# Snake Temple
> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Snake_Temple
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Snake_Temple.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snake_Temple
> Source revision: 1342043003
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
{{Short description|Chinese temple in George Town, Penang, Malaysia}}
{{EngvarB|date=March 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2019}}
{{Infobox religious building
| name = Snake Temple
| native_name = {{langx|ms|Tokong Ular}}
{{lang-zh|蛇庙}}
| image = Snake Temple, Penang.jpg
| caption =
| map_caption = Location within [George Town](/source/George_Town%2C_Penang)
| location = Jalan Tokong Ular, [Bayan Lepas](/source/Bayan_Lepas)
| map_type = Malaysia Penang George Town city centre
| coordinates = {{Coord|5|18|50.20|N|100|17|06.71|E|tupe:landmark_region:MY-07|display=inline,title}}
| religious_affiliation = [Buddhism](/source/Buddhism), [Taoism](/source/Taoism), [Chinese folk beliefs](/source/Chinese_folk_religion)
| municipality = [George Town](/source/George_Town%2C_Penang)
| state = [Penang](/source/Penang)
| country = [Malaysia](/source/Malaysia)
| functional_status = Active
| completed = 1805
| architecture_type = [Chinese temple](/source/Chinese_temple_architecture)
}}
{{Infobox Chinese
|title= Snake Temple
|s= 蛇庙
|t= 蛇廟
|p= Shé Miào
|poj= Tsuâ-biō
|pic=100px
|piccap=Snake Temple in [Simplified Chinese](/source/Simplified_Chinese) (top) and [Traditional Chinese](/source/Traditional_Chinese) character (bottom)
}}
The '''Snake Temple''' ({{zh|s=蛇庙|p=Shé Miào|poj=Tsuâ-biō}}), also known as the '''Temple of the Azure Clouds''',[{{cite web|url=https://www.tripsavvy.com/a-tour-of-the-snake-temple-1629643|title=A Tour of the Snake Temple in Penang, Malaysia|author=Gregory Rodgers|publisher=TripSavvy|date=30 May 2018|access-date=11 March 2019}}] is a [Chinese temple](/source/Chinese_temple_architecture) within [George Town](/source/George_Town%2C_Penang) in the [Malaysian state](/source/States_and_federal_territories_of_Malaysia) of [Penang](/source/Penang). Located at [Bayan Lepas](/source/Bayan_Lepas), the temple is well-known for being a refuge of resident [snakes](/source/Snake), said to be reincarnated disciples of the [deified](/source/Shen_(Chinese_religion)) [Buddhist monk](/source/Buddhist_monk) [Master Qingshui](/source/Qingshui_(monk)), to whom the temple is dedicated.[{{cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2005/07/09/new-lure-at-snake-temple-in-penang/|title=New lure at snake temple in Penang|author=Choong Kwee Kim|work=The Star|date=9 July 2005|access-date=11 March 2019}}]
Devotees from as far away as [Singapore](/source/Singapore), [Taiwan](/source/Taiwan) and [China](/source/China) come to pray in the temple on the monk's birthday (the sixth day of the first [lunar month](/source/Chinese_New_Year)).[{{cite web|url=http://www.thehive.asia/2016/01/famous-places-to-visit-in-malaysia.html|title=Famous places to visit in Malaysia: Penang|author=Erny Suzira|publisher=The Hive Asia|date=10 January 2016|access-date=11 March 2019}}] It was also featured during the 8th leg of ''[The Amazing Race 16](/source/The_Amazing_Race_16)'' and become a backdrop of [Tan Twan Eng](/source/Tan_Twan_Eng)'s novel ''The Gift of Rain'' (book 1, chapter 4).
== History ==
The temple was constructed in the 1805 to honour [Chor Soo Kong](/source/Qingshui_(monk)) (also known as Master Qingshui), a [Buddhist monk](/source/Buddhist_monk) who lived during the [Song dynasty](/source/Song_dynasty) (960–1279) for his numerous miracles and good deeds especially in healing the sick and giving shelter to snakes.[{{cite book|author=Clive Roots|title=Nocturnal Animals|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YlUQPtK8J9kC&pg=PA39|year=2006|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=978-0-313-33546-4|pages=39–}}]
== Features ==
The temple is filled with the smoke of burning [incense](/source/incense) and a variety of [pit viper](/source/pit_viper)s.[{{cite web|url=https://www.nst.com.my/lifestyle/sunday-vibes/2017/07/257766/penang-scotsmans-legacy|title=A Penang Scotsman's legacy|author=Alan Teh Leam Seng|publisher=New Straits Times|date=16 July 2017|access-date=11 March 2019}}] The [vipers](/source/Viperidae) are believed to be rendered harmless by the sacred smoke, but as a safety precaution, the snakes have been de-venomed while still retaining their fangs.[{{cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com.my/news/community/2011/04/23/python-the-star-attraction-at-snake-temple/|title=Python the star attraction at Snake Temple|author=Anthony Tan|work=The Star|date=23 April 2011|access-date=11 March 2019}}] Visitors are warned against picking up the [reptiles](/source/reptiles) and placing them on their bodies to take pictures. Aside from the snakes, two brick wells known as the "Dragon Eye Wells/Dragon Pure Water Wells" are located inside the temple together with two giant brass bells.