A CHINESE temple in Yishun, the Nam Hong Siang Theon, launched its charitable arm on Thursday.

The Nam Hong Welfare Service Society runs a free clinic in Yishun and gives out bursaries to poor students, among other help initiatives.

The Nam Hong Siang Theon, which follows a mixture of Buddhist, Taoist and Confucian teachings, was founded in a Sembawang attap hut in the late 1950s. In 1984, the temple moved to Yishun Ring Road.

In 2001, the temple started a free clinic in the void deck of the HDB block opposite its premises to help poor residents who could not afford to pay to see the doctor.