It is not hard to find the famous temple. Anywhere you are in Semarang, just ask the local, for they will tell you right away. Sam Poo Kong Chinese Temple or known as the stone building, looks different than others, situated on the left side hills heading towards Ungaran from Semarang.
It's called the Stone Building due to the main building and temple is actually a caved stone, which is nowadays situated at the back of the main building. The stone cave is the main prying room to ask for ciamshie as assign of good luck for the pilgrims. And this is what to believes as the headquarters of Admiral Cheng Ho and his soldiers when they visited Java.
This Chinese Temple is quite spectacular, especially since it's been renovated in a number of times and is free of flood now. According to one of the tour guide in this temple, the Sam Poo Kong Complex was built simultaneously. The first building was built in 1724 in order to honot Admiral Cheng Ho (Sam Poo Tay Djien), who came to Semarang, in Simongan Beach to be exact. Nowadays Simongan Beach is the name of the road that situated right in front of Sam Poo Kong Chinese Temple.
Major renovation of Sam Poo Kong was done in the year 2002, which took three years up until 2005, exactly at the commemoration of the 600th year of the arrival Admiral Cheng Ho. Cheng Ho first came in year 1405, and revisited in 1516.
Should you enter the temple from the north entrance, you'll be greeted by two statues of Gupala giants on left and right side of the gate. After passing a red building with a model of a veranda, you'll see on your right a row of typical Chinese temple buildings.
The color red wraps its main columns, hundreds of lamps, even the roofs are colored in red. To the right of the main building stands two little temple to honor Kyai Jangkar (there's an anker from Cheng Ho's ship) and Kyai Cundrik Bumi (the weapons that was brought inside Cheng Ho's ship). And as to the left, there's thetemple of Kyai Jurumundi, and next to it is temple of Dewa Bumi.
The yard in front of the main building is quite spacious, here there are several small statues and medium size statue of Admiral Cheng Ho. It's a shame that statue is not tall enough, drowned by the height of rows of building behind it.
Another interesting thing due to its uniqueness is a tree that has roots that resembles the chain of a big ship, twirling around the trees all over the complex. And so it's called the chain root tree.
As a reminder, Cheng Ho or Zeng He (1371-1433), is an admiral, traveler, and skilled diplomat, whom tried to broaden China's influence towards the countries in Hindi sea. In his quest, he succeeded in gaining business and diplomatic relations with at least 35 countries! An outstanding achievement, considering the sailing condition at that time.
Everyday, there are always people visiting this temple, but the amount is not always the same, sometime there are only 1 or 2 people, but on some other day it grew to hundreds of people. Sam Poo Kong foundation, who manages the temple, is planning to build a place for pilgrims from out of town to spend the night in. The 4 floored building is entering its finishing phase.
Cheng Ho is an old story which interesting to learn, yet the Admiral has certainly left many valued lessons to enhanced relationship among many religions an ethnics.
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