A Brief Explanation of the Deity's Name
The Snake Temple of Penang is a famous historic site. IT is delicated for the veneration of the deity "Cheng Swee Chor Soo". "Chor Soo" is an honorific title which means "An eminent historic figure who is continuously revered by a community generation after generation". This deity is respectedly named "Cheng Swee Chor Soo" to reflect the name of the monastery devoted to him by his contemporaries - the monastery was named "Cheng Swee Giam", which means "The Rock of Clear Water".
Cheng Swee Chor Soo is also widely known as "Chor Soo Kong" by the Hokkien and "Chou See Yeah" by the Cantonese. "Chor Soo Kong" and "Chou See Yeah" mean the same thing - "The Much Honoured Chor Soo".
Dhor Soo Kong has been venerated by the Chinese generation after generation because of his inspiring virtues and wisdom, and his great services to the community during his life time.
Brief History of Chor Soo Kong's Life
Chor Soo Kong's surname was "Tan", and his name was "Eng". He was born during the reign of Emperer Ren-Zhong (1023~1063) of Song Dynasty (960~1276), in the province of Fujian. He became a Buddhist monk at a young age. Upon ordination to become a monk, he was given the Buddhist name "Pu-Zu", Initially, he stayed in monastery called Da-Yun-Yuan. Later, he led an ascetic life on Gao-Tai mountain to strife for his spiritual cultivation to enhance his virtue and wisdom. He was very serious about spiritual attainment. He soon realized that he needed a good teacher to guide him in order to make greater progress in his spiritual cultivation. He then went on a walking journey to search for worthy teachers.
When he met Zen Master Ming-Song on the Da-Jing Mountain, he decided to continue his cultivation under Zen Master Ming-Song's guidance. Three years after that, he attained enlightenment. He then left Zen Master Ming-Song to return to Gao-Tai Mountain.
On Gao-Tai Mountain, he deligently continued his effort of spiritual cultivation. Besides his spiritual attainment, Chor Soo Kong had also acquired extensive medical knowledge and extensive knowledge in various discipline of study, through his exposure during his stay in monastery. Fueled by his compassion and loving-kindness, he provided medical services to the surrounding community and managed to render assistance to a great number of needy people.
In the sixth year of the reign of Emporer Shen-Zong of Song Dynasty (which was approximately the year 1073), the area of Qing-Xi of Fujian was striken by a severe drought. Chor Soo Kong was invited to go to the affected area to help to pray for rain. Soon after his prayers, the rain came and there was plenty of water for growing crops. The people were very grateful to him. They built a monastery for him on the Peng-Lai Mountain. Chor Soo Kong named the monastery "Cheng Swee Giam", which means the rock of clear water, to reflected the stream of very clear water stretching across the front of the monastery. This is how the deity later obtained the name "Cheng Swee Chor Soo", of "The Chor Soo of the Rock of clear water".
During his stay in the Cheng Swee Giam, he continued his effort to help the needy people, firmly adhered to the Buddhist Percepts, Strived for his continuous spiritual enhancement, advised and guided the people to avoid doing evil and to do good. People were very grateful for his services and contributions.
Chor Soo Kong stayed in the monastery of Cheng Swee Giam until he passed away at the age of 65. He passed away in an upright sitting position, after instructing the people on the arrangement to be made after his dimise.
Special events in Chor Soo Kong's life
Chor Soo Kong is also known as "Or-Bin Chor Soo", which means "The Dark-Faced Chor Soo". There have been two versions of story that describe the event that had turned his face dark.
According to one version, on one occasion during his life, a group of demons came to him when he was meditating on a mountain. The demons wanted to make him their meal and therefore raised a big fire to bake him alive. Nevertheless, the fire did not do any harm to Chor Soo Kong's physical body. Instead, the smoke from the fire darkended Chor Soo Kong's face. That's is how Chor Soo Kong become known as "The Dark-Faced Chor Soo". At the end of the occasion, the demons were finally subdued by Chor Soo Kong. The demons become Chor Soo Kong's Followers, assisting him in his effort to bring benefits to the people.
Another version of story says that Chor Soo Kong's face turned dask as a result of ingesting poisions herbs. Although Chor Soo Kong was knowledgeable about herbs, he sometimes came accross some species of plants that he had never known of. Since he was keen to understand their potential use as medicine, he ingested a sample of those plants so as to test their effects. When he was testing the herbs on himself, at times, he had ignorantly ingested some poisonous herbs. The poisions from these herbs turned his face dark! As such his "dark-face" depicts his compassion and enthusiasm for healping others vividly.
Devotion
It is a common practice among the Chinese devotees to offer incense sticks, candles, oil-lamps, flowers, fruits and various kinds of food to express their faith to Chor Soo Kong. However, the best form of offering is self-practice and cultivation for self-enhancement. By This, it means one should take good care of one's family, be compasionate enough to help the needy, and continuously enhancing oneself in term of knowledge, skills, vitues and wisdom in order to be better ablt to serve the community. Chor Soo Kong himself is an example of virtues, wisdom, continuous self-enhancement and great service to the community. Although Chor Soo Kong lived hundred of years ago, he is a timeless example (an example that transcends time and age).