See Yup Temple and the See Yup Society
See Yup Temple1 on Raglan Street in South Melbourne is the oldest surviving and continuously operating Chinese temple in Australia. “See Yup” (四邑 sì yì, also Sze Yap/ See Yap/ Sze Yup) refers to the Four Districts region of Guangdong, southern China. The temple is dedicated to Kuan Ti (關帝 Guandi), also known as Kuan Yu (關羽 Guanyu) or Kuan Kung (關公 Guangong), a deified warrior revered for loyalty and righteousness. He is often honoured as a Dharma protector (Sangharama Bodhisattva) by Chinese Buddhists. Worship at the temple reflects a syncretic blend of Confucianism, Buddhism, Daoism, and ancestor worship.
The original two-storey “Little Wooden Temple” was built in 1856. It was replaced in 1866 by a larger structure designed by Australian architect George Wharton. The temple is notable for combining Chinese and European architectural elements. Its interior features traditional Chinese joinery and carved decorations characteristics of places of worship in Southern China. Later developments include gardens and two ancestral halls built in 1901 and 2003 respectively. With the increase in worshippers a Guan Yin statue was added in the 1970s and later relocated to the dedicated Pavilion designed by Cheung Sui Fung in 2002.3
The temple closed during the White Australia Policy and reopened in 1977, followed by increased number of visitors renewed community engagement.
Managed by the See Yup Society2 of Melbourne (est. 1854), the second oldest Chinese associations in Australia, the temple continues to serve as a significant religious and cultural centre, sustaining traditions and community connections from the nineteenth century to the present. It is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.4
By: Sioh Yang Tan, Anna Halafoff
References:
1 Home,” See Yup Temple, accessed July 3, 2026, https://www.seeyuptemple.com.au
2 “The Temple’s History,” See Yup Temple, accessed July 3, 2026, https://www.seeyuptemple.com.au/about.
3 Sophie Couchman, “Melbourne’s See Yup Kuan Ti Temple: A Historical Overview,” Chinese Southern Diaspora Studies 8 (2019): 50–81.
4 “See Yup Temple,” Victorian Heritage Database, Heritage Council Victoria, accessed April 10, 2026, https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/1063#statement-significance.