Starting in 1839, the temple was rebuilt with funds collected over the years and donations from the community, the largest of which was from Tan Tock Seng, a Hokkien businessman.

[7] Thian Hock Keng, built on a square site, is of traditional Chinese design whereby a group of buildings or pavilions cluster around the main courtyard.

The main halls are of single-storey beam-frame structures with brackets supporting curving roofs with wide eaves.

The side entrances are decorated with coloured tiles with peacocks, roses, and the Buddhist swastika motif that symbolises good luck, eternity and immortality.

[9] The temple is richly decorated with coloured tiles, red, black and gold lacquered wood, as well as figures of dragons and phoenix, with embellished and gilded beams, brackets, and ceilings.

[5] The main deity worshiped in the temple is Mazu (媽祖婆, "Ma Cho Po" in the local dialect), a 10th-century Fujianese shamaness deified as a Chinese Sea Goddess.

Early immigrants to Singapore offered incense to the Goddess to give thanks for a safe passage across the sea from China.

Other deities worshiped in the temple include the God of Medicine and Health (保生大帝, Baosheng Dadi), Holy Emperor Lord Guan (關聖帝君, Guansheng Dijun, worshipped for spiritual protection), the Sacred Duke Kai Zhang (伽藍菩薩, Qie Lan Pu Sa) and the City God (城隍爺, Cheng Huang Ye).