An enlightening experience
A visit to Hong Kong wouldn’t be complete without seeing the magnificent Man Mo Temple. Tucked away on Hong Kong Island, it’s the largest temple in Hong Kong. It’s also among the oldest in the territory – built in 1847 during the early British rule.
Most of what you’ll see today is still the original structure – and our Hong Kong bus tour drops you right outside.
One of the best things about Man Mo Temple is the huge bell-shaped coils of incense that hang from its ceiling. People make devotions to them to attract the attention of the gods. The coils can burn for weeks – which makes the atmosphere very soothing for tourists!
Other things to look out for
Near the entrance you’ll see wooden sedan chairs decorated with intricate carvings of gods. Most date back to the 19th century and were used during festivals to transport divine statues. Or why not get your fortune told? The tellers shake bamboo ‘fortune sticks’ with different numbers that determine your destiny.
Interesting facts about Man Mo Temple
- It’s a Taoist temple dedicated to two deities: Man Cheong, the god of literature and Mo (Kwan Yu), the god of war
- During the 1900s, locals came here to solve disputes that could not be solved by British law. Afterwards, they killed a chicken and wrote a curse or punishment in the temple – believing the gods would action it
- The incense coils have small red tags hanging from them with the name of each worshiper who devoted the incense written on them
