Six years ago, if you had passed by the parking lot near Chula Block 28, you might not have noticed much. The Sam Yan Shrine, seemingly stranded in the middle of nowhere, sat surrounded by dusty emptinessβa neglected remnant of history. It looked more like an artifact left behind in a desert than a revered cultural landmark.
A year later, construction began on colossal condominiums and a sprawling super mall, engulfing the shrine in a sea of progress. At that time, only a handful of students defended it, speaking of its architectural charm and historical significance. Their voices were small amidst the rising din of development. The towering condos and mega-mall projects are nearing completion, but something extraordinary is happening around the shrine.
Some credit my documentary, The Last Breath of Sam Yan , for sparking this wave of interest, arguing that it highlighted the importance of preserving this piece of heritage. While I humbly acknowledge that my work may have played a small role, the larger story is more complex. What is clear is the palpable energy surrounding this movement. In just three weeks, more than 50, people, mostly under 30, signed a petition urging the university to preserve the shrine.
In an attempt to hide the existence of the original shrine, they created a minimalist replica and advertised it as a replacement, falsely claiming that the old shrine we sought to protect had been demolished. However, their efforts failed. The soulless replica cannot compare to the sacred place we hold dear, lacking the vibrancy, holiness, and deep connection that the original shrine continues to inspire in people.
The attempt to erase this heritage was not just a disregard for history but for the identity and collective memory of the community.
