Have you heard of "Tua Pek Kong", the Chinese deity whose name literally translates to "Grand Uncle"? Thousands of devotees turn up every year to worship him at popular temples such as the one on Kusu Island, and the Loyang Tua Pek Kong Temple.

While Tua Pek Kong is among the most popular Taoist deities in Singapore, many may not know who this "Grand Uncle" really is.

The name "Tua Pek Kong" originated from an interesting amalgamation- the Earth God is called "Pekong" in Hakka dialect, and "Datoh" means "god" in Malay. The Malays first addressed the Earth God as "Datoh Pekong" and it later got simplified to "Tua Pek Kong".

Some say Tua Pek Kong shares the same origin as the Chinese Earth God (土地公), and there are others who think Tua Pek Kong symbolises certain historical or legendary figures, and its immortalisation has an intimate link to the location of the temple.

Join Ah Boy on his learning journey and impress your grandma on the next trip to the temple!

Ah Boy is an original character created by zaobao.sg and made popular by his light-hearted and educational introduction of the Chinese culture. In this series, he explores the significance of gods and deities in Chinese tradition.

About "Ah Boy Don't Play Pray":

"Ah Boy Don't Play Pray"（Ah Boy 封神榜）is a video series produced by Singapore Press Holdings (SPH), as part of the third season of SPH's Public Service Broadcast content.

In this 5-part Mandarin animation series, Ah Boy together with his family and friends travel back in time and into a world of mythology, exploring the significance of gods and deities in Chinese traditions, and how Chinese culture evolved around these beliefs.

"Ah Boy Don't Play Pray" is also available on the zaobao.sg website and mobile app. All episodes come with Chinese and English subtitles.