A Short Visit To Hau Wong Temple Hong Kong

April 6, 2023

I lived in Kowloon City for more than five years, but I must admit that I haven't explored the other parts of it yet. After visiting the Stone Houses Garden and Cafe last Sunday which I newly discovered too, I came across this place that I initially thought was a Chinese cemetery back then when I was passing this area. A curious cat I was and I thought it could be a story for my article, I ascended the stairs and found out that it was actually a temple, not a Chinese cemetery.

It is called, Hau Wong Temple.

According to my little research, Hau Wong Temple was built dedicated to Yeung Leung-jit, a courageous general who protected the last emperor of the Southern Song Dynasty despite his failing health.

This temple is just one of the preserved historical temples in Hong Kong which houses some famous historical relics. It was built in 1730 and by 1928, the Chinese Temples Committee took over to restore its glory and permanently preserve the temple. In 2006, it was renovated again which cost 4 million dollars. You can refer to the photo below for reference.

The temple houses some historical relics from the Qing Dynasty such as the incense burner located on the right side before entering the temple, stone inscriptions on the masonry terrace and at the pavilion at the back of the main hall, some stone tablets with old calligraphy, and other relics.

Before entering the left side of the main hall, the ceramic figurine placed on top of the door caught my attention (refer to the photo above). I wasn't sure of its name at first, but as I read the information board, it is called Shiwan ceramic figurines.

These figurines probably have something to do with the Luohan's chamber located inside the Luohan Hall. According to the article I read, these statues are the 18 Luohan or the guardians of Buddha. They were the enlightened students of Buddha who have reached nirvana. Source

In the next room, I spotted a golden buddha statue which was probably built as a tribute to the courageous general stated above. During the Hau Wong festival, worshipers would visit the place to pay tribute to Hau Wong and other deities placed in this temple.

The temple is just small, yet rich in historical facts and relics.

One thing I liked about traveling and searching for information about places I visited is knowing their respective history as well. I should say that I am learning while traveling. And for this blog, I learned yet another interesting history of this place.

Getting to this place is just easy. It is located just next to my favorite park, the Kowloon Walled City Park in Kowloon City.

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