Shinning Through

Almost always red with splashes of yellow, klenteng may well be the brightest establishments in the country.  The Chinese-inspired temples are usually tucked away down lanes and are largely hidden by buildings and houses that have been built around them over the years. But they have survived the test of time, Rebecca Burchell reports.

When one passes a klenteng, which in most of the country’s cities is a rare occurrence, they almost always look as though they don’t quite belong in their surroundings.

One such temple is Hian Thian Siang Tee Bio, located a stone’s throw away from Palmerah market in South Jakarta.  Dating back to 1894, it certainly is not the oldest in the country, but it shares a similar function and collective history to similar buildings scattered throughout the archipelago.  This history is deeply intertwined with that of the Chinese-Indonesian ethnic group.

The temples are generally regarded as places in which to pay homage to the deities of Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism. However, ask any patron and they will tell you these places are as much about culture as they are religion.

Hian Thian Siang Tee Bio temple was originally built for both religious and cultural reasons. As well as being a spot where members of the Chinese community could gather, it was also a place where they could pray and reflect.

Despite years of uncertainty, its primary function has changed very little. Late every afternoon members of the area’s Chinese community start strolling in to share a coffee and a tale or two.  As simple as this seems, it is a luxury that perhaps could not have been afforded in the past, even as recently as a decade ago.

While discrimination against the archipelago’s Chinese descendants has occurred in different shapes and forms for centuries, it was perhaps at its most blatant during Soeharto’s New Order regime.  During the dictator’s 33 years in power,

Chinese- Indonesians were not allowed to be “Chinese”, but at the same time the government made it virtually impossible for them to assimilate into other ethnic groups.

The three decades preceding May 1998 represented a difficult and often dangerous time for Chinese-Indonesians, many of whom feared being branded Communist due to their association, by appearance only in most cases, with China.  It was an unwritten law that the realm of Chinese-Indonesians was in business and they should steer well clear of politics. 

This perpetuated the stereotypical view, which is still strong today, that Chinese-Indonesians control the county’s economy.  Tragically, regardless of who was behind the May 1998 chaos, the perception was probably one of the main reasons so many

Chinese-Indonesians were made to pay for the big cracks that had started to show in the economy. 

Most klenteng stood the test of time during the Soeharto years, despite the fact many of them had their names changed to something sounding more Buddhist and “appropriate”.  However, attendance numbers generally plummeted, and one could assume this was due to the fears Chinese-Indonesians harbored at this time.

At Hian Thian Siang Tee Bio, attendance numbers before May 1998 were in the vicinity of 100 occasional visitors.  Now 600 to 700 people visit it regularly, with hundreds more passing through its doors on the occasion of Imlek (Chinese New Year).

While Palmerah’s klenteng still houses a small Buddhist temple, it is primarily geared toward Taoism and Confucianism these days.  When you walk through the main door, you are immediately greeted by dozens of small statues, each of which represents an important Chinese deity. 

As its name suggests, its central deity is Hian Thian Siang Tee Bio – the protector of the nation.  In every temple, the central god is relied upon to make every important decision.  When renovations were carried out on Palmerah’s temple in 1936 and 1974, it was only after receiving Hian Thian Siang Tee Bio’s blessing.  To speak with temple deities, the temple guardians use a wooden device known as a pak pwee. This is thrown in the air when a question is asked and the way in which it lands indicates the deity’s answer.

Many in the congregation feel it was Hian Thian Siang Tee Bio’s intervention that protected it during the May riots.  While Palmerah market was burned to the ground, the temple quite remarkably remained untouched.

Today both members of the Chinese-Indonesian community and passersby can enjoy it in all its beauty.  It is especially striking at night, when Chinese lanterns and candles are its primary source of light. 

The post-1998 era has been a time to rebuild, not only for Chinese-Indonesians but for every ethnic group in the county.  While the culture of klenteng in many parts of Indonesia almost vanished during the Soeharto years, there has been a rejuvenation of this culture in the years since.  In many ways, this was helped along by the overturning of several pieces of discriminatory legislation by the Abdurrahman Wahid and Megawati Soekarnoputri governments. 

Attitudes in society are slowly changing too.  As this process unfolds, older generations of Chinese-Indonesians are starting to once again flock to their nearest temple.  They are also enjoying the availability of Chinese-language publications as well as the existence of cultural performances such as barongsai (dragon) and liong (lion) dances.

Younger Chinese-Indonesians, who may never have had the opportunity to embrace their culture before Soeharto’s fall, are forming youth groups, particularly on the Internet.  It is not rare to see them praying in klenteng either these days, which suggests they feel that preserving this tradition in the years to come is important.  Chinese-Indonesians have been resilient, and it does seem likely their culture will come back from the dead stronger than ever.

Ten years since the horrors of May 1998, the situation for Chinese-Indonesians and their temples, on paper at least, has improved significantly.  Both most certainly do belong in today’s Indonesia, even if the temples are several shades brighter than any other building in the neighborhood.

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