 As an act of piety and gratitude, Pillay built the temple using wood and "attap".This structure was replaced by one of brick and plaster in 1843 and has been repaired and renovated several times since then.The Chinese name for this street, "hei yuen hau jie" or "theatre back street", refers to the Lai Chun Yuen Chinese Theatre in Smith Street, a major landmark from the 1880s up to World War II in Chinatown until it was damaged by a bomb during the war.