Religious, Spiritual sights in Hong Kong
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Tian Tan Buddha
On a hill above the Po Lin Monastery sits the Tian Tan Buddha, a seated representation of Lord Gautama some 23m high (or 26.4m with the lotus), or just under 34m if you include the podium. There are bigger Buddha statues elsewhere – notably the 71m-high Grand Buddha at Leshan in China’s Sichuan province – but apparently these are not seated, outdoors or made of bronze. It weighs 202 tonnes, by the way. The large bell within the Buddha is controlled by computer and rings 108 times during the day to symbolise escape from what Buddhism terms the ‘108 troubles of mankind’. The podium is composed of separate chambers on three different levels. On the first level are six statue…
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Chi Lin Nunnery
One of the most beautiful and arrestingly built environments in Hong Kong, this large Buddhist complex, originally dating from the 1930s, was rebuilt completely of wood (and not a single nail) in the style of the Tang dynasty in 1998. It is a serene place, with lotus ponds, immaculate bonsai tea plants and bougainvillea, and silent nuns delivering offerings of fruit and rice to Buddha and arhats (Buddhist disciples freed from the cycle of birth and death) or chanting behind intricately carved screens. The design (involving intricately interlocking sections of wood joined without a single nail) is intended to demonstrate the harmony of humans with nature. It’s pretty convi…
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Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple
An explosion of colourful pillars, roofs, lattice work, flowers and incense, this busy temple is a destination for all walks of Hong Kong society, from pensioners and businesspeople to parents and young professionals. Some come simply to pray, others to divine the future with chìm – bamboo ‘fortune sticks’ that are shaken out of a box on to the ground and then read by a fortune-teller (they’re available free from the left of the main temple). The complex, adjacent to the Wong Tai Sin housing estate, was built in 1973 and is dedicated to the god of that name, who began his life as a humble shepherd in Zhejiang province. When he was 15 an immortal taught Wong Tai Sin how t…
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Man Mo Temple
You won’t need a map to find the Man Mo Temple: just follow the smell of incense curling from giant cones suspended from the ceiling of this busy 18th-century temple. One of the oldest and most famous in Hong Kong, Man Mo (literally ‘civil’ and ‘martial’) is dedicated to two deities. The civil deity is a Chinese statesman of the 3rd century BC called Man Cheung, who is worshipped as the god of literature and is represented holding a writing brush. The military deity is Kwan Yu (or Kwan Tai), a Han-dynasty soldier born in the 2nd century AD and now venerated as the red-cheeked god of war; he is holding a sword. Kwan Yu’s popularity in Hong Kong probably has more to do with…
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Trappist Monastery
Northeast of Mui Wo and south of Discovery Bay at Tai Shui Hang is the Roman Catholic Lady of Joy Abbey – better known as the Trappist Monastery. The monastery is known throughout Hong Kong for its cream-rich milk, sold in half-pint bottles everywhere, but, alas, the cows have been moved to the New Territories and Trappist Dairy Milk now comes from over the border in China. The Trappists, a branch of the Cistercian order, were founded by a converted courtier at La Trappe in France in 1662 and gained a reputation as being one of the most austere religious communities in the Roman Catholic Church. The Lantau congregation was established at Beijing in the 19th century. All o…
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Miu Fat Monastery
Miu Fat Monastery in Lam Tei, due north of Tuen Mun town centre, is one of the most well-kept and attractive Buddhist complexes in the territory. Guarding the entrance to the main temple are two stone lions and two stone elephants, and there are attractive gardens outside. This is an active monastery that preserves more of a traditional character than many smaller temples; you'll see Buddhist nuns in droves wearing brown robes.
On the ground floor there's a golden likeness of Buddha in a glass case; on the 2nd floor are three larger statues of Lord Gautama. The 1st floor is a vegetarian restaurant serving set meals and open to all .
At the time of writing a new main compl…
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Yuen Yuen Institute
Stuffed with vivid statuary of Confucian and Buddhist deities, the Yuen Yuen Institute, in the hills northeast of Tsuen Wan, is very much on the tourist trail but is well worth a visit nonetheless. The main building is a (vague) replica of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. On the upper ground floor are three Taoist immortals seated in a quiet hall; walk down to the lower level to watch as crowds of the faithful pray and burn offerings to the 60 incarnations of Taoist saints lining the walls. This place is packed out at Chinese New Year. There are also deities representing particular years and birth signs, to which worshippers pray and make offerings. To reach both the Inst…
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Jamia Mosque
The Mid-Levels have relatively little to offer tourists in the way of sights, though there are a few gems, particularly houses of worship, hidden within the forest of marble-clad apartment blocks. Check out the Roman Catholic Cath-edral of the Immaculate Conception, built in 1888 and financed largely by the Portuguese faithful from Macau; the Jamia Mosque, erected in 1849 and also called the Lascar Mosque; and the Ohel Leah Synagogue. The Mid-Levels have relatively little to offer tourists in the way of sights, though there are a few gems, particularly houses of worship, hidden within the forest of marble-clad apartment blocks. Check out the Roman Catholic Cathedral …
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Temples & Shrines
At the western end of Stanley Main St, past a tiny Tai Wong shrine and through the shopping complex called Stanley Plaza, is a Tin Hau temple (119 Stanley Main St), built in 1767 and said to be the oldest building in Hong Kong. It has undergone a complete renovation since then, however, and is now a concrete pile (though the interior is traditional). A sign explains that the tiger skin hanging on the wall came from an animal that ‘weighed 240 pounds, was 73 inches long, and three feet high [and] shot by an Indian policeman, Mr Rur Singh, in front of Stanley Police Station in the year 1942.
Behind the Tin Hau temple is huge Ma Hang Estate. If you go across the front o…
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Tai Miu Temple
South along Tai Au Mun Rd is this temple dedicated to Tin Hau. It is said to have been first built in the 13th century by two brothers from Fujian in gratitude to the goddess for having spared their lives during a storm at sea. It is particularly busy during the Tin Hau birthday festival in late April/early May. Just behind the temple is a Song-dynasty rock carving dating from 1274 and recording both the visit of a superintendent of the Salt Administration and the history of two temples in Joss House Bay. It is the oldest inscription extant in Hong Kong. From Tai Miu, hikers can follow the 6.6km-long High Junk Peak Country Trail up to Tin Ha Shan (273m) and then continue …
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Chuk Lam Sim Monastery
In a lovely bucolic setting, Chuk Lam Sim Yuen (Bamboo Forest Monastery) is one of the most impressive temple complexes in Hong Kong. The temple was completed in 1932 when (legend has it) Tou Tei, the earth god, told an elderly monk to build it. Ascend the flight of steps to the first temple, walk to the back and enter the second. This second temple contains three of the largest golden Buddhas in the territory (though mere shadows of the big one on Lantau Island. Flanking the trio on either side is an equally impressive line-up of 12 bodhisattvas, or Buddhists seeking enlightenment. The third temple contains another large image of Lord Gautama. Chuk Lam Sim Monastery is n…
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Po Lin Monastery
Perched 500m up in the western hills of Lantau is the Ngong Ping Plateau, a major drawcard for Hong Kong day-trippers and foreign visitors alike, especially since 1993, when one of the world’s largest statues of Buddha was unveiled here. Po Lin Monastery is a huge Buddhist monastery and temple complex that was built in 1924. Today it seems more of a tourist honeypot than a religious retreat, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors a year and still being expanded. Most of the buildings you’ll see on arrival are new, with the older, simpler ones tucked away behind them. Bringing the masses in ever greater numbers to Po Lin is the 5.7km Ngong Ping 360, a cable car l…
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Pak Tai Temple
This colourful and recently restored temple from 1783 is the oldest on the island and is the focus of the annual Cheung Chau Bun Festival in late April or early May. It is dedicated to the Taoist deity Pak Tai, the ‘Supreme Emperor of the Dark Heaven’, military protector of the state, guardian of peace and order, and protector of fisherfolk. Legend tells that early settlers from Guangdong province brought an image of Pak Tai with them to Cheung Chau and, when the statue was carried through the village, Cheung Chau was spared the plague that had decimated the populations of nearby islands. A temple dedicated to the saviour was built six years later.
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Ching Chung Temple
Ching Chung Koon (Green Pine Temple) is a peaceful Taoist temple complex northwest of Tuen Mun town centre. The main temple – on the left at the far end of the complex past rows of bonsai trees, bamboo and ponds – is dedicated to Lu Sun Young, one of the eight immortals of Taoism who lived in the 8th century. Flanking a statue of him are two of his disciples. Outside the entrance to the main temple are pavilions containing a bell and a drum to call the faithful to pray or to rest. An annual Bonsai Festival is held here in April. Ching Chung Temple is directly opposite the Light Rail station of that name. To reach it from the Tuen Mun or Town Centre stations, catch line 50…
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Western Monastery
A short distance down from the Yuen Yuen Institute, the Buddhist Western Monastery offers a sharp contrast to what’s going on up the hill. This is a tranquil complex in which to pass the time, observing points of interest both architectural and spiritual. After being greeted by a bodhisattva statue in the entrance, the main building lies behind, styled as a classical Chinese palace. This comprises the Hall of Maitreya and the Great Buddha’s Hall above it. Further behind is a another two-storey building where, depending on what time of day you visit, you may witness scores of monks chanting mantras. This building is topped by a spectacular nine-storey pagoda.
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Che Kung Temple
This large Taoist temple complex, built in 1993, is on the opposite bank of the Shing Mun River channel in Tai Wai. It’s dedicated to Che Kung, a Song-dynasty general credited with ridding Sha Tin of the plague; you’ll see an enormous and quite powerful statue of the good general in the main temple to the left as you enter the complex. The main courtyard, flanked by eight statues of Taoist immortals, is always a hive of activity. To reach the temple, take the MTR East Rail to Tai Wai station and change to the Ma On Shan Rail extension, alighting at Che Kung Temple station. The temple is just west of here.
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Tin Hau Temple
At the western end of Stanley Main St, past a tiny Tai Wong shrine and through the shopping complex called Stanley Plaza, is a Tin Hau temple, built in 1767 and said to be the oldest building in Hong Kong. It has undergone a complete renovation since then, however, and is now a concrete pile (though the interior is traditional). A sign explains that the tiger skin hanging on the wall came from an animal that ‘weighed 240 pounds, was 73 inches long, and three feet high [and] shot by an Indian policeman, Mr Rur Singh, in front of Stanley Police Station in the year 1942’.
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Tai Ping Shan Temples
Tai Ping Shan, a tiny neighbourhood in Sheung Wan and one of the first areas to be settled by Chinese after the founding of the colony, has several small temples clustered around where Tai Ping Shan St meets Pound Lane. Kwun Yam Temple (34 Tai Ping Shan St) honours the goddess of mercy, Kun Iam - the Taoist equivalent of the Virgin Mary. Further to the northwest, the recently renovated Pak Sing Ancestral Hall (42 Tai Ping Shan St) was originally a storeroom for bodies awaiting burial in China. It contains the ancestral tablets of around 3000 departed souls.
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Kowloon Mosque & Islamic Centre
North of the intersection of Nathan and Haiphong Rds, the Kowloon Mosque & Islamic Centre is the largest Islamic house of worship in Hong Kong. The present building, with its dome and carved marble, was completed in 1984 to serve the territory’s 70,000-odd Muslims, more than half of whom are Chinese, and can accommodate 2000 worshippers. It occupies the site of a mosque built in 1896 for Muslim Indian troops. Muslims are welcome to attend services here, but non-Muslims should ask permission to enter. Remember to remove your footwear.
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Pak Sing Ancestral Hall
Tai Ping Shan, a tiny neighbourhood in Sheung Wan and one of the first areas to be settled by Chinese after the founding of the colony, has several small temples clustered around where Tai Ping Shan St meets Pound Lane. Kwun Yam Temple (34 Tai Ping Shan St) honours the goddess of mercy, Kun Iam - the Taoist equivalent of the Virgin Mary. Further to the northwest, the recently renovated Pak Sing Ancestral Hall was originally a storeroom for bodies awaiting burial in China. It contains the ancestral tablets of around 3000 departed souls.
reviewed
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Kwun Yam Temple
Tai Ping Shan, a tiny neighbourhood in Sheung Wan and one of the first areas to be settled by Chinese after the founding of the colony, has several small temples clustered around where Tai Ping Shan St meets Pound Lane. Kwun Yam Temple honours the goddess of mercy, Kun Iam - the Taoist equivalent of the Virgin Mary. Further to the northwest, the recently renovated Pak Sing Ancestral Hall (42 Tai Ping Shan St) was originally a storeroom for bodies awaiting burial in China. It contains the ancestral tablets of around 3000 departed souls.
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Fung Ying Sin Temple
The main attraction in the Fanling and Sheung Shui area is this huge Taoist temple complex opposite the Fanling MTR East Rail station, and connected to it by an overhead walkway and subway. It has wonderful exterior murals of Taoist immortals and the Chinese zodiac, an orchard terrace, herbal clinic and a vegetarian restaurant. Most important are the dozen ancestral halls behind the main temple, where the ashes of the departed are deposited in what might be described as miniature tombs, complete with photographs.
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Kwun Yam Shrine
Towards the southeast end of Repulse Bay beach is an unusual shrine to Kwun Yam. The surrounding area has an amazing assembly of deities and figures – goldfish, rams, the money god and other southern Chinese icons, as well as statues of the goddess of mercy and Tin Hau. Most of the statues were funded by local personalities and businesspeople during the 1970s. In front of the shrine to the left as you face the sea is Longevity Bridge; crossing it is supposed to add three days to your life.
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Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
The Mid-Levels have relatively little to offer tourists in the way of sights, though there are a few gems, particularly houses of worship, hidden within the forest of marble-clad apartment blocks. Check out the Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, built in 1888 and financed largely by the Portuguese faithful from Macau; the Jamia Mosque (30 Shelley St), erected in 1849 and also called the Lascar Mosque; and the Ohel Leah Synagogue (70 Robinson Rd).
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Tin Hau Temple
A couple of blocks northeast of the Jade Market, this temple is dedicated to Tin Hau, the goddess of seafarers. The temple complex also houses an altar dedicated to Shing Wong, the god of the city, and to To Tei, the earth god. You’ll find a row of fortune-tellers through the last doorway on the right from the main entrance facing Public Square St; signs indicate which ones speak English. An incense spiral that lasts 10 days will set you back a mere $130.
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