The Top Five Temples in Hong Kong Tin Hau Temple and Wishing Trees
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The Top Five Temples in Hong Kong Hidden in lush hills and wedged between shining skyscrapers, Hong Kong’s temples are active places of worship and the focal point of the city’s festivals for hundreds of years. Visit them to see faithful devotees and local deities performing ancient rituals amid aromatic wafts of incense. Tin Hau Temple and Wishing Trees in Lam Tsuen Tin Hau, Goddess of the Sea, is revered by fishermen and anyone whose life and destiny is tied to the sea. Temples that honour her are found in abundance in Chinese coastal communities throughout Asia. Hong Kong is no exception. The Tin Hau Temple in Lam Tsuen, along with two nearby wishing trees, attracts visitors to this part of Tai Po, which has been a residential area for about 700 years. Traditionally, festival visitors jot down their wishes on joss paper and tie it to an orange, which was then tossed up towards one of the banyan tree’s highest boughs – the higher the branch the better the odds of your wish coming true! Now to help preserve the trees and visitors could only tie wishes to a faked tree nearby instead. The temple was built during the reign of Emperor Qianlong (1736–1796) of the Qing dynasty. The main palace of the two-hall structure is dedicated to Tin Hau, while on one side of the main palace stands Man Mo Hall, dedicated to both the God of Literature (Man) and the God of War (Mo). On the other side is the Temple for Justice, built in honour of 12 noble-hearted men who protected the Lam Tsuen villages during less peaceful times. How to get there? From Regal Riverside Hotel: Take the MTR from Shatin Wai Station and get off at Tai Wo Station, and then take a taxi. From Regal Kowloon Hotel: Take the MTR from Tsim Sha Tsui East Station and get off at Tai Wo Station, and then take a taxi. From Regal Oriental Hotel: Take a mini bus to Kowloon Tong MTR Station, and change to MTR. Get off at Tai Wo Station, then get a taxi. The Big Buddha and Po Lin Monastery The remote Po Lin Monastery, hidden away by lush mountains, became a popular attraction when the extraordinary Tian Tan Buddha statue (informally known as the Big Buddha) was erected in 1993. Sitting 34 metres high and facing north to look over the Chinese people, this majestic bronze Buddha draws pilgrims from all over Asia. The eyes, lips, incline of the head and right hand, which is raised to deliver a blessing to all, combine to bring a humbling depth of character and dignity to the massive Buddha, which took 12 years to complete. Climb the 268 steps for a closer look at this remarkable statue, and to enjoy the sweeping mountain and sea views that can be seen from its base. Opposite the statue, the Po Lin Monastery is one of Hong Kong’s most important Buddhist sanctums and has been dubbed ‘the Buddhist World in the South’. Home to many a devout monk, this monastery is rich with colourful manifestations of Buddhist iconography and its pleasant garden is alive with birdsong and flowery scents. You can also enjoy a meal at its popular vegetarian restaurant. How to get there? From Regal Airport Hotel: Take the hotel shuttle bus to Tung Chung, then take Ngong Ping Cable Car, which takes around 25 minutes. Then walk for around 10 minutes to the Monastery. From Regal Hongkong Hotel: Take the MTR from Causeway Bay Station to MTR Tung Chung Station Exit B, then take Ngong Ping Cable Car, which takes around 25 minutes. Then walk for around 10 minutes to the Monastery. From iclub Sheung Wan Hotel: Take taxi to Central Pier 6, the catch ferry to Mui Wo. After that take New Lantau Bus 2 to Ngong Ping Village. Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery (Man Fat Tsz) is a Buddhist temple situated in Shatin. It is not an actual monastery as there are no resident monks and is managed by laypersons. In 1951, Venerable Yuet Kai, a devout Buddhist layman founded the Monastery. Despite his old age, Yuet Kai carried the buildings materials personally from the foot of the mountain together with his disciples to build the monastery. It took eight years to complete all the buildings and another ten years to finish the 12,800 Buddha statues. Construction was finished in 1957. Today, his preserved body is presented in the main hall of the monastery in a glass case. The Main Temple and the Pagoda of the Monastery are graded as Grade III Historic Buildings due to their historic significance. The main journey up to the monastery is an attraction itself, as the path is lined on both sides with golden Buddhas, each unique and in different poses. How to get there? From Regal Riverside Hotel: Take a mini bus to Sha Tin MTR Station and get off at Pai Tau Village. Take the left onto Pai Tau St, and turn right onto Sheung Wo Che St. At the end of this road, a series of signs in English will direct you to the left along a concrete path and through bamboo groves to the first of some 400 steps leading up to the temple. From Regal Airport Hotel: Take the Bus E42 to Shatin, and get off at Shatin Central Bus Terminal. Then walk to Shatin MTR Station exit B direction, and walk down the ramp, passing a series of passing a series of traditional houses at Pai Tau village on the left. Take the left onto Pai Tau St, and turn right onto Sheung Wo Che St. At the end of this road, a series of signs in English will direct you to the left along a concrete path and through bamboo groves to the first of some 400 steps leading up to the temple. From Regal Kowloon Hotel: Take the MTR from Tsim Sha Tsui East Station towards Shatin MTR Station. Take exit B, and and walk down the ramp, passing a series of passing a series of traditional houses at Pai Tau village on the left. Take the left onto Pai Tau St, and turn right onto Sheung Wo Che St. At the end of this road, follow the signs to a concrete path and through bamboo groves to the first of some 400 steps leading up to the temple. Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lian Garden Established in 1934 and renovated in Tang dynasty style (AD 618–907) in 1990, the Chi Lin Nunnery is a large temple complex of elegant wooden architecture, treasured Buddhist relics and soul-soothing lotus ponds. The complex also includes a series of temple halls, some of which contain gold, clay and wooden statues representing divinities such as the Sakyamuni Buddha and bodhisattvas. Cutting through Diamond Hill’s myriad of high-rise apartments is the tranquil Nan Lian Garden, a public park also built in the style of the Tang dynasty. Its scenic garden is meticulously landscaped over an area of 3.5 hectares, in which every hill, rock, body of water, plant and timber structure has been placed according to specific rules and methods. There are permanent exhibitions of Chinese timber architecture, rocks and potted plants, while the hungry might want to try the vegetarian restaurant or teahouse. How to get there? From Regal Oriental Hotel: Take a taxi for around 8 mins drive. From Regal Kowloon Hotel: Take the MTR from Tsim Sha Tsui Station, and get off at MTR Diamond Hill Station Exit C2, follow the signs and walk for around five minutes. From iclub Fortress Hill Hotel: Take the MTR from Fortress Hill Station, and get off at Diamond Hill Station Exit C2, follow the signs and walk for around five minutes. Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple The Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple’s claim to ‘make every wish come true upon request’ might have something to do with its popularity. Home to three religions (Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism), its natural setting and beautifully ornamented buildings make it as much a scenic attraction as an important religious centre. The temple commemorates the famous monk of yore, Wong Tai Sin (also known as Huang Chu-ping), who was born in the Fourth century and became a deity at Heng Shan (Red Pine Hill). In 1915, Taoist priest Liang Ren-an carried a sacred portrait of Wong Tai Sin from Guangdong in southern China to Hong Kong. Now housing this precious portrait, the Wong Tai Sin Temple is where worshippers pray for good fortune through offerings, divine guidance and fortune telling. How to get there? From Regal Oriental Hotel: Take a taxi for around 8 mins drive. From Regal Kowloon Hotel: Take the MTR from Tsim Sha Tsui Station, and get off at MTR Wong Tai Sin Station, Exit B2, walk for about three minutes. From iclub Wan Chai Hotel: Take the MTR from Wan Chai Station, and get off at Diamond Hill Station Exit C2, follow the signs and walk for around five minutes. The Temples within walking distance from Regal Hotels Hau Wong Temple There are two conflicting legends explaining the origins of this temple, which was built in 1730. One says it was constructed to commemorate Hau Wong (Marquis Prince) Yeung Leung-jit, a Chinese general who helped the last emperor of the Song dynasty (960–1279) escape a sticky fate at the hands of invading forces by providing him refuge in Kowloon. The other alleges that the temple was dedicated to a local inhabitant who cured the Song emperor of an illness.