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Wong Tai Sin Temple

Wong Tai Sin Temple

Write: Bence [2011-05-23]

Hong Kong is a paradox in itself: the concept of Hong Kong people follows closely to the trend of the world while many of them set incense altars at the entrance of their house. Wong Tai Sin, the spiritual sustenance of Hong Kong people, is the most popular Taoist temple to burn incenses in Hong Kong.

You can come here when you want to seek information about safety, work and ask for the marriage and other questions. It is said that the token here is very effective. Every year around Chinese Spring Festival, devotees come here to seek information about their fortunes of a whole year. The Wong Tai Sin Temple, also called Huang Daxian Temple, was built in 1921 between high residence buildings and mansions.

After the careful management of several decades, the whole temple is splendid and magnificent, becoming a majestic Taoist Temple in China.

Huang Daxian Temple adheres to traditional Chinese architectural principles with its red pillars, two-tiered golden roof, blue friezes, yellow latticework, and multicolored carvings. It is a vast complex with portrait of Huang Daxian in the main hall. Besides, there are Turtle Pond (Wugui Chi), Library, Medicine Hall and special places for the fortune-tellers to do shopping.

The buildings in Wong Tai Sin Temple (Huang Daxian Temple) represent respectively the five elements for divination: Gold (Jin), Wood (Mu), Water (Shui), Fire (Huo) and Earth (Tu). There are small parks next to the temple with delicate design and beautiful landscapes. The Nine-Dragon Wall (Jiulong Bi) followed the style of Beijing Palace.

Huang Daxian, the portrait worshiped in the temple is said to grant everything that asked for. He takes charge of the fortune of gamblers, blesses the sick and aids those who need help in business. Most worshippers make use of a bamboo container containing numbered sticks. After lighting a joss stick and kneeling before the main altar, the worshipper gently shakes the container until one of the sticks falls out.

The number corresponds to a certain fortune, which is then interpreted by a soothsayer at the temple. In addition, there is Confucius Palace for those believers of Confucism and Sansheng Hall for people to worship Guan Yu and Guanyin (the Goodness of Mercy Buddha).