Description of the attraction
The Serpentine Temple was originally called the "Temple of the Azure Sky" - in honor of the beautiful sky over the island of Penang, where it is located. This discreet Taoist temple is considered the only shelter in the world for hundreds of reptiles. Thanks to this specificity, it got its name.
Outwardly, the Serpentine Temple looks like a typical religious building - a variety of bright colors, dragons on a curved roof. You have to be ready for what is inside: the temple is filled with fragrant incense smoke and numerous snakes. They are found everywhere - above and below, on the floor and on the roof, in the trees and, finally, in the sacrificial vessels. It is generally accepted that snakes are safe due to the effects of sacred incense on them. Most temple snakes are species that are active at night. During the day they are lethargic and apathetic. For greater confidence in the safety of visitors, poison is collected from them.
The temple is old, it appeared in 1850 in memory of the hermit monk Chor Soo Kong. This hero of local legends and traditions was born in China during the reign of the Song dynasty - in the late 1st - early 2nd centuries. He completely devoted his life to faith and self-improvement, for which he was ordained as a young man. According to the existing legend, he also healed people from various diseases and was the patron saint of the reptile inhabitants of the jungle. After his death at the age of 65, he received the dignified name Chor Soo. It is given to a glorified person, revered by subsequent generations. In the dwelling of the spiritual elder, the snakes felt at home. After his death, they continued to live in the place of his house for centuries. When a temple was built here, they apparently considered it their abode. And on the birthday of Chor Soo Kong, an unprecedented number of reptiles creeps in here, literally filling the entire space of the temple. This is according to the stories of the ministers of the temple. According to skeptics, the snakes are caught and brought here by the monks themselves.
Interesting is the fact that it is not known exactly whether the poisonous teeth were removed from the inhabitants of the temple or not, but the fact that in the entire history of its existence there are no victims within its walls, it is a fact. Nevertheless, there are signs in the temple asking not to touch the inhabitants.
