Kian Un Keng Shrine or spelled Kuan An Keng Shrine ( th, ศาลเจ้าเกียนอันเกง; zh, 建安宮; pinyin: ''Jiàn'ān gōng''), known internationally as Guanyin Shrine (ศาลเจ้าแม่กวนอิม), is an ancient Chinese joss house in Bangkok, located on the western bank of

Chao Phraya River The Chao Phraya ( or ; th, แม่น้ำเจ้าพระยา, , or ) is the major river in Thailand, with its low alluvial plain forming the centre of the country. It flows through Bangkok and then into the Gulf of Thailand. Et ...

Wat Kanlaya Subdistrict Wat Kanlaya ( th, วัดกัลยาณ์, ) is a '' khwaeng'' (sub-district) of Thon Buri District, Bangkok's Thonburi side, regarded as the northeast area of the district adjacent to the Chao Phraya River's west side. History and pres ...

, Thon Buri District,

Thonburi __NOTOC__ Thonburi ( th, ธนบุรี) is an area of modern Bangkok. During the era of the Kingdom of Ayutthaya, its location on the right (west) bank at the mouth of the Chao Phraya River had made it an important garrison town, which is ...

side in the area of Kudi Chin community close to other places of worship including

Wat Prayurawongsawat Wat Prayurawongsawat Worawihan, known in short as Wat Prayun is a 19th century Buddhist temple complex, located near the Memorial Bridge (Thonburi side) in Bangkok, Thailand. History The temple was built during the reign of King Rama III of th ...

Wat Kalayanamitr Wat Kalayanamitr Varamahavihara ( th, วัดกัลยาณมิตรวรมหาวิหาร, , ) is a Buddhist temple (wat) in Bangkok, Thailand. The temple is located in Wat Kanlaya sub-district, on the Thonburi bank of the Chao ...

and Santa Cruz Church with

Bang Luang Mosque Bang Luang Mosque ( th, มัสยิดบางหลวง) is a historic mosque in Bangkok located in Soi Arun Amarin 7, New Arun Amarin Road, Wat Kanlaya Subdistrict, Thon Buri District, Thonburi side within Kudi Khao Community by the Khlong ...

. This shrine is a Hokkien temple. It's one of the oldest shrines in Thonburi and Thailand by King Taksin and brought the Goddess Guanyin statue to be enshrined here. The Guanyin Bodhisattva is different from other shrines because mostly the Guanyin in other shrines are in standing position, but here the Guanyin is in sitting position. The Guanyin statue is made of wood carved and coated with gold. There are also murals and paintings of the classical novel

Romance of Three Kingdoms ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms'' () is a 14th-century historical novel attributed to Luo Guanzhong. It is set in the turbulent years towards the end of the Han dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period in Chinese history, starting in 184 AD and ...

, including dolls decorated on the wall decorations for visiting and worshipping. 250px, left, Principal Guanyin statue Its name is assumed to be the origin of the name Kudi Chin, which means "Chinese monk's dwelling". Originally, the shrine was divided into two shrines,

Lord Guan Guan Yu (; ), courtesy name Yunchang, was a Chinese military general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. Along with Zhang Fei, he shared a brotherly relationship with Liu Bei and accompanied him on ...

and Chor Su Kong shrines. Later, both were in disrepair during the reign of King Taksin. During the reign of King

Rama III Nangklao ( th, พระบาทสมเด็จพระนั่งเกล้าเจ้าอยู่หัว, ; 31 March 1788 – 2 April 1851), birth name Thap ( th, ทับ), also styled Rama III, was the third king of Siam ...

, the Hokkienese therefore demolished both shrines and rebuilt with Chinese courtyard architecture along with brought the Guanyin statue enshrined instead since then. Its name meaning ''"building that create peace and tranquility for the Hokkienese"''. It is currently under the care of Simasatian (or Shēn, 沈) and Tantiwetchakun (or Chen, 陳) families, which are their offspring. The shrine received the

ASA Architectural Conservation Award The Architectural Conservation Award ( th, รางวัลอนุรักษ์ศิลปสถาปัตยกรรมดีเด่น) is given by the in recognition of architectural conservation efforts by both the public and privat ...

in 2008. Moreover, during the annually

Vegetarian Festival The Nine Emperor Gods Festival ( zh, 九皇爺誕; ms, Perayaan Sembilan Maharaja Dewa; th, เทศกาลกินเจ) or Vegetarian Festival or Jay Festival is a nine-day Taoist celebration beginning on the eve of the ninth lunar month ...

this shrine will have a special event unlike other shrines. That is a ceremony similar to Loi Krathong in order change one's bad fortune for the people who make merit here. Including a boat trip to visit another shrine on opposite side of the river, Chó-su-kong Shrine in Talat Noi,

Chinatown A Chinatown () is an ethnic enclave of Chinese people located outside Greater China, most often in an urban setting. Areas known as "Chinatown" exist throughout the world, including Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa and Austra ...

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* Thian Fah Foundation– Another Guanyin shrine in Phra Nakhon side, Bangkok

References

{{Tourist attractions in Bangkok category:Guanyin temples category:Buildings and structures in Bangkok category:Buildings and structures on the Chao Phraya River Religious buildings and structures in Bangkok Thon Buri district category:Unregistered ancient monuments in Bangkok Chinese shrines in Thailand