Man Mo Temple for Faith and Fortune
More than a place of worship, Man Mo Temple is a hub
Man Mo Temple on Hollywood Road
Man Mo Temple is impossible to miss. A single-storey, two-hall building divided into three blocks – Man Mo, Lit Shing Kung, and Kung Sor.
The first thing visitors notice is the gleaming green tiles of the compound’s curved, pitched roofs, which shine regardless of the weather or time of day.
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Adding to their beauty are delicate Shiwan ceramic figurines, originating from a Guangdong ceramics production centre with roots in the Tang dynasty.
Post 1847 figurines survived
Added forty-six years after the temple’s 1847 construction, these figurines have survived over a century in their precarious positions.
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Four wide granite columns prop up the roofs: a curved gable roof in the centre, flanked by pointed gables on either side.
More than a place of worship, Man Mo Temple was also a hub for local politics during the colonial era and, to this day, remains an important benefactor to the local hospital.
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Man Mo Temple was, first and foremost, a community centre.
Established during the Qing dynasty
Established during the reign of Emperor Daoguang of the Qing dynasty, the compound was commissioned by two wealthy merchants who also served as local community leaders: Lo Ah-guo and Tam Ah-choy.
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Initially, the temple grounds were managed by kaifong (local residents).
2 historical Chinese figures
The temple derives its name from two significant figures in Chinese history whose accolades led to their deification: Man Cheong, the God of Literature, and Mo Tai, the God of Martial Arts.
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These figures reflect two significant aspects of ancient China’s rule: civil law and martial arts prowess.
God of Literature and God of Martial Arts
The God of Literature was born in 287 CE, during the early Jin dynasty. Recognised as a government official in charge of supervising the education and promotion of government officials, he was posthumously deified by an emperor in the Yuan dynasty.
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Commonly depicted with a large writing brush (symbolising his reign over academic achievements and governmental careers), he is regularly honoured by professionals seeking career success and students praying for good academic results.
The history of the God of Martial Arts dates to the Three Kingdoms era. Born in 160 CE as Kwan Yu, his bravery and superior fighting skills turned him into a symbol of loyalty and integrity.
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Following his death, an emperor of the Ming dynasty posthumously bestowed him the title Mo Tai. Unlike his civil counterpart, Mo Tai is often depicted wielding a grand sabre to represent his exceptional martial arts skills.
Man Mo Temple worship hall
The second block of the temple, Lit Shing Kung, serves as a worship hall for other deities and ancestral figures.
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Even with the backdrop of early colonial rule, the Chinese community had significant resources.
This is reflected in the temple’s renovation and expansion in 1850, funded by a combination of various Chinese ethnic groups and local guilds.
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The establishment of Tung Wah Hospital in 1870 significantly altered the temple’s management practices, as hospital directors assumed an increasing number of its social responsibilities.
By 1903, the temple’s revenue had supported the founding and funding of eight free schools. By 1906, when it was discovered that most of the temple’s trustees were either dead or untraceable, the government proposed fully entrusting the temple’s management and properties to Tung Wah Hospital.
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This led to the enactment of the 1908 Man Mo Temple Ordinance. From then on, the temple became a significant benefactor to the hospital.
Worshippers and tourists linger at Man Mo Temple
It’s a Saturday afternoon when I visit the temple. Worshippers and tourists linger in the courtyard before heading inside, some to pray for success and prosperity, while others marvel at the culture and carefully photograph the site without using flash.
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I thank my lucky stars I didn’t come on a busy day. Lunar New Year and exam periods are particularly brutal.
You’ll see visitors lined up single file in a serpentine line winding up Four Point Road.
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Order is maintained by a small group of local officers who remind visitors to stay within the cordoned area, as it is an active road for motorcycles and cars.
I take my time entering the temple, looking up and admiring the deep red ceiling joists.
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Like the roofs, Shiwan figures decorate the high boards, though these hidden ceramics are unglazed and uncoloured.
Two golden bats, a sign of good luck, hover wordlessly above each side of the main entrance. An ornate set of ebony screen doors looks almost black in the dim light, except for the painted features of its landscape portrait.
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However, even during off-peak hours, the temple is tricky to navigate. Everything is shrouded in a haze, fueled by the constant burning of joss sticks as worshippers pray to their chosen deity.
Vibrant incense coils
Not to mention the dizzying incense coils that hang from the ceiling, even a moment’s distraction can risk bumping into someone or getting singed by a hovering joss stick.
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Carefully, I make my way to the rear hall, where the altars of the deities are set a few steps higher. This area is even less forgiving.
Not a minute passes without someone saying, “Excuse me” (the language depends on whether they’re a local, a tourist, or a local who thinks you’re a tourist).
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While admiring the flowers set in front of Mo Tai and Man Cheong’s likenesses (red chrysanthemums and yellow daisies, respectively), I’m almost run over by a boy waving his joss sticks as if they’re glow sticks.
But his father quickly steps in, quietly reprimanding him in Cantonese and telling him to mind his manners.
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We three walk to the main altar at the back, and I step aside as the boy sets his lit incense into a large stone burner.
He’s determined, I think to myself, when he jabs his sticks into the centre. But his skin catches contact with surrounding sticks, and he snatches his hand back, leaving his incense more lopsided than intended.
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“Never stick them like that,” his father warns. “See all the sticks on the sides? That is safer.” The boy nods, lesson learned, and the duo leave.
The next worshipper, who apparently did not learn that lesson, also gets singed.
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A few minutes pass before one of the temple staff crawls onto the main altar. Hovering over offerings of Haribo, off-brand Choco pies, oranges, and apples, he carefully removes a dried bouquet from the very back of the altar before his feet return to solid ground.
With a small smile, he straightens up and touches the statue of a writing brush (encased in gold) for Man Cheong’s wisdom.
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If he had exited from the left of the altar, perhaps the man would have instead touched the statue of a sabre (likewise gold-coloured) for Mo Tai’s strength.
Making my own exit from the main block, I turn to the right and head into Kung Sor.
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Added to the temple in 1862, Kung Sor (literally, a public meeting place) was historically used to settle community disputes and take oaths, which were even recognised and accepted by the colonial government.
Some scholars claim that the temple committee’s affairs included commercial arbitration, negotiation to sell official titles, and informal networking between Chinese residents in Hong Kong and Guangdong authorities.
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Even now, its lawful purpose is reflected in two pillars framing the entrance door. These golden pillars comprise a couplet that, when translated, implores visitors to “Abandon your own selfish interests and come here.
No one is partial to anyone. Do not be confused about what you want and gather here.”
While much of Kung Sor has given way to a souvenir shop, worshippers can still be found at the rear making offerings to deities of various sizes.
It is at this moment that I realise this is where worship, commerce, and tourism collide. The temple is dedicated to the gods of literature and martial arts, yet it provides space for the worship of other deities.
It draws benevolent leaders to provide medical and educational services, and it is not only a judicial centre but also a tourist attraction.
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In 1994, Man Mo Temple was officially recognised by the Hong Kong Antiquities Advisory Board as a Grade One Historical Building, confirming its status as a must-see for anyone exploring the city’s heritage.
Text and photos Victoria Mae Martyn
