Wong Tai Sin Yuen Ching Kwok in Hong Kong

Wong Tai Sin Yuen Ching Kwok in Hong Kong

Yuen Ching Kwok (English: Yuen Ching Kwok) is a Taoist temple in Hong Kong dedicated to Wong Tai Sin. It is located in San Wai Village on Castle Peak Road in Kowloon, at Lot 3738 of Ching Cheung Road in the To Kwa Wan section of Kowloon, covering an area of approximately 2 hectares. The site is divided into two architectural complexes, one higher and one lower. To the south lies Zi Yang Dong, which enshrines Guanyin Bodhisattva and Sun Wukong.

Yuen Ching Kwok is currently the only “Wong Tai Sin Taoist temple” in China that offers the Fu Ji (spirit writing) service to the public. Visitors simply need to write their inquiries on red paper slips, burn them in front of the statue of Wong Tai Sin in the main hall, and the spirit medium sitting in the side hall will receive divine inspiration to write a four-line seven-character regulated verse in response. However, not all letters are guaranteed to receive a reply.

History

During the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, residents in the western part of Kowloon often faced harassment from Japanese soldiers when visiting Sik Sik Yuen to worship. At that time, Teochew businessman Chow Leung learned of the residents’ plight and specially invited Wong Tai Sin to descend into a shrine on the second floor of 23 Pei Tak Street, North Point, on Tuesday, April 15, 1942. The shrine was initially named “Zhu Qi Ting.” The altar was later relocated to the third floor of 38 Jockey Club Road, Kowloon, on Saturday, August 22, 1942, and on Friday, September 25, 1942, it was renamed “Wong Tai Sin Yuen Ching Kwok,” with the founding date set as the tenth day of the tenth lunar month. Thereafter, Wong Tai Sin repeatedly descended through spirit writing to instruct the then committee members to seek land along Castle Peak Road to build a new temple. Later, with a land donation from Teochew businessman Mr. Chan Chueng Mok, another Wong Tai Sin Taoist temple in Hong Kong was constructed at its current location in San Wai Village on Castle Peak Road, Kowloon. The current buildings were completed in the spring of 1955, and the consecration ceremony was held on Sunday, April 24, 1955 (the third day of the intercalary third lunar month, at Lot 3738 of Ching Cheung Road).

Transportation Guide

Location: Ching Cheung Road, Cheung Sha Wan, Sham Shui Po District, Hong Kong

Transportation: Take KMB buses 72, 81, or 86B and get off at Aldrich Garden Station, then walk along Tai Po Road to reach the site.