This attraction appeared on Koh Samui not so long ago, and at first was perceived by the guests of Koh Samui just as another Chinese temple. Moreover, the temple of non-standard architecture and incomprehensible composition, where there are many steps, a strange red-faced head on a pedestal, and when you visit this place, there is a feeling of some kind of incompleteness in general. But with a detailed study of the issue, you can find out that the idea of this temple has a deep meaning, and the unfinishedness is quite understandable..
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Guan Yu Shrine
The Guan Yu Shrine was conceived not just as a place to worship the god Guan Di (this is the same guy with a red face and a green robe). Everything that you will see here is built on donations from Thai descendants of immigrants from Hainan. Hainan, as you remember, is the southernmost island of China, it is also a resort and a province rolled into one. In the 15-16 centuries, the first Hainan settlers began to arrive on Koh Samui, who were not greeted as hostilely here as it happened in other states in the vicinity of China. So that you understand the depth of the centuries, I will remind you that at the same time Yermak conquered Siberia and annexed it to the Russian state.
The Hainan people settled down on Koh Samui, which at that time was a rather isolated and self-sufficient community with little contact with mainland Thailand. They got married with the local population, gave birth to children, and in general began to feel much better than in Hainan. But in order not to lose the connection between generations, and not to forget about their roots, wealthy descendants decided to create a place on Koh Samui that would combine a sanctuary, a cultural center, and a shopping arcade. Practical and meaningful.
Guan Di, aka Guan Yu, was chosen as the god for the sanctuary. By the way, a very real character, a respected Chinese military leader who lived in 160-219 AD. Despite his valiant and loyal service to the emperor, he was unjustly accused of some crime, and executed along with his son and squire. However, over time, his name began to grow into legends, Guan Yu himself was credited with feats and inhuman characteristics, gradually canonizing a person, and transferring him to the host of the gods of China. For example, the red color of his face is explained by the tale that he stained his face with red clay from the river in order to pass unrecognized past the guards who were looking for him for the murder of some unjust and greedy judge..
A little over a thousand years after his death, Guan Yu became the god of war, the god of rain, the god of something else, well, the patron saint of a lot of professions. He is revered in various religions of Asia, thousands of temples have been built in his honor, where Guan Di invariably stands in green clothes, with a red face, along with his son, a squire and with a guan-tao in his hand. Guan Tao is a pole with a sword at the end, as legends say - his personal invention.
Guan Yu on Koh Samui
As for the cultural center, you will find it behind the huge statue of Guan Yu. The statue appeared in 2016, instead of a lonely red head that had lain there for many years, frightening and delighting passing tourists. Immediately after the statue there will be a small chapel, and after it, in a building with doors depicting the Chinese gods Guardians of the Doors, there is a large room with high walls. These walls are hung with photographs of people. You will be interested to know that these are all just people. Not some heroes of war or labor, not representatives of rich families, but simply people. Parents, grandmothers, grandfathers, great-grandmothers and great-great-great, in general - ancestors. All these photos were brought by the inhabitants of Samui, whose history is from the moment of their Hainan ancestors' arrival on the island..
The idea of the cultural center is for people to share their photographs, letters, notes, in short, everything that will help future generations come here, see, listen and touch. In addition, it is planned to open a Chinese (Mandarin) language school for children in the center. Wedding ceremonies are held here, though not free of charge, but all the proceeds go to the further development of the sanctuary. After all, behind the entire building there is still a huge vacant lot, on which it is planned to build a shopping center, through which it will be possible to move on golf carts. By the way, they have already been purchased and are standing and gathering dust in the backyard of the Guan Di temple..
Stella with the name of the place, and part of the parking lot with shopping stalls
Guan Yu Shrine
The red-faced god Guan Yu, aka Guan Di
The lower part of the building is intended for meetings and meals of the community.
Tea rooms not operating yet
An oven for burning trash, all kinds of scraps of paper after the holidays
Ritual gongs, people walk, pray, knock and ring and only then go inside.
Model of the entire sanctuary in miniature.
Information to visit
Entrance to the attraction is free, from 8 am to 6 pm, donations in the temple are voluntary. When entering the main buildings, you must take off your shoes, and, in general, observe the dress code for such places (closed shoulders and knees), although there are never any permanent priests or controllers there. The entire territory of the courtyard at the edges of the parking lot is shops and cafes with Chinese and Thai food. I would not recommend any separate place for a snack, they cook mediocre, but the prices are quite touristy. The parking is very large and free at the time of my visit. The sanctuary is located in the large Muslim village of Hua Thanon, which is famous for its seafood market and mosque.
On the map
Guan Yui Shrine
Guan Yui Shrine
A sanctuary and cultural center for the Chinese community of Koh Samui, which has been under construction for several years. Built with donations from the population, it is clearly visible from the ring road - a huge statue of a man with a red face and in green clothes will look at you from the concrete.
More about the sanctuary.
A sanctuary and cultural center for the Chinese community of Koh Samui, which has been under construction for several years. Built with donations from the population, it is clearly visible from the ring road - a huge statue of a man with a red face and in green clothes will look at you from the concrete..
