One of the oldest Hokkien temples in Singapore, Thian Hock Keng was erected during the early 19th century by grateful Fujian natives who wanted to honour the Goddess of the Sea, or Tianhou, for having granted them a safe passage across the South China Sea. One of the donors who contributed to the building of the temple was the philanthropist Tan Tock Seng. Like most other Chinese temples during the 19th and early 20th century, Thian Hock Keng also served as an important ground for education and communal activities.
