Footprint Temple

Was it the great Admiral Cheng Ho or hanuman who landed here?

Footprint Temple is situated in Batu Maung, Bayan Lepas close to the seafront on the southeast tip of the island.

Listen to the locals as they shared with you folklores about this footprint, his great expedition and fleets of ships he commands Sam Poh or Admiral Cheng Ho commands sea expeditions all over the Indian Ocean.

For a man in the 15th Century, he visited more than 35 countries, took over 300 ships and 28,000 men in his grand fleet.

The largest vessels were the treasure ships, each 444ft in length more than all of Columbus’s command.

Sam Poh Tong temple or Footprint Temple as it is known can be found in Perak, Cameron Highlands and Malacca.

This small recently built temple with his original footprint is a reminder to us that the Great Sea Admiral passed thru many parts of Malaysia.

Sam Poh Tong Temple, situated in Batu Maung, Bayan Lepas.	One of the many ships he commanded. The biggest ships ever.	The majestic status of the Admiral. One of many in Malaysia.

The first time I saw the footprint temple was just an altar and only locals came to pray. Now the Sam Poh Footprint Temple was built over the original altar around 1993-1994 at a cost of over RM300, 000.

The footprint measures 33 inches, one can only imagine the size of man in the 15th century. I placed my foot next to the Great one and can imagine how he stood to command his man.

Much folklore in both our community lays claims to this footprints. Some local Indians said it is the footprint of Hanuman the monkey god who leaps over the Indian Ocean to find Sita.

On the altar in the temple, this sticks are for devotees use, a set for praying and the kidney shape pair are for replies.	Devotee fervently prays and wishing for some kind of answer from the Admiral. The answer will be revealed by one stick falling out.	He then takes the kidney shape pair and prays to say if it is his replies, the reply must be one upward and the other downwards position.

Local Malays says it is a giant Jin or giantess called Gedembai who casts people who defy her to stones.

This legendary Muslim eunuch was born in 1371, in the province of Yunnan. He served as a close confidant to the third Emperor of China Yong Le.) He was originally named Ma Sanbao. He was taken captive as a young boy in 1381, brought to Nanjing. It was Yong Le who renamed the boy Zheng He.

The emperor built Great Wall for China built the new capital Beijing. Being ambitious he appointed Zheng He to lead his fleets to discover the world. Thus his title “Admiral of the Western Seas was bestowed upon him.

Grab this swicki from eurekster.com

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