Kuan Ti Temple, Kuala Lumpur Overview

One of the oldest and most revered places of worship in Kuala Lumpur, the Kuan Ti or Guan Di temple is dedicated to Guandi- the Taoist God of war and literature. Incepted in 1888, this 124 -year old holy shrine is located along Jalan Tun H S Lee, City Centre. Along with a statue of Kuan Ti on the main altar, this temple houses manifestations of Guan Yin (Goddess of mercy), Wel Chong (God of learning and education), and Choy Sun (God of prosperity).

Painted in gold, the altar of Guan Di includes the Guan Dao (sword) and Guan Jie (spear) of Guan Di. The devotees believe that these weapons have special powers that will bless them if they touch or try to raise them. Besides the altar, you will find two wooden statues each of Guan Ping and Zhou Cang who were Guandi’s attendants. This sacred shrine is guarded by two lions since the Chinese believe that lions keep off the negative energy and protect from viciousness. On the left side, you will find a male lion and on the right, a female lion is holding a baby lion. Dragons are attractively carved on the temple roof and they are beautifully coiled around the two main pillars constructed in the interior of the temple.

Kuan Ti or Guan Di

The Chinese God of war and literature (Kuan Ti) was one of the best warriors in China and is highly revered for his heroic deeds and loyal character. Guan Di died in 220 AD. The police here respect Kuan Ti a lot and have installed his altars in the police stations.

Best Time to Visit

It will be best if you visit this place early in the morning as it is very quiet and less crowded at this time. You will find people buying incense sticks and praying for their bright future. The temple gets immensely crowded after the Chinese new year begins.

How to Reach Kuan ti Temple

Taxi: You can take a taxi in Kuala Lumpur and reach Sri Mahamariamman temple. This temple is located just opposite to Guan Di Temple.

LRT(Light Rail Transit): You can use the LRT services by boarding at KL Sentral station and then get down at the Pasar Seni station. Then you will have to walk for about four minutes to reach the Kuan Ti temple.

History of Kuan Ti Temple

Constructed in the year 1888, Guan Di temple was built with donations from the prosperous Chinese community in Kuala Lumpur. Guan Di was a general fighting for Liu Bei became the ruler of one of the Three kingdoms which later on merged to form China. Places like Vietnam, China, Thailand, South Korea, Japan, and many others have temples dedicated to Guan Di who is a Chinese deity in both Chinese Buddhism and Taoism.