Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
TOP SIGHT
SIK SIK YUEN WONG TAI SIN TEMPLE
An explosion of pillars, roofs, and lattice work in bright colours, this busy
Taoist temple is a destination for all walks of life, from pensioners to young
professionals. Some come simply to pray, others to divine the future with
chìm (bamboo 'fortune sticks') which are shaken out of a box onto the ground
and interpreted by a fortune-teller.
The complex, built in 1973, is dedicated to a deified healer named Wong Tai Sin who, as
a shepherd in Zhèjiāng province, was said to have transformed boulders into sheep. In fact,
the whole district is named after him - ironic given he is said to have been a hermit. When
he was 15 an immortal taught Wong how to make a herbal potion that could cure all ill-
nesses. He is thus worshipped both by the sick and those trying to avoid illness. The term
'Wong Tai Sin' is sometimes used to describe people who are generous to a fault.
Taoist ceremonies take place at the
main altar
. The image of the deity was brought to
Hong Kong from Guǎngdōng province in 1915. Behind the main altar and to the right are
the
Good Wish Gardens
, replete with pavilions (the hexagonal
Unicorn Hall
, with carved
doors and windows, is the most beautiful), zigzag bridges and carp ponds.
To the left as you enter the complex is an arcade of fortune-tellers (consultation from
HK$100), some of whom speak English. The busiest times at the temple are around Chinese
New Year, Wong Tai Sin's birthday (23rd day of the eighth month - usually in September)
and on weekends.
