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The presence of Putri Cina or Chinese princesses in the ancient courts of the Archipelago is well-known. Thousands of worshipers go to Cirebon every year to bring their offerings to the Princess in the Royal cemetery in that city.
The shrines in Bali are lesser known, but their origins are probably more interesting. According to one story, the cook of the legendary admiral Cheng Ho, was stranded in Bali when his ship was damaged by a storm. Cheng Ho was the eunuch who was sent by the Emperor of China in the early part of the 15th century to explore several countries. With his armada he visited many countries in Southeast Asia and even went to Africa and India. When he was in Semarang, Central Java, this cook decided to explore the island in an attempt to find some exotic foodstuff. His ship was caught in a storm on the south coast of Bali and his ship was heavily damaged. So Tan, the cook decided to go to Java overland. When he arrived in the Kintamani area, he was so overwhelmed by the beauty of the country that he decided to stay. He happened to have a few cloves of garlic in his bag, some peanuts and some seeds of the lychee fruit. Because of the fertility of the soil the seeds caught root and very soon he had a small garden.
He married a Balinese woman and a beautiful daughter was born from this relation. The young girl was so beautiful that she was soon taken into the King's Seraglio. When her father died, she begged the King to build a shrine in his honor so she could practice the ancestor worship. The shrine was built inside the temple compound, but was later moved outside, because the Chinese used to visit the place in ordinary clothes and did no wear clothes prescribed for traditional prayers. However when a severe disease broke out the temple was moved inside again. It used to be a small shrine in harmony with the rest of the temple, but when I visited it in March this year, a new, much bigger shrine was under construction. The contents of the shrine has been placed in the balai an open building behind it. Many statues has been added to the few that was inside the once so elegant shrine.
 Another one also built for a Chinese princess is in the Pura Balingkang, about 20 km north of Kintamani. We found the place after driving through a long winding road lined with orange trees. However to reach the pura we had to cross a river, but to reach the bridge we had to go down many steps and after having crossed the bridge go up again to reach the pura. This one is supposed to have existed since the 6th century during the reign of King Jayapangus, a benevolent king, who always paid attention to his subjects. Unfortunately the King had a wicked son who caused the people to hate him. The Queen died of sadness because of her son's behavior and King Jayapangus was desperate about his wife death.
However, King Jayapangus had a Chinese advisor in his palace. This man, called empu Liem, advised the King in political and economical affairs and besides, practiced medicine to help the people with their illnesses. He taught the men martial arts, which they in turn, converted to dances. This old man had a female assistant, a beautiful young Chinese girl by the name Kang Cin Wei and this girl was offered to the king as his wife, provided that the King would file his teeth and stop eating raw meat. The King agreed and the two led a happy live. They were often seen walking together and where they came, they would make the people happy and the neighborhood was blessed. They were supposed to bring safety and prosperity in the country. After a few years it was clear that the young woman could not bear children, hence her nickname Dewi Mandul (Barren Goddess).
After their death the people made tall puppets which they would carry in processions preceding important festivals, such as Galungan and the Hari Nyepi. The King is depicted as a dark figure with long teeth, the Dewi Mandul as a fair woman with a wise and merciful expression. Symbolically they are seen as figures that bring prosperity in the country at the same time protecting the places they go from evil spirits.
There may be more versions of the tale, which has never been recorded as historical fact but has been passed on from generation to generation. But we can still see the Chinese shrine at the Pura Balingkang which is supposed to have been named after Kang Chin Wei. Although the pura is located at this remote place and one has to go up and down many steps to reach it, the serenity of this location up in the hills is certainly worth to be experienced.
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