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Hong Kong is internationally acclaimed for its skyscrapers and bustling city life, however, it is also home to distinguishable centuries-old Chinese temples and monasteries that are heavily trafficked by the city&#8217;s seven million residents and passing tourists. Not only do these temples hold religious values but they are also beautifully structured.&nbsp; Whether or not you are an avid believer in the many Chinese gods that these temples are dedicated to, these&nbsp;scenic and tranquil grounds are still worth visiting for a respite from the city&#8217;s notoriously hectic lifestyle.&nbsp;Here are six unique and beautiful temples to visit:
<figure id="attachment_56252" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-56252" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-wong-tai-sin-sik-sik-yuen-temple.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-56252" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-wong-tai-sin-sik-sik-yuen-temple.png" alt="gafencu magazine Hong Kong's unique and beautiful Chinese temples wong tai sin sik sik yuen temple" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-wong-tai-sin-sik-sik-yuen-temple.png 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-wong-tai-sin-sik-sik-yuen-temple-200x133.png 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-wong-tai-sin-sik-sik-yuen-temple-421x280.png 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-wong-tai-sin-sik-sik-yuen-temple-120x80.png 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-wong-tai-sin-sik-sik-yuen-temple-500x333.png 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-wong-tai-sin-sik-sik-yuen-temple-400x266.png 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-wong-tai-sin-sik-sik-yuen-temple-600x399.png 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-56252" class="wp-caption-text">Image from @beckyexploring via Instagram</figcaption></figure>
Wong Tai Sin Temple 
Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple, or to many, simply Wong Tai Sin Temple is one of the most famous, and perhaps luckiest, tourist attractions in the city. It is an important religious centre dedicated to the Taoist deity Wong Tai Sin, who is said to have divine healing powers. It is believed that whatever worshippers request within the temple will come true. Featuring traditional structures of red pillars, gold roofs, intricate yellow latticework and multi-coloured carvings, it offers a picturesque view at any angle and change of scenery from city&#8217;s concrete jungle.
 
<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-Chi-Lin-Nunnery-nan-lian-garden.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-56248" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-Chi-Lin-Nunnery-nan-lian-garden.png" alt="gafencu magazine Hong Kong's unique and beautiful Chinese temples Chi Lin Nunnery nan lian garden" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-Chi-Lin-Nunnery-nan-lian-garden.png 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-Chi-Lin-Nunnery-nan-lian-garden-200x133.png 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-Chi-Lin-Nunnery-nan-lian-garden-421x280.png 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-Chi-Lin-Nunnery-nan-lian-garden-120x80.png 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-Chi-Lin-Nunnery-nan-lian-garden-500x333.png 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-Chi-Lin-Nunnery-nan-lian-garden-400x266.png 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-Chi-Lin-Nunnery-nan-lian-garden-600x399.png 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a>
Chi Lin Nunnery 
Just a stone throw&#8217;s away from the high-rise residential buildings and busy highways of Diamond Hill is the serene Chi Lin Nunnery. It is one of the largest Buddhist temples in the city and the largest handmade wooden building in the world. It was established in 1934 and is impressively structured in an interlocking system that eschews the use of nails. The complex houses 16 halls that not only comprises different statues of Buddha but also houses a school, library, dentist and multiple residences for the elderly. Adjacent to the temple, the Tang style Nan Lian Garden offers tranquillity from the hustle and bustle of city life.
<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-man-mo-temple.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-56250" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-man-mo-temple.png" alt="gafencu magazine Hong Kong's unique and beautiful Chinese temples man mo temple" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-man-mo-temple.png 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-man-mo-temple-200x133.png 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-man-mo-temple-421x280.png 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-man-mo-temple-120x80.png 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-man-mo-temple-500x333.png 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-man-mo-temple-400x266.png 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-man-mo-temple-600x399.png 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a>
Man Mo Temple 
Dedicated to the God of Literature and War, Man Mo, this place of worship is the largest Man Mo temple in the city, stretching three blocks along the route of the Central and Western heritage trail. Built between 1847 and 1862, it had undergone numerous renovations and is categorised as a Grade I Historic Building and officially declared a sacred monument in 2010.&nbsp;Perhaps familiar to Instagram surfers, this temple was made &#8216;social media-famous&#8217; for its large over-hanging incense coils that create a vibrant and Zen-like mood for visitors and worshippers of this sanctum.
<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-tsz-shan-monastery.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-56255" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-tsz-shan-monastery.png" alt="gafencu magazine Hong Kong's unique and beautiful Chinese temples tsz shan monastery" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-tsz-shan-monastery.png 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-tsz-shan-monastery-200x133.png 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-tsz-shan-monastery-421x280.png 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-tsz-shan-monastery-120x80.png 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-tsz-shan-monastery-500x333.png 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-tsz-shan-monastery-400x266.png 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-tsz-shan-monastery-600x399.png 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a>
Tsz Shan Monastery 
This Buddhist monastery located in the rural hillside village of Tung Tsz&nbsp;in Tai Po spans 500,000sq.ft wide. Towering over the temple, is a statue of the Goddess of Mercy, Guanyin — the world&#8217;s second tallest bronze statue of the deity. She is said to be a divine being of sympathy, compassion and mercy and it is believed that worshippers within her temple, especially those who are suffering or seeking refuge would be protected and kept safe. Those seeking a beautiful and quiet space to escape to can find calm here. Especially since an advanced online booking is required as a means to control and prevent over-crowding.
<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-po-lin-monastry.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-56254" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-po-lin-monastry.png" alt="gafencu magazine Hong Kong's unique and beautiful Chinese temples po lin monastry" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-po-lin-monastry.png 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-po-lin-monastry-200x133.png 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-po-lin-monastry-421x280.png 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-po-lin-monastry-120x80.png 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-po-lin-monastry-500x333.png 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-po-lin-monastry-400x266.png 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-po-lin-monastry-600x399.png 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a>
Po Lin Monastery 
Atop the scenic Nong Ping plateau on Lantau Island is the Po Lin Monastery founded in 1906 by three monks which are attributed in bronze statue within the main house of the temple. They supposedly symbolise the present, past and future of Buddha. It is a significant sanctuary for Buddhist pilgrims and is of walking distance from the Chi Chuk Lam nunnery dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy, Guanyin and the spiritual paved Wisdom Path. It also stands just opposite of&nbsp;the iconic Tian Tian Buddha, also known as the Big Buddha, where climbing the 268 step pedestal will treat you to a breathtaking view of Lantau Island and the South China Sea.
<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-tin-hau-temple.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-56251" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-tin-hau-temple.png" alt="gafencu magazine Hong Kong's unique and beautiful Chinese temples tin hau temple" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-tin-hau-temple.png 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-tin-hau-temple-200x133.png 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-tin-hau-temple-421x280.png 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-tin-hau-temple-120x80.png 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-tin-hau-temple-500x333.png 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-tin-hau-temple-400x266.png 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/gafencu-magazine-Hong-Kongs-unique-and-beautiful-Chinese-temples-tin-hau-temple-600x399.png 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a>
Tin Hau Temple 
There are over 100 temples in Hong Kong dedicated to the Goddess of the Sea, Tin Hau. The oldest and largest in the city is located in Sai Kung. Built in 1266 and categorised as a Grade I Historic Building, it is considered the most sacred Tin Hau Temple. Fishermen and those who live by the sea are frequent worshippers at this ground — praying for protection and safety. The centuries-old sanctum is also a sea-facing landmark that offers a sweeping panoramic view of Joss House Bay.

gafencu magazine Hong Kong's unique and beautiful Chinese temples

Six beautifully unique temples to visit in Hong Kong

Seeing the surging crowds that thronged&nbsp;Hong Kong’s myriad monasteries last month&nbsp;as thousands queued to wish Buddha a&nbsp;“happy birthday”, it’s hard to believe that&nbsp;just 23 years ago the same holiday, in times&nbsp;pre-handover, was given over to marking the&nbsp;British Queen’s 70th year on earth. Since its&nbsp;return to the motherland, however, a public&nbsp;holiday to celebrate a far-distant monarch&nbsp;has been superseded in honour of a fourth century&nbsp;BC, semi-mythical Indian monk.&nbsp;Progress is, indeed, an oft contrary and&nbsp;unpredictable beast.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-46189" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/000_1C16Y6_eff.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/000_1C16Y6_eff.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/000_1C16Y6_eff-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/000_1C16Y6_eff-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/000_1C16Y6_eff-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/000_1C16Y6_eff-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/000_1C16Y6_eff-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/000_1C16Y6_eff-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
As a sign of the city’s&nbsp;commitment to a broad palate&nbsp;of religious tolerance, temples&nbsp;and shrines dedicated to virtually&nbsp;every possible denomination&nbsp;can be found somewhere within&nbsp;the Fragrant Harbour. Indeed,&nbsp;according to a 2017 report by the&nbsp;Legislative Council&nbsp;Secretariat, there are&nbsp;nearly 1,500 Christian&nbsp;places of worship&nbsp;in the city, as well as&nbsp;over 400 Buddhist and&nbsp;Taoist temples, three&nbsp;main synagogues and six&nbsp;mosques, while the Hindu and Sikh faithful both have their&nbsp;own religious centres. Interestingly, given the scale and the&nbsp;intricate architecture of some of these structures, they&nbsp;serve not only as places of worship but also as major tourist&nbsp;attractions, drawing millions of visitors to pray and display via&nbsp;social media every year.&nbsp;Which, though, are truly divine and which are temptations&nbsp;to be sorely resisted? Well, there are at least five holy sites&nbsp;that are wholly worth visiting…
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-46185" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Man_Mo_Temple_inner_view.jpg" alt="Hong Kong monasteries" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Man_Mo_Temple_inner_view.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Man_Mo_Temple_inner_view-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Man_Mo_Temple_inner_view-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Man_Mo_Temple_inner_view-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Man_Mo_Temple_inner_view-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Man_Mo_Temple_inner_view-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Man_Mo_Temple_inner_view-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
<h4 class="p3">Man Mo Temple</h4>
Built in 1847 by wealthy Chinese merchants, Sheung Wan’s Man&nbsp;Mo Temple is the oldest Taoist temple in Hong Kong, a standing&nbsp;that has seen it designated as a Grade 1 historic site. A truly&nbsp;atmospheric building, wrought with traditional Chinese &nbsp;architecture and its air thick with the&nbsp;fragrant smoke from the hundreds of&nbsp;ceiling-suspended incense coils, it is&nbsp;jointly dedicated to Man Cheung, the&nbsp;writing-brush-wielding god of literature,&nbsp;and Mo Tai, the sword-wielding god of&nbsp;martial arts, both of whom were revered&nbsp;as gods and Emperor Kings in times&nbsp;more classical.
Among the most outstanding&nbsp;features in its primary prayer hall are&nbsp;two elaborately-carved 19th century&nbsp;sedan chairs, items traditionally used&nbsp;to carry iconic representatives of the&nbsp;twin deities on festive occasions. The&nbsp;three-part complex also has a block dedicated to the other gods in the Taoist pantheon, while its west facing&nbsp;assembly hall was co-opted as a court for resolving disputes&nbsp;between the locals in colonial times.&nbsp;
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-46184" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Po-Lin-monastery.jpg" alt="Hong Kong monasteries" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Po-Lin-monastery.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Po-Lin-monastery-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Po-Lin-monastery-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Po-Lin-monastery-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Po-Lin-monastery-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Po-Lin-monastery-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Po-Lin-monastery-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
<h4 class="p2">Po Lin Monastery</h4>
Located in Lantau Island’s lushly picturesque Ngong Ping plateau,&nbsp;the Po Lin Monastery was founded in 1906 by three visiting Jiangsu&nbsp;monks. Originally simply known as Tai Mao Pung (“the big hut”) – a&nbsp;reference to its initially-rudimentary stone chamber and thatched&nbsp;roof construction, it has since evolved into a massive five-storey&nbsp;complex covering 6,000sq.m, comprising the Main Shrine Hall of&nbsp;Buddha, a scripture library, an abbot’s chamber, a meditation hall,&nbsp;a permanent altar, an exhibition hall for Buddhist artifacts and a&nbsp;series of elaborately-decorated landscaped gardens.
Its most prominent feature – in every sense – is,undoubtedly, the towering Tian Tan Buddha statue&nbsp;(the Big Buddha). Completed as recently&nbsp;as 1993, at 34m in height, it is the&nbsp;world’s tallest seated Buddha&nbsp;statue. Such is its appeal&nbsp;that visitors from far and wide climb the steep 268 steps that lead to up to it in&nbsp;order to get a closer look at the majestic deity as it sits&nbsp;atop a gigantic lotus. The panoramic view from the top&nbsp;also acts to attract the more agnostic.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-46186" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Chi_Lin_Nunnery_2037672635_eff.jpg" alt="Hong Kong monasteries" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Chi_Lin_Nunnery_2037672635_eff.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Chi_Lin_Nunnery_2037672635_eff-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Chi_Lin_Nunnery_2037672635_eff-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Chi_Lin_Nunnery_2037672635_eff-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Chi_Lin_Nunnery_2037672635_eff-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Chi_Lin_Nunnery_2037672635_eff-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Chi_Lin_Nunnery_2037672635_eff-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
<h4 class="p2">Chi Lin Nunnery</h4>
A sprawling Buddhist complex located in Diamond Hill&nbsp;at Kowloon, the Chi Lin Nunnery currently rejoices in&nbsp;its status as the world’s largest handmade wooden&nbsp;complex. In total, it extends across 16 halls, a scripture&nbsp;library, a school and a pagoda, as well a bell and a drum&nbsp;tower, which, all in all, cover some 33,000sq.m. Originally built in the 1930s, it was&nbsp;remodelled in the style of the Tang&nbsp;Dynasty in 1998.
Carved entirely out&nbsp;of cypress wood, the&nbsp;structures have&nbsp;been built solely&nbsp;by painstakingly interlocking individual wooden planks&nbsp;without the use of a single nail. The main body of the&nbsp;temple is ringed by lotus ponds and bonsai trees, while its three gates are seen as symbolising the primary Buddhist&nbsp;principles – wisdom, compassion and resourcefulness.&nbsp;Equally beautiful is the adjacent Nan Lian Garden, with its&nbsp;golden pagoda, hills, ponds, waterfalls and rock collections&nbsp;– each placed specifically in strict compliance with feng&nbsp;shui guidelines – extending across 3.5 hectares.
&nbsp;
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-46187" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Wong_Tai_Sin_Temple_2_eff.jpg" alt="Hong Kong monasteries" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Wong_Tai_Sin_Temple_2_eff.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Wong_Tai_Sin_Temple_2_eff-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Wong_Tai_Sin_Temple_2_eff-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Wong_Tai_Sin_Temple_2_eff-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Wong_Tai_Sin_Temple_2_eff-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Wong_Tai_Sin_Temple_2_eff-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Wong_Tai_Sin_Temple_2_eff-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
<h4 class="p1">Wong Tai Sin Temple</h4>
Another of Kowloon’s most memorable&nbsp;monuments is the Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai&nbsp;Sin Temple, a structure that is every bit as&nbsp;popular with the locals as it is with tourists,&nbsp;possibly on account of its legendary facility&nbsp;to grant the wishes of worthy visitors. While&nbsp;its actual efficacy on that front cannot be&nbsp;vouched for, any claim that its architecture is&nbsp;genuinely magnificent is far more easily verified.&nbsp;
Constructed in the 1920s by the followers of&nbsp;Wong Tai Sin (the Great Immortal Wong), a&nbsp;Taoist deity of some repute, the temple grew in&nbsp;stature during World War II when it provided due&nbsp;sanctuary to fleeing mainlanders. Since then, its&nbsp;legend has only grown, thanks in no small part&nbsp;to its extravagantly colourful architecture that&nbsp;finds feng shui elements secreted in every nook&nbsp;and recess of its 18,000sq.m estate – from its Bronze Pavilion and Yuk Yik Fountain to the Nine Dragon Wall&nbsp;and the Good Wish Garden.&nbsp;
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Text: <a href="mailto:suchetana@itotalmedia.com">Suchetana Mukhopadhyay 
</a>Photos: AFP

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Six beautifully unique temples to visit in Hong Kong

A Walk on the Divine Side: A Look into the Hong Kong Monasteries