This trip to Hong Kong was basically a casual sightseeing and eating tour. We visited Wong Tai Sin Temple, the Yau Ma Tei Police Station, and Temple Street.
Wong Tai Sin Temple is a famous temple in Hong Kong, located in Wong Tai Sin, East Kowloon. Covering an area of approximately 18,000 square meters, it is managed by Sik Sik Yuen, a non-profit religious charitable organization; hence its full name is Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple. The temple primarily worships Wong Cho Ping (Wong Tai Sin), a renowned Taoist deity from southern China during the Eastern Jin Dynasty. It also enshrines deities from Confucianism and Buddhism, such as Confucius and Guanyin, making the fusion of three religions a major feature of the temple. The building is currently listed as a Grade I Historic Building in Hong Kong.
Legend has it that in 1897, Leung Yan Am, together with friends, was practicing fuji (planchette writing) for amusement in Panyu, Guangdong, when he accidentally received instructions from Wong Cho Ping (Wong Tai Sin) via the planchette to “universally relieve suffering and advocate benevolence.” From then on, he became a devotee of Wong Tai Sin, honoring him as his immortal master, entering the Taoist path as a fellow practitioner, and receiving the Taoist name “Chuan Dao” (Spreading the Tao). On the 23rd day of the eighth lunar month in 1898, which was Wong Tai Sin’s birthday, the Taoist companions at Pushan performed a fuji ritual to request a site for building a temple to save the common people. With Wong Tai Sin’s “approval and guidance,” the first shrine in Guangdong dedicated to Wong Tai Sin was completed between the fifth and sixth lunar months of the following year in Huadai, Guangzhou (located in Fangcun). Later, Leung Yan Am received another message via fuji indicating impending turmoil in Guangzhou. Consequently, in 1901, he returned to his hometown in Rengang Village, Xiqiao Mountain, Nanhai County, Guangdong Province, where he established the “Pu Qing” altar, contributing both funds and labor. The shrine was completed around 1903. In 1915, Leung Yan Am and his son brought a portrait of Wong Tai Sin to Hong Kong to continue spreading the Tao, and in 1921, they founded the Pu Yi Altar (Sik Sik Yuen) in Chuk Yuen Village, Kowloon. Since then, the worship of Wong Tai Sin has flourished in Hong Kong, even spreading to Southeast Asia, the United States, Canada, and other regions. Meanwhile, the Pu Ji Altar of the Wong Tai Sin Temple in Guangzhou was confiscated by the Nationalist Government in 1919 and converted into an orphanage.
Exiting the MTR station leads to a commercial area with plenty of food and drink options, and there were already many tourists right at the entrance.
The First Cave Heaven Archway, said to have been inscribed by the spirit pen of Master Red Pine in the Yi Hai year (1935)
Inside, the entire route is one-way; walking the loop takes about 20 minutes. Besides the Main Hall, there are the Three Saints Hall, Cong Xin Garden, Nine-Dragon Wall, and more, each with unique architectural features. The archways within the temple also fully express traditional Chinese culture. In addition to individual buildings displaying characteristics of traditional Chinese temple architecture, the complex is laid out according to the principles of ‘Dragon on the Left, Phoenix on the Right’ and the Five Elements, giving the entire architectural ensemble a distinctive character.
Jinhua Fenji Archway
The Main Hall of the “Red Pine Wong Immortal Temple,” hung with the three characters “Tao, Jing, Shi” (Tao, Scripture, Master)
Yuxiang Pavilion
After exiting, we noticed the colorful Ke Yue Ju outside; it is transitional housing organized by Sik Sik Yuen. Supported by the generosity of people from all walks of life, the project provides 227 quality units to help those in need alleviate housing pressure, allowing them to enjoy a comfortable home before moving into public housing, thereby improving their quality of life.
Then we took the MTR to Yau Ma Tei, planning to visit the famous Yau Ma Tei Police Station, and happened to pass through Temple Street along the way. Temple Street is renowned for its night market selling affordable goods and is dubbed Hong Kong’s “People’s Nightclub.” Because the nature of Temple Street is similar to Mong Kok’s Ladies’ Market, but visitors are predominantly male, it also bears the nickname “Men’s Street.” Among some young people, Temple Street is colloquially known as “Old Temple.” Many movies and TV dramas have been filmed here. However, the section I visited wasn’t the bustling part; instead, there was a small café specializing in siphon coffee called SYPHON COFFEE right at the street corner. The coffee was excellent and offered great value for money.
Yau Ma Tei Community Centre Rest Garden, featuring many large banyan trees
The Yau Ma Tei Tin Hau Temple was originally built by boat dwellers around 1865 and relocated to its current site in 1876. In 1928, the Chinese Temples Committee officially transferred the Yau Ma Tei Tin Hau Temple and its associated trust properties to Kwong Wah Hospital. In 1931, Tung Wah Hospital, Kwong Wah Hospital, and Tung Wah Eastern Hospital were officially unified under the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, and the Yau Ma Tei Fook Tak Shrine was also taken over by the group. After renovations were completed in 1972, the Yau Ma Tei Shing Wong Temple was added to the complex, joining the Yau Ma Tei She Tan (Community Altar), Yau Ma Tei Tin Hau Temple, and Yau Ma Tei Shu Yuen (Academy), resulting in five temples operating within the same compound. The annual “Guanyin Opens the Treasury” festival attracts large numbers of worshippers.
Yau Ma Tei Community Altar
Yau Ma Tei Academy, now a small shop selling books and merchandise from the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals
There are also some vintage-style sets available for photography
Old Yau Ma Tei Police Station: The first generation Yau Ma Tei Police Station was established in 1873, originally located at the junction of Shanghai Street and Public Square Street (now the Leung Hin Lee Yau Ma Tei Community Centre). At that time, Shanghai Street was consequently known as Cha Koon Street (Police Station Street). In 1922, the police station moved to the junction of Canton Road and Public Square Street. It was renamed the Kowloon Magistracy in 1924 and ceased operations in 1936. After the war, a new wing and quarters were added adjacent to the police station. It was graded as a Grade III Historic Building in 1988 and later upgraded to a Grade II Historic Building in 2009.
Built in the British Edwardian architectural style, it is one of the few surviving pre-war police stations in Hong Kong. Many classic Hong Kong films have been shot outside the Old Yau Ma Tei Police Station, making it an icon of Hong Kong crime cinema and attracting many visitors specifically to see it.
In 2024, the government established the “Task Force on Developing Tourism Hotspots” to develop tourist attractions, and the Old Yau Ma Tei Police Station is one of them. The Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency specially invited Hong Kong film professionals to use the creativity of the film industry to recreate scenes from classic movies inside the Old Yau Ma Tei Police Station. The interior is now open to the public, inviting visitors to embark on a cinematic journey through classic Hong Kong crime films.
Currently, the interior hosts the “Old Yau Ma Tei Police Station Cinematic Journey” exhibition. Remember to book in advance via the official website. Additionally, there is a small room next door selling merchandise.
We also ate at a restaurant serving Black Truffle Roast Goose called Magic Lamp Seafood Restaurant. It’s a chain with several branches; we visited the Asia Pacific Centre branch near our hotel. We just walked in as we passed by, but most tables were already reserved. The host told us there was a table available right by the door. The interior is quite spacious, with a very standard Hong Kong banquet hall atmosphere—not particularly wide or open. They served these fried small fish and charged HK$25, which felt like daylight robbery. We ordered Iberian Black Pork Char Siu, Black Truffle Roast Goose, and Claypot Lettuce.
The Iberian Black Pork Char Siu came in a generous portion. While the ingredients and the emotional value provided by live preparation can’t compare to Jade Garden at the White Swan Hotel, it was still quite delicious.
Black Truffle Roast Goose counts as an innovative Cantonese dish. The skin was incredibly crispy, and the black truffle flavor was rich; it was indeed very tasty.
The claypot lettuce was excellent, served piping hot. The lettuce was crisp, with great texture and flavor.
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