Hai Rui (海瑞) aka Hai Ru Xian (海汝賢) or Hai Guo Kai (海國開), born in Ming Dynasty AD 1514 (明朝), hometown at Guang Dong Province Qiong Shan Area 廣東省瓊山 (today known as Hainan 今為海南).
According to his family's belief, Hai Rui was being brought up as a follower of Islam, meaning he was a Chinese Muslim (回教人).
At the age of 4, his father passed away.
In Ming Dynasty Jia Jing Period AD1549 (明朝嘉靖年間), at the age of 37 and after years of studying and struggling, Hai Rui managed to pass the Imperial Examination, from then he got an official title from the Imperial Court and commerce his service for the Nation (科舉中舉).
AD1566, immediately after Hai Rui made couple of strong comments against Emperor Jia Jing, he was sentenced to death and because of his loyalty and upright attitude, the Premier of Emperor Jia Jing (Xu Jie 徐階) saved him by explaining to Emperor Jia Jing that actually Hai Rui was right and the comments that he made were some good advises for the Emperor. After listening to Premier Xu, Emperor Jia Jing released him.
AD1587, the 10 Month, Hai Rui dead in his Office, aged 74 (享年74).
Due to his clean reputation and the ways he handled cases, he was being respect by the folks as Deity after he passed-away. In order to keep him in memory, the folks addressed him as Hai Qing Tian – meaning Upright and Non-bias (公正無私海青天).
In Singapore, you are able to find his statue and altar dedicated to him at Telok Blangah Tian Gong Temple (beside Blk 45). According to the temple history, the statue shall be more than 80 years old.
For Higher Res Pictures, please proceed to this link: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/taoism_deity_singapore_2007/photos/album/154707869/pic/list
Yes, Hai Rui, the man of my heart... honest, full of integrity and brave to boot.
ReplyDeleteYup, he is one of the Upright Officers that a lot of Politicians must learnt from :P
ReplyDeleteIn cantonese opera, I always like the part when he do the Ten Bad Points of Yan Song.. thats the wonderful part :P
yup, I have it downloaded in the Cantonese stage... it was really well done by Yam Kim Fei.
ReplyDeleteYup, thats the most traditional and proper show that i like (by Yam Kim Fai) :P
ReplyDeletehmm since he was brought up as a muslim, then chinese descendants pray to him, so now his a muslim or taoist?
ReplyDeletedo you know that allah, buddha, mother mary and jesus and other deities have meetings in the heavens now and then?...
ReplyDeletedsfz
Folks respect him as a form of Deity due to his credits and merits, not becos of his religion, so it's fine.
ReplyDeleteEventhou he's a Muslim, once he got his enlightenment, he's all over the Three Realms to assist the needys.
It may look a bit sensitive for a "Muslim" to become Deity, but, Hai Rui Gong is still a Chinese. :P
New pics added (hairui_new23052010_01.jpg - hairui_new23052010_04.jpg)
ReplyDeleteNew Pics added (hairui_new0607010_01.jpg - hairui_new0607010_10.jpg)
ReplyDeletebro do u have the sample of court hats of all dynasty?
ReplyDeleteI will try to post some up soon :P
ReplyDelete