Sin Sze Si Ya Temple

Sin Sze Si Ya Temple (also called as Sze Yah Temple) is a Chinese temple located at 14A Lebuh Pudu, close to the Central Market of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It was built by Yap Ah Loy for two deities he believed guided him in the Selangor Civil War. The temple is the oldest Taoist temple in the city.

History
The information board at the front entrance says the temple site was founded in 1864 by Kapitan Yap Ah Loy, dedicated to patron deities of Sin Sze Ya and Si Sze Ya. The deities has guided Yap to defeat the enemies and defend the town of Kuala Lumpur during the civil war from 1870 to 1873, with the two patron deities are actually based on two real persons of Sheng Meng Li (Kapitan of Sungai Ujong) and Chung Lai, a loyal lieutenant of Yap. The temple structures was finally built in 1883.

This temple was initially built solely for Hakka worshipers. When Kapitan Cina Yap Kwan Seng died, the Hakka influence declined and during the first decade of the 20th century the temple’s property entrusted rights were transferred from Kapitan to a committee organised by the Chinese community. In 1907, the owners of the Sin Sze Si Ya Temple and the owners of the neighborhood shops had a dispute about the use of the surrounding lands that was brought to court. As a result from the loss of such a powerful Hakka leader, assistance was sought from Chan Sow Lin, a Cantonese leader and also a member in the Selangor State’s Legislative Assembly at that time to settle the dispute. The Hakkas, in gratitude, gave up the Chairmanship of the Sin Sze Ya Temple’s Property Trust Committee to Chan. In the later months of 1907, there were 11 new members of the Chinese elite from different Chinese dialect groups elected into this committee, including Cheong Yoke Choy.