Two Churches Share One Name on Jalan Taming Sari

同一个名字，两座教堂：太平诸圣堂

On Jalan Taming Sari, Taiping has an unusual answer to a simple question: which All Saints’ Church do you mean? There is a timber heritage church and a newer church beside it. The names match; their dates do not.

在太平 Jalan Taming Sari，问人“诸圣堂在哪里”，答案竟可以指向相邻的两座教堂。一座是木造古堂，一座建于近代；名字相同，年代却不同。对游客来说，这比拍一张正面照有趣多了。

The church’s own history begins before the building. Land was given for the church in 1883, and the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel sent Reverend B. Markham to Taiping in 1884. A congregation’s story can begin before its roof.

教会的历史早于建筑。教会自己的资料说，1883年已有土地捐赠，1884年伦敦传道团体派来 B. Markham 牧师。先有人聚集，后来才有屋顶；把创办年份和建筑年份混为一谈，会错过这一段。

The church identifies Australian architect George A. Lefroy as the designer. It records that the old church opened for worship on 27 March 1887 and was consecrated on 8 August that year. Tourism Perak describes the timber building as founded or built in 1886: these are different milestones, not competing calendars.

建筑由澳洲建筑师 George A. Lefroy 设计。教会记录：1887年3月27日开始举行礼拜，同年8月8日正式祝圣。霹靂旅游资料则把建造年代记为1886年。动工、启用、祝圣各有意义，无须硬挤成同一天。

Look at the older building’s construction rather than just its cross. The Anglican diocesan account describes meranti timber panels and hardwood framing. Tourism Perak notes Gothic-influenced details and a louvred bell tower. This is building craft adapted to a humid town, not a stone cathedral transported from Europe.

老教堂最值得细看的是木工。英国圣公会西马教区记载，它使用梅兰蒂木板与硬木框架；霹靂旅游资料也提到哥特式线条及设有百叶通风的钟楼。材料与太平潮湿的天气长期相处，没有一块石头需要假装自己身在伦敦。

In 1907 All Saints became the parish church for North Perak, according to its own timeline. Its history therefore belongs not only to this one street: the parish linked worshippers in places such as Kuala Kangsar and Parit Buntar.

1907年，诸圣堂成为北霹靂的堂区教堂。教会资料还列出与江沙及巴里文打教堂之间的历史联系。原来这幢木屋的故事，也随着往返各城镇的教友延伸出去，并不只停留在 Jalan Taming Sari。

There is a particularly good detail hidden in the diocesan history: today’s pipe organ is identified as a 1938 Riddell, but the account calls it the church’s fourth organ. Its first organ was installed in September 1902 at a recorded cost of $603. A heritage church can preserve several generations of technology.

教区报告还留下了一个有趣数字：现在的管风琴是1938年的 Riddell，却已是教堂第四架管风琴。第一架于1902年9月安装，当年费用记为603元。古迹不代表每一件设备都从头用到尾；有时，延续正是靠一代代修补与替换。

The next surprise arrived in 2012, when a new All Saints’ Church was built beside the original, according to the parish. Visitors who see two churches with the same dedication are not seeing a naming accident. One congregation is preserving an old place while using newer facilities.

2012年，教会在旧堂旁建了另一座同名的诸圣堂。看见两块相同名字的牌子，不必怀疑自己转错弯。老建筑承载记忆，新建筑继续服务信众；对文化遗产而言，能被人真正使用，往往比只能站着拍照更重要。

The burial ground beside the church also holds individual lives, not a decorative ‘colonial’ backdrop. The diocesan visitors in 2023 noted graves and memorials of early settlers and servicemen. Read names quietly, and respect services, mourners and any restrictions on entry or photography.

旁边的墓地也不是“殖民风景”的道具。2023年的教区探访记录提到早期居民与军人的墓碑。每个刻在石头上的名字都曾是一个人。若到此散步，请尊重礼拜、悼念者、墓区及拍摄限制，不要让相机成为全场最吵的一位。

The photograph here is itself historical, but from March 1997, not 1887. Photographer Holly Cheng (Wikimedia account Howcheng) shared it under CC BY-SA 3.0. It shows the original timber church before the adjacent 2012 church was built; it cannot establish present-day visitor access, service times or the condition of the roof.

本文所用的照片摄于1997年3月，摄影者是 Holly Cheng（Wikimedia 账号 Howcheng），授权采用 CC BY-SA 3.0。它记录了新堂尚未建成时的木造教堂，而不是1887年的照片，更不能拿来推断今天的开放时间或屋顶状况。

A practical visit begins from public areas around Jalan Taming Sari. If you want to enter, ask the church about access and respect its worship calendar. The reward is not a claim to have seen the ‘oldest’ everything; it is recognising why Taiping kept an old building while life continued beside it.

实际探访可先从 Jalan Taming Sari 周边公共地方欣赏外观；如想入内，先向教会查询安排并避免干扰礼拜。别急着替太平再添一个“全国第一”的标签。两座同名教堂并排，本身就已说出保存与更新如何同行。

Published 24 October 2026

发布于2026年10月24日

Visit Taiping with curiosity, not an entry assumption. Sojourn lists dorm beds from RM59 and private rooms from RM99 as indicative starting prices, subject to current rates, terms and availability.

带着好奇心探访太平，也尊重仍在使用的宗教场所。晓客栈宿舍床位参考价RM59起、私人房RM99起，实际房价与空房须查询确认。

Rooms and rates · Book Direct — advance enquiry

An advance direct enquiry is NON-BINDING. It does not reserve, hold or guarantee a room until Sojourn expressly confirms the reservation.

提前直接住宿查詢不具约束力。晓客栈明确确认预订之前，并不代表房间已被预订、保留或保证。

Sources and photograph rights

All Saints’ Taiping parish — About (1884, 1887, 1907 and 2012) · Tourism Perak — All Saints Church (2022) · Anglican Diocese of West Malaysia — Saga of Saints, pp. 5–6 (2023) · Holly Cheng / Howcheng, All Saints’ Church, Taiping (March 1997), Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0 licence. Photograph reproduced unaltered with attribution.