Chen Fu Zhen Ren

The first source is a short biography written on a stele of Liong Coan Bio Temple in Probolinggo, East Java.

The document had been copied by the grandson of the keeper of Ho Tong Bio Temple in Banyuwangi on June 2, 1880, at Buleleng, Bali.

[1] The stele inscription of Liong Coan Bio Temple, Probolinggo, reads: The family of Tan Hu Cinjin had come from Chaozhou, Guangdong Province.

When he was still a child, he was diligent, had filial piety to his mother and his two brothers; he was obedient to the rules, polite, and was a gifted craftsman.

He built a palace at Bali and lives for eternity in the port of Blambangan.The Malayan script tells the life story of Chen Fu Zhen Ren when he was still a human and the legend after he left the world.

[1] The script mentions Chen Fu Zhen Ren as Tan Cin Jin (the Hokkien dialect for his name) the eldest of three brothers.

Tan Cin Jin had a precognition that he would be betrayed, so he tried to refuse, but the king insisted that he should go and assured him by swearing a vow: if any misfortune should befall him at Bali, the Kingdom of Blambangan would be far from blessed for many generations.

After watching them silently for some time, Tan Cin Jin began the conversation and told them to carry out the king's command though, because he was innocent, his murder would be a sign of the fall of Blambangan and Mengwi.

Forty or fifty years later, when "a lot of Chinese already lived at Blambangan" and '"four Chinatowns were already built at Banyualit (now Blimbingsari), Kedaleman, Lateng and Kesatrian", the story continued.

Take me to Blambangan, so I can live there forever.The man jumped into the ocean and walked carefully over the waves, while the captain followed him by boat.

And the Chinese at Tabanan, Mengwi, Bangli, Gianyar, Klungkung, Karangasem, and Sasak set home altars for Chen Fu Zhen Ren.

[1] These stories below are the histories and legends of Chen Fu Zhen Ren that spread amongst the Chinese, Javanese, and Balinese.

In the early 1980s, a Dutchman named Henk Schulte Nordholt heard stories from one Gusti Agung Gede Rai (from Kleran Palace) and Ida Bagus Ketut Sindu (from Mengwi), that the king of Mengwi had set a contest to make the best blueprint for his new palace.

That architect brought the Javanese peoples to help him, but until the third day before the deadline, they had only built the outer wall of the palace.

The architect ran to Java and disappear at Watu Dodol along with his two followers, reputedly named I Gusti Ngurah Subuh dan Ida Bagus Den Kayu.

Problematically, Pura Taman Ayun Garden was finished in 1634, while the Malayan script records that Chen Fu Zhen Ren lived much later.

[7] The worshippers of Chen Fu Zhen Ren at Banyuwangi and Tabanan, both Chinese and Balinese, know well the story of their patron.

The keepers of Hu Tang Miao Temple said that Chen Fu Zhen Ren was a craftsman from Canton (now Guangzhou).

The architect turned himself into Watu Dodol, a black and large volcanic stone with a base smaller than its top.

The locals buried the two guards and their tombs are still visited until this day by the Chinese, Balinese, and Javanese; while the Watu Dodol itself is considered sacred.

[10] The oral tradition from De Long Dian Temple of Rogojampi, East Java, states that a merchant named Lin Jing Feng (1915) had a dream that Chen Fu Zhen Ren was at Watu Dodol.

At Watu Dodol, Lin Jing Feng found a stone effigy which is believed to be an image of Chen Fu Zhen Ren.

Yongle Emperor was afraid that Zhu Yunwen would be back to claim his right, so he sent three commanders to find him: the first was Wan Lian Fu who went to Champa, the second Yan Qin went to Java, while Zheng He made his famous seven journeys.

The Chinese name for Blambangan is Wai Nan Meng (Hokkien: Hway Lam Bang) which means the dream over south boundary, referring to the hope of Zheng He to meet the emperor being fulfilled at that place.

The spiritualists countered this argument by stating that the wide range of the times just shows the greatness of Chen Fu Zhen Ren.

Chen Fu Zhen Ren is known as a gentle and kind grand ancestor, honest in speech and well mannered.

Some of the wooden poetry planks on Hu Tang Miao Temple are: Tan by his virtuousness had raised into Heaven; Cin by his great deeds protects humanity.Kong’s virtue is perfect, his kindness is amazing, he supports thousand of households; Co’s heart is honest, his laws are perfect, he protects ten thousand families.His kindness shines over all things.He gives good health to the citizens.If there is a prayer there must be an answer.Some of the wooden poetry planks are: The strength of the god protects maritime countries.Kong’s virtues drown the Chinese and the indigenous peoples, everyone gets their fortune, peoples pray for him as before; Co’s helps the Fujianese and Cantonese, four peoples had done their job well, the efforts on the winter has recovered.Kong’s way leads to full happiness, the Easterners realize this and have changed; Co’s help spreads everywhere, Yi the Westerner merchant gets fortune from his virtue.Some of the wooden poetry planks are: Kong is addressed as True Man, the villagers of the southern Probolinggo are covered by his virtue; Co addressed as a wise man, citizens and the civil bureaucrats get his help.Some of the wooden poetry planks are: Kong’s blessings are like the rain that pours over and over, his help waters every place; Co’s virtues are like the mountain that is covered by clouds, his great blessings bring happiness and peace.Gong is Famous.His medicinal is Holy.Kong gives his virtues; the Chinese and the indigenous are fortunate because of that.

Co prepares medicinal recipes; males and females praise him.His elegance covers Hainanese.The virtues that he gives to us are limitless.His sanctuary brings happiness.