The Put Cho Shrine is a Chinese Taoist Temple next to the more famous Jui Tui Shrine in Phuket Town. The Put Cho Shrine is the oldest temple in Phuket having been constructed in the early part of the 19th Century.
Main entrance to the Put Cho ShrineThe Put Cho Shrine is open daily from 08:00 to 20:30, sometimes longer during Phuket’s Vegetarian Festival, and admission is free. People of all religions are welcome to visit.
About the Put Cho Shrine
The Put Cho Shrine is dedicated to Guan Yin, who is a deity revered in Buddhism, Taoism, and many other religions in Asia, as the Goddess of Mercy or Compassion, although the term ‘goddess’ is slightly misleading because the complex theology of Asian religious beliefs gives a different meaning to terms ‘god’ and ‘goddess’ than the one people brought up in a Western religious background associated with these terms.
Goddess of Mercy
Put Cho is the name used by people in Phuket of Chinese heritage for Guan Yin, who is generally referred at as Phra Mae Kuan Im or Chao Mae Kuan Im in the Thai language. Phuket has a large population descended from Chinese immigrants who came to the island in the 19th Century and the Put Cho Shrine is one of the more important temples on the island for this large community.
Courtyard leading to the Put Cho ShrineThe Put Cho Shrine is a small temple consisting of a large entrance gate, a courtyard and a shrine room.
Put Cho Shrine in Phuket TownFertility and Health
Guan Yin is represented as a woman in the Put Cho Shrine, as is the common practice in modern China. The female manifestation of Guan Yin is associated not only with mercy and compassion, but also with fertility and the bond between parents and children. Many local people come to shrine to pray for healing of the sick, particularly relatives, for fertility, or remembrance of family members who have died. Guan Yin is considered one of the most important deities in many Asian religions and this makes the shrine itself important as well despite being very small.
Location of the Put Cho Shrine
- The Put Cho Shrine is located 1.5 km walking distance from Phuket Bus Terminal 1.
