Hong Kong Fu Yung Shan Lady of Chastity Temple

　　   The Lady of Chastity Temple is situated on Fu Yung Shan in Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong. It venerates "Yiu Tai Sheng Mu," a young Hakka goddess who, as the legend goes, leapt off a cliff to escape sexual assault. Moved by her chastity and bravery, the imperial court posthumously honored her as a "lady of chastity." Later, her clansmen built the "Lady of Chastity Temple" to worship her.

　　   Related Information

　　   The Lady of Chastity Temple is located on Fu Yung Shan in Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong. It enshrines "Yiu Tai Sheng Mu," a young Hakka goddess who, according to legend, jumped off a cliff to resist rape. The imperial court, moved by her virtue, honored her as a lady of chastity, and her family later erected the "Lady of Chastity Temple" in her honor.

　　   Legend

　　   The appearance of the Lady of Chastity Temple in Hong Kong is said to have come about through the sudden manifestation of a spirit medium named Tang Hung Kiu, commonly known as Granny Tang.

　　   Granny Tang, who could communicate with Yiu Tai Sheng Mu and became a spirit medium, emerged in the mid-1950s. Before that, she was merely a Hakka farmer’s wife with four children. In 1949, she followed her husband to Hong Kong and, after several moves, finally settled in Ma Sim Pai Village in Tsuen Wan. Life was harsh, and the family survived on her husband’s meager income from making tofu skin. During this time, Granny Tang began experiencing strange phenomena—she acted as if possessed, often appeared dazed, and talked to herself. Initially, her husband thought she had been cursed, but then Granny Tang suddenly claimed to be the incarnation of "Yiu Tai Sheng Mu," whose real name was Yiu Lan Mei. She said she was from Guanyin Pavilion in Shi Ba, Luo Yang, Boluo, and had died at the age of seventeen. She explained that she had been observing Granny Tang for three years and recognized her as someone with divine potential. Thus, she chose to reside in Granny Tang's body to perform miracles. She promised that as long as they enshrined her spirit tablet, the family would never worry about daily meals again.

　　   It is said that from then on, Granny Tang began exhibiting miraculous powers such as healing, prophecy, and exorcism. Whenever she leaned over the altar in her small wooden shack, the Goddess would possess her to answer worshippers’ questions (with her husband translating her Hakka speech). Her first patient was even cured of breast cancer.

　　   Thanks to Granny Tang’s effectiveness, her reputation quickly spread across the villages of Tsuen Wan, and the prestige of "Yiu Tai Sheng Mu" took root in the area. Later, when the government reclaimed the land, Granny Tang built a small hundred-square-foot temple on Fu Yung Shan as a permanent dwelling for "Yiu Tai Sheng Mu." She named it "Lady of Chastity Temple," after her hometown’s original shrine.

　　   It is said that after Granny Tang passed away, no one else inherited her powers, and the Goddess began searching for a new human vessel. Should she find one in the future, she will surely reveal herself.

　　   Customs and Activities

　　   Because many old villages have not yet been demolished, the Lady of Chastity Temple always draws large crowds during the two annual birthdays of Yiu Tai Sheng Mu: the Ascension Day on the 16th day of the sixth lunar month and the Birth Day on the 16th day of the tenth lunar month. There is also a traditional "flower cannon" lottery event, with cannons contributed by local community organizations, including Lin Sheng Tong of Ha Fa Shan, Quan Sheng Tong of Ma Sim Pai, Shun Li Tong of Sai Lau Kok, Wu Hon Nam Martial Arts School of Sha Tsui Road, Hop Chung Tong of Yau Kam Tau, and Pei Tang Kuong Ying Tong of Shek Wai Kok. This reflects the widespread devotion to the goddess across Tsuen Wan. The Yiu Clan Association also sends representatives to celebrate each year. Furthermore, villager Yiu Kwan Yu from Ha Fa Shan, a devoted believer, later built a branch Lady of Chastity Temple at the entrance of his village out of deep faith in the Goddess. As a result, there are two temples dedicated to the Goddess in the area—a unique local feature. Unfortunately, the Ha Fa Shan temple is hard to reach by car, making it difficult for most visitors to find.

　　   Transportation Guide

　　   Location: Fu Yung Shan, Tsuen Wan District, Hong Kong

　　   Getting There: Take KMB Bus Route 51