Vignettes of the World
Founded in 1911, St. Paul’s Church stands beautifully on Glenealy in Neo-Gothic, Classical Revival and Dutch styles of architecture. The church belongs to a group of heritage buildings that stand on an area named Tit Kong, the Iron Mound. This group of heritage buildings include …
There are not too many options for proper hiking in Sheung Shui. I have covered Tai Shek Mo previously, and today I made it to the Wah Shan hike from Sheung Shui to Fanling. Be prepared to roll on the rolling ridges that fasten themselves …
The Man Mo Temple is one of the earliest temples established in Hong Kong Island. Two wealthy Chinese merchants came up with the funds to build it between 1847 and 1862. Standing on Hollywood Road in Sheung Wan, Man Mo Temple bears witness to the lives of those Hong Kong Chinese that lived in the Sheung Wan area in the early colonial times till the present. As a place where most Chinese residents of Sheung Wan frequent, the Man Mo Temple was more than a place of worship. It once was the venue for meting out justice and resolving civilian disputes.
If you would like to see just one or two temples of significance in Hong Kong Island, my suggestion is to visit the Man Mo Temple in Sheung Wan or the Lin Fa Temple in Tai Hang.
Sheung Wan became an area where the early Chinese residents of Hong Kong congregated, locating west of then Victoria City, which included most of the now-Central district. In those days, Victoria City was exclusively European and British in its composition. The Sheung Wan area had a business district for the Chinese shops close to the harbor front. The inland area was where the Chinese people lived.
The Man Mo Temple compound of Sheung Wan consists of three separate but abutting blocks. The largest chamber is the Man Mo Temple. The middle, smaller block is called Lit Shing Kung, meaning “all saints” in Chinese. Finally, on the westernmost end stands the Kung Sor, which served as an important community hall.
As the largest of the three blocks, the Man Mo Temple was particularly crowded in the early days of the Lunar New Year. The two gods that are the resident deities there are the Man Cheong and the Mo Tai.
Man Cheong, meaning the god of literature, is a legend from as far back as the Qin dynasty. His name was Cheung Ah Tse, born in 287 A.D. It is said that during his lifetime, he had power over the government officials of the Qin dynasty. As such, he was traditionally the god of reverence for those who aimed high in the imperial civilian examinations. Man Cheong was deified as “Man Tai” by an emperor in the Yuan dynasty.
Mo Tai, meaning the god of war, is a legend from the three kingdoms period. His name was Guan Yu, born in 160 A.D. He was a great warrior and had the reputation for being loyal and righteous. As such, he was traditionally the god of reverence for both the police and the bandits. Historically, Mo Tai was very often the deity by which brotherhood or fraternity were sworn. Guan Yu was deified as “Mo Tai” by an emperor in the Ming dynasty.
As with all old temples in Hong Kong, the temple bell and drum are the artefacts that indicate the temple’s year of establishment. In Man Mo Temple, the Qing era bronze bell was cast in 1847. Followers may beat the old drum at Man Mo Temple, but perhaps in light taps only.
The Lit Shing Kung is for the worship of all other deities, including Kwun Yam. Due to the smaller space there, it felt like it was even more crowded than the Man Mo Temple next door.
During the early colonial times, the way that the Chinese people took oath was by “burning the yellow paper” and “chopping off the chicken’s head.” By taking these oaths the Chinese people are bound by their declaration and it was an effective legal oath. However, this proceeding must be held in the Man Mo Temple.
There was a monetary dispute between two wealthy merchants that the Hong Kong courts at the time did not manage to resolve. The two parties involved were told to take it to Kung Sor. As the story goes, both the plaintiff and the defendant refused to swear by the “chopping off the chicken head” ceremony. The plaintiff was then determined to be unreliable by refusing to swear by the Chinese oath first, as such failing to state his case. The Hong Kong court decided that he lost the case.
The Man Mo Temple exhibits many aspects of traditional Chinese temple architecture. On the green tiled rooftop, there are beautiful figurines made of clay, traditionally depicting a scene of religious, cultural or folkloric significance.
The Man Mo Temple comes with a Chinese pitched tiled roof. It has a 2-hall, 3-bay layout. In keeping with tradition, the rear hall, where the altars of the deities are placed, stands on a higher platform than the front hall.
There is a screen door at the front hall of the Man Mo Temple.
The Man Mo Temple is a declared monument since 2010. The Tung Wah Group has managed the Man Mo Temple pursuant to the Man Mo Temple Ordinance of 1908. Apart from the regular expenditures of the temple, such as annual religious ceremonies and maintenance and restorations, the Man Mo Temple is committed by law to donate its revenue (named Man Mo Temple Fund) to charitable causes, including education and the hospitals of the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals.
The community leaders of the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals still visit the Man Mo Temple for autumnal rites every year, and pray for the prosperity of Hong Kong. The Man Mo Temple is also frequented by some Hong Kong celebrities.
Finally, the Man Mo Temple of Tai Po is also a declared monument. There will be another entry about that temple.
The Official Website of Man Mo Temple.
The Hong Kong Tourism Board, Man Mo Temple.
The Man Mo Temple Ordinance (Cap 154).
Antiquities and Monuments Office, Man Mo Temple Compound.
The Wikipedia on Man Mo Temple of the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals (Chin).
Tune Wah Group of Hospitals, Man Mo Temple.
Once you’ve had Japanese food in Japan, you can never go back to Japanese food elsewhere. This has been the comment I have heard from many, many people. As this was my first trip ever to Japan, I naturally had high expectations for its food. …
The Gio-ji Temple lies in the quiet of Arashiyama’s back quarters, its petite garden covered in moss. Its humility is deceiving. Unlike the bigger temples, such as Tenryu-ji, Jojakko-ji or the Nison-in Temple, Gio-ji appears, at first glance, to pale significantly in terms of the …
If the 1,200 rakan statues that stand at the Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple represent the Buddhist followers’ celebration of their faith in life, then the 8,000 stone markers at the Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple are the proper tribute to death.
The sky opened up at this hour of the afternoon and an abundance of sunlight and warmth filled the air. From Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple I decided to walk back down to the Arashiyama area, of which I had some familiarity due to my tour in the previous day. I came upon Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple, and to my surprise, I saw an unintended and unlikely juxtaposition between the two temples that presented the occasion for a philosophical appreciation of life, coming full circle from living to death.
The symphony of colors in Kyoto’s autumn easily distracts visitors from the ultimate purpose of temple visits. If anything, it should be a moment of renewal, a place and time to consider the larger questions in life.
But it was in fact the symphony of colors that drew me to the Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple. At first, I only noticed a path lined with beautiful red foliage. I could not help but to embark upon this slightly inclined path. At the end of it, I found the Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple.
There was a garden space but some unique gateways and structures there made the Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple special. There was a mount, and a pagoda as well. I figured that the short stone pillars served some ceremonial purposes in death. The red foliage there was particularly vibrant. There was no eeriness amidst the bright sunshine of the day.
Like the church graveyards of medieval times in European countries, the temples of Japan were often sites of burials as well. The Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple, however, originated from the burial of the dead.
During the Heian period, the Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple had an eerie past as a site of open burial for those who had no family or friends who could oversee a proper rite for their passing. At some point in history, the remains were buried in a simple manner. The stone pillars memorialized the spirited, as grave markers.
The temple began when the famous monk Kukai (774-835 A.D.), who was the founder of Shingon Buddhism, established a temple in this area about 1,200 years ago. Even at the temple’s inception, it stood for the remembrance of the dead as the site of prayers for the departed.
Then the founder of Pure Land Buddhism, Honen (1133-1212 A.D.), turned the temple into the site of practice for nenbutsu. Nenbutsu is a ritual recitation of Amida Buddha. It will lead to a rebirth into the realm of paradise. Amida Buddha is the resident deity at the Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple.
About 100 years ago during the Meiji period, there was effort to collect all the stone markers in the area. People placed them in a dedicated space, and they lit candles as an act of worship.
At Sai no Kawara, 8,000 stone grave markers stand. There is a festival of candle lighting annually to these lonely spirits at Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple. At the Sento Kuyo festival, innumerable candles are lit amidst the grave markers in Sai no Kawara in late August each year for this event, a tradition that came from the Meiji period.
Finally, at the other end of the temple, having passed through the Sai no Kawara, I saw a section of a bamboo grove that was truly serene, with few souls there. I could take photographs any way I wanted. If you do not manage to see the famous bamboo grove of Arashiyama, this would be a perfect alternative.
If you ask me, however, I’d say the Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple is worthy of a visit in its own right.
Properly speaking, this area is in fact beyond the Arashiyama / Sagano area already. The Saga Toriimoto Preserved Street features old traditional Japanese houses called machiya’s. They often come with pitched roofs and the structures are built of wood. They are now mostly shops and businesses.
The official website of Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple at https://nenbutsuji.jp/eng/#a-yurai
www.japan.travel, Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple at https://www.japan.travel/en/spot/1143/.
Wonderful Japan, Saga Toriimoto at https://www.wonderful-japan.com/en/saga-toriimoto/
The Hehu Xinju is in so many ways representative of Hakka culture in both Shenzhen and in China. In this tour of the enormous Hakka residential complex, I learned about the significance of the Luo family, who established its prominence in Shenzhen since the Qianlong …
Sheung Shui Heung, also known as Sheung Shui Wai, is traditionally of the Liu surname. As a large centuries-long settlement area for indigenous villagers, Sheung Shui Heung has a few heritage sites worthy of visiting. I have discussed the stately Liu Man Shek Tong Ancestral …
For all of my friends that visit Hong Kong for the first time, I always suggest the Peak as a must-do itinerary. Even for friends that have been there before, I would suggest visiting it again. The Peak offers a whole lot of things to do that well justify a few visits.
The Victoria Peak, in Cantonese Tai Ping Shan, is the highest hill of Hong Kong Island at 552 meters. It was once part of the City of Victoria in the early colonial times. The British found it necessary to escape the heat and the dampness of Hong Kong, and they began building grand residences at the Peak. Not only that, they made the Peak exclusively British and European. By the operation of the Peak District Preservation Ordinance (1904), the Peak was off bounds to the Chinese people of Hong Kong, until 1945 or so.
Before the construction of the Peak Tram in 1888, the European residents of the Peak would take sedan chairs as borne by the coolies to reach their lavish homes. In its earliest days, the Peak Tram served exclusively Europeans during the normal hours.
It was in the last year that the sixth generation of Peak Tram began serving Hong Kong. In the plaza, close to the Peak Lookout, you will see a tram of a much older generation. Go in and feel for the experience of a bygone era.
In Martin Booth’s book, Gweilo, Memories of a Hong Kong Childhood, Booth discusses his experience growing up at the peak as a British person in Hong Kong. He had incredible adventures growing up at the Peak in the 1960s or so.
Since the Chinese people were able to live at the Peak, the area has become a place for the ultra wealthy in Hong Kong. Properties at the Peak are always the most expensive in the Hong Kong market. It has remained so for decades, and still now.
For first timers looking to visit the Peak, I suggest the following.
Take Green top Minibus Route 1 from the IFC (the station is beneath the overpass next to CitySuper) or the double decker Bus Route 15 from the Central Pier No. 5 and get off at the final stop at the Peak Galleria. After taking photos and touring at the Peak, take the Peak Tram back to the Peak Tram Lower Terminus. From there you are in the vicinity to the historic sites of Central, including the St. John’s Cathedral, Tai Kwun, Duddell Street Steps and Gas Lamps and more.
There are a few spots to view Hong Kong’s famous skyline at the Peak. My advice to visitors is to never pay for this view at the Sky Terrace 428 on top of the Peak Tower. The Lion Pavilion presents equally good views. Another spot is to view at a deck at the Peak Galleria, which is also free for visitors.
From the Peak Tram terminus, find your way to Findlay Road toward the east. Walk for just two minutes and look out for the entrance to the Lion Pavilion on your left. The photograph above is what you expect to see there.
Needless to say, this is an exceedingly popular spot. Be prepared that you have to wait a bit before you secure a good spot for your photographs.
The Lion Pavilion is also known locally as the Lo Tsun Ting (“lo tsun,” in local lingo, refers to someone who is gullible and is deceived by others. As to why this pavilion has such an odd local reference, it is a story for another occasion). Its proper name is actually Ming Yan Ting Pavilion.
Be it at the viewing deck at the Peak Tower or at the Lion Pavilion, neither point is the actual summit of Victoria Peak. Suffice to say, you will see all of Hong Kong Island’s northern shoreline, a significant part of Kowloon, going as far as the Lion Rock, at the touristy area.
Like all touristy spots in Hong Kong, the Peak offers an incredible array of choices for food. Both the Peak Tower and the Peak Galleria feature all kinds of restaurants. For a quick and easy meal, I suggest Mak’s Noodle, namely the most expensive and (arguably) the best wonton noodles in Hong Kong.
The McDonald’s at the Peak Galleria is also the one that comes with the most beautiful view out of all of the McDonald’s in Hong Kong. I typically have a small bowl of wonton noodles at Mak’s Noodle and then head over to McDonald’s for coffee.
If you want a proper dining experience at a heritage site at the Peak, the Peak Lookout is for you. As a dining establishment, the Peak Lookout serves international cuisine and the food is of high quality. I particularly enjoy its Indian cuisine. Its naan is heavenly with curry.
Formerly Old Peak Café, the Peak Lookout was built in 1888 as a place of rest for the engineers and workers that built the Peak Tram. In 1901, it became the chair shelter and rest stop for carriers of sedan chairs. By 1947, the idea of a dining establishment emerged with the setting up of light refreshments on this site. Over the next decades, it has evolved to the mid-ranged restaurant with upscale ambience that it is today.
The architecture of the Peak Lookout reminds one of an English cottage. It is single story, with stone walls, pitched roof and a chimney. The roof is made of Chinese tiles. Its arched windows are part of the original Arts and Crafts architectural style that is at once eclectic with the structure’s current Chinese tile roof.
For Hong Kong locals, the Peak Lookout is particularly nostalgic because it was one of the late Leslie Cheung’s favorite restaurants. Leslie Cheung is fondly remembered as one of Hong Kong’s once most popular Cantopop singer and movie actor.
The Peak Lookout is a Grade 2 Historic Building.
For local or second-time visitors, I highly suggest a few short hikes. The easiest one is the Lugard Loop around the Peak, which will take you through Lugard Road from the eastern city views to the western rustic island views. This loop has no climbing and takes a little over an hour.
A slightly more rigorous option is the Mount High West climb. Its starting point is along the Lugard Loop at the park area. At the end of this walk, you will see aerial views, having clocked in some exercise.
Another historic ruins in the Peak area is the Pinewood Battery, which features military installations that had engaged in battles against the Japanese forces during WWII. You may walk down from the Peak (certainly up as well, it is a nice walk), and pass by the Pinewood Battery on your way.
The Wikipedia on Victoria, Hong Kong.
The Wikipedia on Victoria Peak.
The Wikipedia on the Peak Lookout.
HKABC’s Youtube Channel on The Ridiculous Peak District Preservation Ordinance (Chin).
Chenpi, the dried mandarin peel, is a specialty of Xinhui for as far as history remembers. In this part of China, the chenpi is so well-known that it is considered one of the three treasures of Guangdong, alongside with old ginger and straw. At first …