Lin Village Tin Hau Temple

Lin Village Tin Hau Temple

The Lin Village Tin Hau Temple in Tai Po is located in Fong Ma Po, Lin Village, and was built during the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty. It is the largest Tin Hau temple in the Tai Po District. A large bronze bell, inscribed with the year 1771 (the 36th year of Qianlong), hangs inside the temple. Legend has it that during the early days of the temple’s construction, funding was scarce, but fortunately, a couple surnamed Tang who were passing through Lin Village donated a substantial sum, enabling the completion of the temple. As a result, their memorial plaques are enshrined in the temple for future generations to pay respects and commemorate.

The temple is built in a “five-bay, two-courtyard” layout. In addition to the main hall dedicated to Tin Hau, the side wings house the Man Wu (Civil and Martial) Hall and the Yi Ci (Martyrs’ Shrine). The Yi Ci enshrines 12 local martyrs who protected the village, and villagers hold a joint memorial ceremony for them every Autumn Equinox. Since the temple’s establishment during the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty, the villagers of Lin Village have held a Decennial Festival (Jiuhui) every ten years, featuring five consecutive days of Cantonese opera performances in the village.

The plaque above the entrance is inscribed with the characters “Tin Hau Gong” (Palace of the Queen of Heaven). Inside the temple, there is a wooden cloud-patterned plaque from 1768 (the 33rd year of Qianlong), a bronze bell cast in 1771 (the 36th year of Qianlong), and plaques and couplets from 1835 (the 15th year of Daoguang), as well as temple steles from 1976 and 1992. The main hall houses the shrine of Tin Hau, with the Goddess of Mercy shrine on the left and the God of Wealth shrine on the right. On either side stand the statues of the Thousand-Mile Eye and the Wind-Following Ear.