草稿:新加坡天圣坛

天圣坛供奉包公为主神 本地规模最大，以包公为主神的包公庙—天圣坛，已有超过80年历史。早年间，简陋的庙宇设在后港四英里半村。信徒多是附近的居民，大多来自福建南安，逢年过节村民都会聚齐到庙宇祭拜包公。如遇到无法解决的问题，村民就会向包公请求指示。随着时代的进步，天圣坛除了是善信祭拜的场所，也参与文化，学术和慈善事业的庙宇。发挥主神包公正大光明，铁面无私的精神。 而若干年后，当理事会要为庙宇注册为正式社团组织时，理事会大致同意，为表示对包公大人的尊敬，不敢直呼其名，便采取了一位学者的建议，因包府大人仁宗天圣五年（公元1027年）考中进士，便以“天圣”二字为庙名，除了避开包公名讳之外，也感激新政府带来的国泰民安，因为宋仁宗时代是北宋一个和平安定的年代，同时也有隐约赞扬了包公是“天之圣人”的含意。 “天圣坛” 这家庙宇的形成、发展和旺盛，可不仅仅是一家道教庙宇这么简单，还经历了从政治动荡不安到国家繁荣昌盛的这个历史过程的同步发展

第一所庙宇设立包公文物展 在新加坡天圣坛是第一所设立包公文物展的庙宇。文物展中展示的物品包括来自中国开封包公祠与安徽合肥的香炉，神主牌，官袍，官帽，尚方宝剑，包公氏谱（24册），书籍，纪念品，包公晚年彩色瓷像，开封府题名碑（仿制品）和复制的三口铡刀等。

一间庙供奉两位主神 当时，在后港四英里半村中就有一座奇特的小庙供奉着两位主神齐天大圣与包府大人，庙门挂着两个匾额“齐天大圣”与“包府大人庙”，一间庙有两个庙名，是一个很奇特的现象。原来，上世纪40年代，村中先有齐天大圣庙，供奉主神齐天大圣。后来，庙里一名林姓理事，梦见包府大人要在庙为世人救苦救难，要他在庙里供奉包公神尊。于是林姓理事就将梦中所见告诉庙的其他理事，大家商议后一致同意供奉包公，称为包府大人庙。

Tien Sen Tua Worshipping His Excellency Bao

Tien Sen Tua Temple worships His Excellency Bao as the main deity, which boasts a history of more than 60 years. In the early days, Tien Sen Tua Temple was located at “four and a half milestones” in Hougang village with devotees mainly from the village itself. As time passes by, Tien Sen Tua Temple grew and participated in numerous cultural and charity events. Such participation was to showcase His Excellency Bao’s spirit and to reach out to the needy. Many years later, members registered Tien Sen Tua Temple as a formal community organization. Out of respect to His Excellency Bao, members did not want to address the temple by his name. They sought out advice from a scholar, who suggested “Tian Sheng” for the temple’s name. This was because His Excellency Bao took his examination and qualify as a scholar in the year AD 1027, which was also known as “Ren Zong Tian Sheng” fifth year. It also signifies the peace and prosperity brought by the new government like how it was during the Northern Song Dynasty, “Song Renzong” era. Similarly, it praises His Excellency Bao as the “Saint of Heaven”. The development and success of Tien Sen Tua Temple was not as simple as how it is setting up a temple today. It has undergone transition from the country when it was in a political turmoil, to how prosperous it is today.

Being the First Temple to set up His Excellency Bao’s exhibition centre

Tien Sen Tua Temple is the first temple in Singapore, to have an exhibition centre dedicated to His Excellency Bao. It showcases artefacts like the urn from “Kaifeng” and “Hefei” tablet, official robe, official hat, imperial sword, documented lineage history (24 books), souvenirs, porcelain figurines, a replica of Kaifeng’s title stone, 3 sets of guillotines and many more.

A temple worshipping two deities

Tien Sen Tua Temple developed from a small temple back then, into today’s four storey high grand temple. A unique piece of history of the temple would be that it used to be a temple with 2 different temple names. It was used to be a temple dedicated to the Great Sage during the 1940s. It was because of a dream from His Excellency Bao to a member of the temple which started the worshipping of His Excellency Bao. To preserve its roots, the temple kept the altar for the Great Sage while worshipping His Excellency Bao. Therefore, the temple carried two title boards for quite a period, one for the Great Sage, while the other was His Excellency Bao.

林泽连和天圣坛： Mr Lim Teck Lian and Tien Sen Tua Temple 林泽连与天圣坛

       天聖壇是本地歷史悠久的廟宇之一，70年多前，從後港鄉村的一間簡陋小廟，發展成今天四層樓高的壯觀廟宇，躋身本地知名廟宇之一，天聖壇前主席林澤連（已故），可說功不可抹。可以說，如果沒有林澤連，就沒有今天的天聖壇。

在林泽连的领导下，天圣坛经历数大变迁： 1990年，后港4英里半的旧庙址被征用，迁移到杨厝港8英里。 1994年，购置巴耶利峇路地段现址，与赐福宫联合兴建新庙。 1995年，林泽连带领天圣坛访问团，前往中国安徽省合肥市，及河南省开封市两地，参观包公的史迹与包公祠、包公墓园，与包公研究会的负责人交流，收集文物资料。 1996年4月，新庙落成，林泽连与理事会筹办晋宫典礼、也主办系列包公文物展和座谈会，参与的嘉宾包括海内外的学者与学术团体。 1999年，包公1000周年诞辰纪念，林泽连率团到中国开封和合肥，出席盛典及参加包公学术研讨会。 2004年，天圣坛进行扩建4层楼工程。 2005年，扩建的4层楼庙宇落成，在林泽连的倡导下，3楼辟为包公文物展，是本地首间设立包公历史文物展的庙宇。曾担任社会慈善公益，作出巨大的贡献。过后，因年老健康理由，卸下天圣坛主席职务，改任永久荣誉主席。 2012年5月间，林泽连病逝，享年75岁，他献身天圣坛半个世纪，策划天圣坛的发展，贡献巨大 林泽连是位殷实商人，热心道教事业，加上交游广阔，重信诺，在道教界享有声誉。林泽连的次子，现任天圣坛主持林东龙说，父亲病情恶化时，仍对天圣坛耿耿于怀，要大家同心协力，把庙管理好。据他所知，父亲生前曾多次带领访问团，到中国安徽省合肥市，及河南省开封市，参观包公的史迹、墓园、收集文物资料及参与包公学术研讨会，对推动包公历史文化传承，可说不予馀力。

Mr Lim Teck Lian and Tien Sen Tua Temple

Tien Sen Tua Temple is one of the local temple with a long history. Dating back more than 70 years, it was at first a simple, little temple situated at “four and a half milestones” Hougang village. Today, the temple develops to a majestic four storey building, much to the credit of the late Mr Lim Teck Lian, its former chairman. Without Mr Lim Teck Lian, Tien Sen Tua Temple would not have come this far. In the beginning, it was just a temple with a zinc roof, situated in a village at “four and a half milestones” in Hougang village. In the 1960s the late Mr Lim Teck Lian discussed with members of the temple and formally rename the whole temple to dedicate it to Temple of His Excellency Bao. They had successfully sought the approval of the Great Sage in divinations before changing the title, and subsequently formally registered it as Tien Sen Tua of His Excellency Bao. Such was its origin.

Previous Chairman of Taoist Federation (Singapore)

Mr Lim Teck Lian had assumed important appointments of many societies, including the chairman of Taoist Federation (Singapore), the chairman of Tien Sen Tua Temple, the Change of “Chee Yew Huey”, hence contributed greatly to the promotion of Taoism and other social charity activities. Due to the state of his health in the later age, he relinquished the appointment of the chairman of Tien Sen Tua Temple, and assumed the appointment of Honorary Chairman. In May 2012, Mr Lim Teck Lian passed on at the age of 75. He delegated his life to the growth of Tien Sen Tua Temple for half a century, contributing greatly to its development.

A Pragmatic Entrepreneur with Integrity

Mr Lim Teck Lian was a pragmatic entrepreneur who was devoted to the development of Taoism affairs. Coupling with the fact that he was a man of integrity, and has also enjoyed a vast circle of social network, he made a good name in the Taoist fraternity. Mr Tony Lim, the second son of the late Mr Lim Teck Lian, said that in those days when the health condition of the senior Mr Lim deteriorated, he remained concerned with the daily operations of the temple, wishing that it will be properly managed by the management team. Mr Tony Lim said that his late father had led delegations to Hefei City and Kaifeng City of Henan Province several times to pay visits to the historical sites and park cemetery of His Excellency Bao. He also collected cultural relics and participated in seminars, contributing relentlessly to the continuation of cultural heritage of His Excellency Bao.

三坛玄门:林东龙：The Grand Master Tony Lim Of San Tan Xuan Men

道教世家 严父名师

现任天圣坛主持林东龙师父，来自道教世家，令尊是已故前新加坡道教总会会长林泽连，林老先生在道教界可说是无人不知；无人不晓，他一生为人正直无私，不仅自律严格，更是努力教育子女，希望他们不单能为社会做出积极贡献，并且也能在道教中展露头角，为发扬华人传统道教文化尽一份力。林东龙师父上有大哥，下有三位弟弟，全都是商人，只有他继承先父弘愿，直接协助推动道教文化。林东龙师父在继承父训的基础上，出外在拜师学艺，渊博的家学加名师指导“三坛”秘法，几十载春秋的不懈努力，在功力修为都取得成果的底蕴下，2010年开创了“三坛玄门”（道教发事则以“三坛玄龙法坛”名义进行），至今活跃的弟子门生近百人，遍布全国，一些徒弟也开始有了专业进展和个人成就，人数不断增加，但是林东龙师父择徒非常严格，只挑选有根基的人选，加上能不能持之以恒，能不能吃苦耐劳等考虑因素，因此希望拜师者虽多，但成功如愿者甚少，总之是贵精不贵多。即使如此，由于“三坛玄门”多年不遗余力培育，天圣坛是本地拥有最多基本乩童的道庙。

灵根美玉 大道持生 林东龙师父箓禁符咒师承三坛名师谢福照，扶乩道仪则由天圣坛前任主持已故的易培仁师父启蒙，各名师循循善诱下，加上本身是一块灵根美玉（易师父曾当众如此夸奖），今天的林东龙师父，已是一位“大道持生”的高功法师（也有善信这样称赞他为“高人”），理论浸濡，实战兼备，况且为人正派，诚实待人，深受本庙理事和信徒爱戴和信赖，在海外也广孚人望。

海外交流 学无止境

为了促进天圣坛的庙务和进展，他多年来造访各国如中国大陆、台湾地区、菲律宾、马来西亚、韩国等地，与其他国家道教团体或者秘法组织联系，互相交流，促进关系和互相学习，来往关系比较和谐的位数不少。

海外号“包公龙”

由于天圣坛供奉主神包府千岁远近闻名，林东龙师傅又是主神乩童，因此他有个外号叫“包公龙”，据悉是近年来本地被冠以“包公”这个外号的第一人。虽然有时外号这回事会含有调侃之意，但是对“包公”却不敢有丝毫的诙谐意思，包大人为世人所重，基于包公的崇高地位，全世界华人至今还没有人敢随便拿包公来开玩笑。因此能与包公大人挂钩的人物，本身的道德品质肯定具有相当高水准。

Grand Master Tony Lim Of San Tan Xuan Men

A Family of Taoist History, a Strict Father and a Reputed Master

Master Tony Lim, who is the current Chief Master of Tien Sen Tua Temple comes from a Taoist family. Build on the foundation he has learn from his late father, he went under the wing of a famous “San Tan” teacher, and successfully mastered the mystical skills of the “San Tan”. With the foundation and knowledge from his late father and teacher, through decades of hard work and perseverance, Master Lim have established “San Tan Xuan Men” in 2010, practicing Taoist rituals officially as “San Tan Xuan Long Fa Tan”.

Up to today, Master Tony Lim have about a hundred students and disciples in Singapore, and the numbers are increasing by the day. He selects his students with stringent requirements, looking at their innate quality, perseverance, and diligence. With his incessant effort in providing training to the disciples, Tien Sen Tua Temple is also known as the Taoist temple in Singapore to have the most number of mediums.

A Superior Innate Quality with High Spiritual Roots, the Grand Knowledge Shall Perpetuate

Master Tony Lim inherits the knowledge in talisman and incantation from his “San Tan” teacher, and ritual knowledge from the previous Chief Master of Tien Sen Tua Temple.

With fine guidance from great teachers, he is a well learn and experience Taoist practitioner with a noble character. He is also sincere, righteous, well-loved and trusted by the devotees, both locally and overseas.

Exchanging Experience with Overseas Counterparts, Learning is Boundless

To promote Taoism and the temple, Master Tony Lim have visited Mainland China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Korea, to keep in contact with other Taoist organizations exchange knowledge with each other, to foster the relationship with them. Even up till today, he still maintains contact with them.

Nicknamed the Dragon of His Excellency Bao

As the main deity worship in Tien Sen Tua Temple is His Excellency Bao, and being the chief medium, Master Tony Lim was nicknamed the “Dragon of His Excellency Bao”, the first to enjoy such an alias connected with His Excellency Bao in the local Taoist fraternity.

Even though a nickname is meant to sneer, it is used with utmost respect in this case, as His Excellency is one of the most revered figure in Chinese history. Therefore, a nickname connected with His Excellency Baois in reflection the high integrity of the person being so named.