Monday, February 26, 2018, Semarang, Java, Indonesia

Long a center of Hindu-Buddhist empires and a trade center of the Dutch East India Company in the 17th and 18th centuries, the island of Java is Indonesia’s repository of history and culture.  About half of the 266 million Indonesians reside on Java Island.  The bustling port of Semarang was founded by the Dutch and hints of the island's colonial past dot the cityscape.  Outside the city, Borobudur, the largest Buddhist monument in the world, strikes a dramatic pose against a backdrop of four volcanoes.  A popular place of pilgrimage and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the massive pyramidal temple towers to a great height.  The devout walk up a clockwise path to the pinnacle, passing 2,672 reliefs and 504 Buddha statues along the way.  The island’s massive pyramidal Buddhist temple attracts countless pilgrims (see bottom of this post).

 Our cruise ship was met by a small "band" and dancers.

 Scenes along the Semarang city streets on our way to first stop of our shore excursion.

 School kids loading on bus; apparently off on an excursion of their own.

Small park at church, our first stop.

The Protestant Church in Western Indonesia Immanuel Semarang, better known as Blenduk Church is a Protestant church in Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia. Built in 1753, it is the oldest church in the province.

Blenduk Church, at 32 Letjen Suprapto Street in the old town of Semarang, Central Java, is located in a small courtyard between former office buildings.  The octagonal church, built on a stone foundation and with single-layer brick walls, has its ground floor at street level.  It is topped by a large, copper-skinned dome, from which it gets its common name; the Javanese word mblenduk means dome. The dome is supported by 32 steel beams, 8 large and 24 small.  Two towers, square at the base and slowly rounding until topped with a small dome, are located on either side of the main entrance, while a cornice consisting of horizontal lines runs around the building; Roman-style porticoes covered in saddle-shaped roofs are located on its eastern, southern and western faces.  Blenduk also features etched and stained glass windows, as well as wood-panel double doors at the south-facing entrance.

The initial building had a joglo-style.  Although meant for Protestants, Catholics also used it until the first Catholic church in the city, in Gedangan, was built.  The church was later rebuilt in 1787.   Another re-imagining, spearheaded by H.P.A. de Wilde and W. Westmas, began work in 1894.  During this renovation, the dome and two towers were added.  Another series of renovations began in the early 2000s.  As of 2004, the church has 200 families in its congregation and holds regular Sunday services; it is also a tourist attraction.  In 2003 the church celebrated its 250th year.

The wooden pews inside Blenduk have rattan seats, while the pulpit is completely made of wood and located on an octagonal platform made of teak.  A nonfunctional Baroque pipe organ from the 1700s is also located inside.  The floor is covered in black, yellow, and white tiles.  In the northern part of the interior is a spiral staircase, etched with name of its manufacturer, Pletterij den haag (Rolling Mill, The Hague), which leads to the second floor.

 Pictures taken during a walk close to the church.

 Some how some of this reminds me of things around My Father's House at COR.

 A little nostalgia in park next to church.

 On our way to Sam Poo Kong, unique Chinese Muslim temple.

Sam Poo Kong, also known as Gedung Batu Temple, is the oldest Chinese temple in Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia.  Originally established by the Chinese Muslim explorer Zheng He (also known as Sanbao), it is now shared by Indonesians of multiple religious denominations, including Muslims and Buddhists, and ethnicities, including Chinese and Javanese.

The foundations of Sam Poo Kong were set when Chinese Muslim explorer Admiral Zheng He arrived in the western part of what is now Semarang via the Garang River; the year is disputed, with suggestions ranging from 1400 to 1416.   After disembarking from his ships, Zheng found a cave in a rocky hillside and used it for prayer.  He established a small temple before leaving Java but, having grown fond of the area, his deputy Wang Jing and several crewmen remained behind.   A statuette of Zheng was installed in the cave.  

The original temple was reportedly destroyed in 1704, collapsing under a landslide.  In October 1724 the temple was completely renovated.  A new cave was made, next to the old one.  In the middle of the 1800s Sam Poo Kong was owned by a Mr. Johanes, a landlord of Jewish descent, who charged devotees for the right to pray at the temple.  Unable to pay individual fees, the Chinese community spent 2000 gulden yearly to keep the temple open; this was later reduced to 500 gulden after worshipers complained of the expense.  As this was still a heavy burden, devotees abandoned Sam Poo Kong and found a statue of Zheng He to bring to Tay Kak Sie temple, 3.1 miles away, where they could pray freely.  In 1879, Oei Tjie Sing, a prominent local businessman, bought the Sam Poo Kong complex and made its use free of charge; in response, local Chinese celebrated by holding a carnival and began returning to Sam Poo Kong.  The temple's ownership was transferred to the recently founded Sam Poo Kong foundation in 1924. 

The temple received another full renovation in 1937.  After the Japanese invasion of the Indies, the Japanese command installed electricity and provided the temple with a framed written appraisal for Zeng He.  During five years of revolution after the Japanese left the newly independent Indonesia, the temple was poorly maintained and fell into disrepair.  In 1950, Sam Poo Kong was again renovated. However, beginning in the 1960s increased political instability led to its being neglected again.  From 2002 to 2005 it underwent another major renovation.

The Sam Poo Kong complex includes five temples in a mixed Chinese and Javanese architectural style. The temples are Sam Poo Kong (the oldest), Tho Tee Kong, Kyai Juru Mudi Temple, Kyai Jangkar Temple, and Kyai Cundrik Bumi Temple.  An additional worship site, Mbah Kyai Tumpeng, is in the complex.  The buildings are spread over 7.9 acres.  Tho Tee Kong (also known as Dewa Bumi Temple), is just within the large gate at the northern end of the complex; it is used by those who seek the blessings of the earth god Tu Di Gong. Next to Tho Tee Kong is Kyai Juru Mudi Temple, the burial site of Wang Jing Hong, one of Zheng He's deputies. It is often frequented by people looking for success in business.  The main temple is built directly in front of the cave, south of Kyai Juru Mudi.  In the cave are an altar, fortune-telling equipment, and a small statue of Zheng He.  Underneath the altar is a well that is said to never go dry and to be capable of healing various ailments.  Before the 2002 renovations, the temple measured 52 by 52 feet.  It now measures 34 by 34 meters 112 by 112 feet.

Further south is the Kyai Jankar Temple, named after a sacred anchor used by Zheng He which is held inside.  The temple contains an altar to Zheng's crewmen who died while fulfilling their duties. The southernmost temple is Kyai Cundrik Bumi, which is used to worship a weapon used by Zheng. Nearby is Mbah Kyai Tumpeng, a prayer site used by people wishing for their well-being.  Every lunar year on the 30th day of the sixth month, the anniversary of Zheng He's arrival in Semarang, Chinese Indonesians parade statues of Zheng He, Lauw In, and Thio Kefrom Tay Kak Sie to Sam Poo Kong.  Started after Sam Poo Kong again became free to use, the carnival is meant to show respect to the explorers.

 Views along our way to downtown mosque and shopping mall.

Great Mosque of Central Java.

 Guess what?

 Recently celebrated Chinese New Year, the year of the dog.

 Views on our way back to cruise ship.

Outside the city, Borobudur, the largest Buddhist monument in the world, strikes a dramatic pose against a backdrop of four volcanoes.  The temple consists of nine stacked platforms, six square and three circular, topped by a central dome. It is decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. The central dome is surrounded by 72 Buddha statues, each seated inside a perforated stupa.

Built in the 9th century during the reign of the Sailendra Dynasty, the temple design follows Javanese Buddhist architecture, which blends the Indonesian indigenous cult of ancestor worship and the Buddhist concept of attaining Nirvana.  The temple demonstrates the influences of Gupta art that reflects India's influence on the region, yet there are enough indigenous scenes and elements incorporated to make Borobudur uniquely Indonesian.  The monument is a shrine to the Lord Buddha and a place for Buddhist pilgrimage. The pilgrim journey begins at the base of the monument and follows a path around the monument, ascending to the top through three levels symbolic of Buddhist cosmology:  Kāmadhātu (the world of desire), Rupadhatu (the world of forms), and Arupadhatu (the world of formlessness).  The monument guides pilgrims through an extensive system of stairways and corridors with 1,460 narrative relief panels on the walls and the balustrades. Borobudur has the largest and most complete ensemble of Buddhist reliefs in the world.

Evidence suggests Borobudur was constructed in the 9th century and abandoned following the 14th-century decline of Hindu kingdoms in Java and Javanese conversion to Islam.  Worldwide knowledge of its existence was sparked in 1814 by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, then the British ruler of Java, who was advised of its location by native Indonesians.  Borobudur has since been preserved through several restorations.  The largest restoration project was undertaken between 1975 and 1982 by the Indonesian government and UNESCO, followed by the monument's listing as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  The island’s massive pyramidal Buddhist temple attracts countless pilgrims.


We now have two sea days to our next port call at Muara, Brunei Darussalam.