Seen Hock Yeen Confucius Temple
Chemor, Perak

Seen Hock Yeen Temple

Seen Hock Yeen Temple is a popular temple for devotees of Confucius hoping for good health, a good marriage partner, to pray for children's scholastic success or to dispel problems.

temple in Chemor Perak

On significant occasions such as Confucius' birthday, the Empress of Heaven birthday or the anniversary of the temple's establishment, devotees flock to the temple in their thousands, many bussed in from other states in Malaysia. 

covered walkway with red pillars at Seen Hock Yeen TempleChemor's version of Japan's Fushimi Inari Shrine?

The temple, which has been expanded and improved over the decades since its founding in 1980, comprises various elaborately decorated prayer halls, pavilions, gazebos and covered walkways built around a lake and a lotus pond, formerly the site of a tin mine.

Guan Yin statue at Seen Hock Yeen Temple

Apart from Confucius, the deities and enlightened beings worshipped here include Buddha, Goddess of Mercy Guan Yin, Ksitigarbha, the Four Guardian Kings, the Jade Emperor and Mazu, the Chinese Goddess of the sea.

gold colour confucian deity statues

Students pray at the chamber dedicated to Confucius for success in their exams and young children crawl under the altar three times to improve their results at school.

counter at Seen Hock Yeen Temple

I was puzzled about a counter with windows marked STPM, SPM, PMR and UPSR (the Malaysian school exams) complete with queuing number indicators. I read later that the temple has in the past distributed cash prizes to top performing students so this may be the reason for the windows.

lotus pond at Seen Hock Yeen Temple

A 70 metre long bridge spans the lotus pond. Crossing the bridge is said to dispel calamities and resolve problems. After I had already crossed it I saw a sign saying 'do not cross without permission' (maybe they charge a fee during the busy times). Since I crossed it from the wrong direction and did not have permission does this mean I will suffer calamities instead? Fortunately I am not very superstitious in these matters. Anyway I think most calamities are either unavoidable (like death) or are self-inflicted (like getting into serious debt or cheating on your spouse).

12 Chinese zodiac creatures line one of the walkways

Statues of the 12 Chinese zodiac creatures line one of the walkways.

Opening Hours and Admission Fees

  • Open daily from 8.30am - 6pm.
  • Admission is free but donations would be welcomed.
Ksitigarbha statueKsitigarbha

How to get to Seen Hock Yeen Confucius Temple

The location is shown on this map:

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Address:

Kuil Seen Hock Yeen

1 1/2km Railway Station Road

Kampung Sik Zainal Tambahan 1

31200 Chemor, Perak


GPS: 4.731532, 101.127266


Parking:

 There is a huge (free) car park inside the temple compound. On the day I visited mine was the only car.

car park at Seen Hock Yeen templeCar Park

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AUTHOR BIO

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David (the one on the left) is the writer behind Malaysia Traveller, sharing firsthand travel advice from over five decades of living and travelling across Asia and the Middle East. Based in Malaysia since 2009 and now in Kuching, he has published 700+ pages, personally visited every place he covers, and uses only his own photos. Readers can learn more on his About Me page. He also shares updates on Facebook and YouTube. He loves uncovering overlooked places even many Malaysians have never visited.