Sam Poh Footprint Temple

Tucked away in the southeastern corner of Penang, the tiny fishing village of Batu Maung is believed to be a site that larger-then-legend 13th century Chinese Muslim Admiral Cheng Ho (Zheng He) set foot upon Penang, and literally left a giant mark in the form of a king-sized footprint embedded in stone.

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Cheng Ho is worshiped as the folk deity Sam Poh Kong, and this small pretty seaside temple honours his presence. The temple is not nearly as ancient as the footprint is believed to be and was constructed in 1993 on the site of a former small shrine. An impressive tiled entrance archway frames a large bronze statue of the distinguished looking caped Admiral standing by the colourful traditional harbour.

Back in the day. Photo taken in or around Sam Poh Footprint Temple, Penang, Malaysia by Sally Arnold.

Back in the day. Photo: Sally Arnold

Here, a small ornamental garden with bubbling water feature and trees festooned with prayer ribbons is a pleasant serene spot to take a breather. The temple itself is a simple open-fronted structure covering the 85-centimetre “footprint” with a stature of Sam Poh Kong holding a Chinese gold ingot at the altar. A jetty leads from the temple garden directly to the small harbour, and local fishermen come to pray before setting ... Travelfish members only (Full text is around 300 words.)

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