Episode 14: Man Mo Temple

On your right, you can see the beautiful Man Mo Temple. This is the oldest temple in Hong Kong, devoted to two deities - Man Tai (the god of literature) and Mo Tai (the god of war.) Ambitious students and scholars seeking career success in Imperial China come here to worship these gods.The construction of this temple began in 1848 and was initiated by wealthy Chinese merchants. Man Mo temple is the main part of a three block complex, including also Lit Shing Temple and Kung So.The temple consists of two halls connected by a covered courtyard. In the back hall, there is an altar with intricately carved statues of the deities on it. Man, the god of literature, is dressed in a green robe and holds a writing brush, while Mo, the god of war, is depicted holding a sword, dressed in red. During the 20th century, the locals often came here to solve their disputes when the British law needed to be avoided. The decision process included killing a chicken and burning a piece of paper.While you were walking towards the temple, you might have noticed a very peculiar smell - it is caused by burning incense coils. A massive amount of these is burnt inside the temple - the air becomes blue even. Daoist practitioners believe that the gods use these scents as food, that is why there are so many of them. You could also burn some incense coils; just make sure you get three - for the past, present and future. Man Mo temple has historical values and represents the traditional social organization as well as religious practices of the Hong Kong community. It is also a fine example of vernacular Chinese architecture.
Photo Man Mo Temple in Hong Kong (6847509486) by Michal Osmenda is licensed under CC BY 2.0