in the kitchen to cook for him."
Ng was amazed at Siti's wit, and he continued to profess his love for her.
"If you can accept my love, I will marry you as my wife, and treat you as my princess."
He also swore to Heaven and say, " Let ALLAH be my witness, I have never profess my love before to a woman, and I am willing to circumcize again for her"
Siti was silent for a while, digesting the situation. "Love should have two way communication, but we don't understand our language, how do we live together in future?"
However, Siti was apparently touched by Ng's genuine feeling, because he exhibit an open mind, shown courage and sincerity.
Ng told Siti through the translator, " I can teach you Chinese"
Siti teased him and said," I am a fool, you are smart, a fool cannot learn a new language, but smart people can."
Ng promised her that he will learn Malay when he returned back from his current trip and come back for her.
During the trip, Ng fulfilled his promise and learn Malay during the journey. He also learnt to write Malay and even wrote, " I LOVE YOU" in ancient Malay script.
When Siti saw this, she was touched by his sincerity, and decided to accept him.
So a true story of love at first sight was to bear fruit.
When they married, both of them made a vow, Siti was not to eat pete, jengkol (a kind of smelly beans) and Ng was not to eat pork. (These kind of food were not permitted to be offered at their altar later)
After their marriage, they lived happily together. ANCOL beach was full of Ng and Wati's shadows, full of their laughter and joy. Their marriage even carried beyond Cheng Ho's 7 voyages. But unfortunately the happy
couple did not have any children.
When they died, both of them were buried in a keramat in which the present Dabogong altar was built. One story was that the altar was built to commenorate their love for each other. Another story say that one day
the local villagers saw some smoke coming out from the graves. They went to seek flavors and got their wishes granted and hence started to build an altar and later a temple.
The keramat hidden below the main altar table
The temple structure was believed to be built around 1650. In 1883 during the great eruption of Krakatoa's volcano and a big tsunami, the whole of Ancol was devastated except for the Ancol Dabogong temple which
miracuously remaining standing.
As time goes by, the love story of Cheng Ho's cook and a beautiful dancer was spread through the generations, and many people came to pray to this old temple to pray to Da Bo Gong and Da Bo Po.
And so it came to pass that Ng and Siti, both Muslims, became the Tua Pek Kong and Tua Pek Soh of Ancol, Batavia, and worshipped by Chinese from all over Indonesia.
Ibu Siti Wati and Sampo Soei Soe (means Cheng Ho's sailor)
Sampo (Cheng Ho), next to Ibu Siti Wati and Sampo Soei Soe
Siti Witi's father was also honoured. He was said to be the village chief
Plaques honouring Dabogong
Qian Long plaque (1755)
front view of Dabogong temple
Door God