Yuk Hui Temple () also known as

Pak Tai Hēidì () or Hēishén (), who is the Běidì (, Cantonese language, Cantonese: ''Pak Tai'') or Běiyuèdàdì () is a deity in Chinese folk religion, Chinese religion, one of the cosmological "Five Forms of the Highest Deity" (). He is also id ...

Temple (), is a

Taoist Taoism (, ) or Daoism () refers to either a school of philosophical thought (道家; ''daojia'') or to a religion (道教; ''daojiao''), both of which share ideas and concepts of Chinese origin and emphasize living in harmony with the ''Tao'' ...

temple located on the island of

Cheung Chau Cheung Chau (lit. "Long Island") is an island southwest of Hong Kong Island. It is nicknamed the 'dumbbell island (啞鈴島)' due to its shape. It has been inhabited for longer than most other places in Hong Kong, and had a population of 2 ...

Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...

. The temple address is Pak She Street, Tung Wan, Cheung Chau.

Introduction

HK Cheung Chau Pak Tei Temple n Basketball Court n Blue Sky 0

The temple is listed as a Grade I historic building. It is most famous for the

Cheung Chau Bun Festival Cheung Chau Bun Festival or Cheung Chau Da Jiu Festival is a traditional Chinese festival on the island of Cheung Chau in Hong Kong. Held annually, and with therefore the most public exposure, it is by far the most famous of such Da Jiu festiv ...

, which is a

ceremony held annually on

island. The festival takes place on the 8th day of the fourth month of the

lunar calendar A lunar calendar is a calendar based on the monthly cycles of the Moon's phases (synodic months, lunations), in contrast to solar calendars, whose annual cycles are based only directly on the solar year. The most commonly used calendar, the Gre ...

, which occurs usually in April or May. The festival lasts for seven days. It attracts many tourists and

worshipers.

History

The first settlers in Cheung Chau were fishermen from

Huizhou Huizhou ( zh, c= ) is a city in central-east Guangdong Province, China, forty-three miles north of Hong Kong. Huizhou borders the provincial capital of Guangzhou to the west, Shenzhen and Dongguan to the southwest, Shaoguan to the north, Heyua ...

Guangzhou Guangzhou (, ; ; or ; ), also known as Canton () and alternatively romanized as Kwongchow or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of Guangdong province in southern China. Located on the Pearl River about north-northwest of Hong Kon ...

and

Chaozhou Chaozhou (), alternatively Chiuchow, Chaochow or Teochew, is a city in the eastern Guangdong province of China. It borders Shantou to the south, Jieyang to the southwest, Meizhou to the northwest, the province of Fujian to the east, and the Sou ...

. They worshiped the Taoist Sea God, Pak Tai, as their patron deity. In 1777, there was a severe outbreak of plague in Cheung Chau. It is said that when a Huizhounese brought a statue of

to the island the pestilence miraculously disappeared. In gratitude for Pak Tai's blessing, the residents, led by Mr. Lam Yuk-mo,Chinese Temples Committee. (2008). ''Pak Tai Temple, Cheung Chau.'' Retrieved 10 October 2009, from built Yuk Hui Temple, which was completed in 1783.Leung, P.W. (2007). ''Heritages of the Islands District Hong Kong.'' P.129 Hong Kong: The Islands District Council. Another story states that the statue was discovered by a fisherman, instead of being brought to the island by the Huizhouese.Liang, F.Y. (2009) ''Xianggang Lingyan Miaoyu.'' (pp. 100-101) Hong Kong: Characters Publications Ltd.

Administration

In its early days, the temple was voluntarily managed and renovated by local residents. Then in 1929, the

Chinese Temples Committee The Chinese Temples Committee () is a statutory body in Hong Kong established in 1928 under the Chinese Temples Ordinance () (Cap. 153). It is mainly responsible for the operation and management of twenty-four temples directly under its management ...

began to administer the temple. There have been several major renovations over the centuries, notably in 1822, 1838, 1858, 1903–1904, and 1989. The latest one was started in 1999 and finished in 2003, which cost (

HKD The Hong Kong dollar (, sign: HK$; code: HKD) is the official currency of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It is subdivided into 100 cents or 1000 mils. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority is the monetary authority of Hong Kong and ...

)$13 million. Since its establishment, a range of antiques from the local community have been donated to the temple. Yuk Hui Temple is administered by the Chinese Temples Committee.

Deities

The main deity of Yuk Hui Temple is

, alternatively known as Yuen Tin Sheung Tai (), the Supreme Emperor of the Northern Heaven or the Mysterious Heaven. In Taoist mythology, he was once a prince of the

Shang Dynasty The Shang dynasty (), also known as the Yin dynasty (), was a Chinese royal dynasty founded by Tang of Shang (Cheng Tang) that ruled in the Yellow River valley in the second millennium BC, traditionally succeeding the Xia dynasty and ...

, and then appointed by

Jade Emperor The Jade Emperor or Yudi ( or , ') in Chinese culture, traditional religions and myth is one of the representations of the first god ( '). In Daoist theology he is the assistant of Yuanshi Tianzun, who is one of the Three Pure Ones, the three ...

to fight the Demon King during the fall of the dynasty. He triumphed in the combat even though the Demon King conjured out a grey tortoise and a gigantic serpent for help. After this victory, Pak Tai was awarded the title of Yuen Tin Sheung Tai and is worshipped for his power, courage and devotion. The portrays of the tortoise and the snake under his feet symbolize that the good always prevails against the evil ''Temple Directory'' (1980). Hong Kong: Temples Unit, Trust Funds Section, Home Affairs Dept. The temple also houses

Guanyin Guanyin () is a Bodhisattva associated with compassion. She is the East Asian representation of Avalokiteśvara ( sa, अवलोकितेश्वर) and has been adopted by other Eastern religions, including Chinese folk religion. She ...

(Goddess of Mercy),

Tai Sui Tai Sui is a Chinese term for the stars directly opposite the planet Jupiter ( ''Mùxīng'') during its roughly 12-year orbital cycle. Personified as deities, they are important features of Chinese astrology, Feng Shui, Taoism, and Chinese Budd ...

(the Sixty Gods of Time),

Tin Hau Mazu or Matsu is a Chinese sea goddess also known by several other names and titles. She is the deified form of the legendary figure Lin Mo or Lin Moniang, a Fujianese shamaness whose life span is traditionally dated from 960 to 987. Re ...

, The old man under the moon (the God of Matchmaking) and

Tu Di Gong Tudigong ( "Lord of the Soil and the Ground") or Tudishen ( "God of the Soil and the Ground"), also known simply as Tudi ( "Soil-Ground") is a tutelary deity of a locality and the human communities who inhabit it in Chinese folk religion and Tao ...

(a local earth god).Cooper, R. F. (1977). ''Temple of the Jade Vacuity. Welcome to Hong Kong Temples'' (pp. 81-88). Hong Kong: Book Marketing LTD. Local residents and the fishing folks around the waters of the island are the major worshippers of the temple. Islanders would come to the temple during various festivals to pray for blessing or to present their gratitude, especially fishermen. They would come to invoke for an auspicious date and a great catch before setting sail and to thank for Pak Tai's blessing after their return. The two busiest times of the temple during the year are: #the Pak Tai Festival on the 3rd day of the 3rd

Lunar Month In lunar calendars, a lunar month is the time between two successive syzygies of the same type: new moons or full moons. The precise definition varies, especially for the beginning of the month. Variations In Shona, Middle Eastern, and Europ ...

; #the Bun Festival- commonly known as the

Tai Ping Ching Chiu Dajiao, ()''New Journey Through History 1A''. Kan, Nelson Y. Y. and Tang, Miranda K. L. Published by Aristo Education Press LTD. called the Taiping Qingjiao or Taai ping ching jiu in Hong Kong, () is a Taoist ritual and festival which is performed ...

, the 8th day in the 4th Lunar Month.

Cultural and historical relics

Iron sword

The iron sword is reputed to be the most significant treasure in Yuk Hui Temple. It was made in the

Song Dynasty The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the rest ...

about 800 years ago. Allegedly, it was thrown into the sea by a general at the time of

Emperor Bing of Song Zhao Bing (12 February 1272 – 19 March 1279), also known as Emperor Bing of Song or Bing, Emperor of Song (宋帝昺), was the 18th and last emperor of the Song dynasty of China, who ruled as a minor between 6 and 7 years of age. He was a ...

to calm a great storm. Years later it was dredged up by the local fisherman and presented to the deity.Yin, G.D. (2009). ''Ru Miao Bai Shen.'' Hong Kong: Cognizance Publishing Company Ltd. There are two legends about the iron sword's whereabouts worth mentioning: The first recounts that during the Japanese occupation, a Japanese soldier took away the sword and accounted it as his own. He soon died mysteriously. One of the soldier's friends was afraid that taking the sword was the reason for this, so he decided to return it to the temple. The second states that the iron sword was stolen in the early 1970s. In order to find the sword, villagers used "bwabway" (), a tool for seeking divine direction in Chinese folk religion, to ask for Pai Tai's help. According to Pai Tai's direction, the iron sword was in the east and would automatically show up soon. Police later found it abandoned in

East Kowloon Kowloon East is the eastern part of Kowloon, covering the Wong Tai Sin and Kwun Tong District, with Kowloon City District occasionally included. History The boundary of Kowloon East is not strictly defined and hence varies. While traditionally t ...

district. A newspaper cutting covering this incident is now reserved in the temple. ).

Golden crown

The golden crown worn by the main Pak Tai statue is made of 20-ounce gold and hung with pearls. It was donated by Madam Chung, a worshipper in Cheung Chau island, to commemorate the visit of

Princess Margaret Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, (Margaret Rose; 21 August 1930 – 9 February 2002) was the younger daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and the younger sister and only sibling of Queen Elizabeth ...

and the Earl of Snowdon to the temple in 1966.Raby, K.(2005) ''Hong Kong Temples''. Hong Kong: Allion Printing Company Ltd.

Other antiques

Other antiques include: * A wooden

sedan chair The litter is a class of wheelless vehicles, a type of human-powered transport, for the transport of people. Smaller litters may take the form of open chairs or beds carried by two or more carriers, some being enclosed for protection from the e ...

made in 1894, which was used to carry the image of the

; * a pair of

incense burner A censer, incense burner, perfume burner or pastille burner is a vessel made for burning incense or perfume in some solid form. They vary greatly in size, form, and material of construction, and have been in use since ancient times throughout t ...

s which was donated by the Chinese Temples Committee in 1960 in memory of the visit of Mr. Burgess, the former government administrating officer, in 1959; * two stone pillars in a shape of two dragons from two gigantic pieces of solid granite, which were carved out in 1903; * a stone caldron made in 1894, and * a bronze bell made in 1784.Chan, S. Y. (2002). ''Cheung Chau Yuk Hui Temple.'' Retrieved 12 October 2009, from http://www.fushantang.com/1005c/e3008.html

Architecture

HK Cheung Chau Pak Tei Temple Dragons n Eave n Blue Sky

HK Cheung Chau Pak Tei Temple n Stone Lions 2

The building of the grand temple takes into account the spiritual location or ' Feng Shui'. The temple is considered to have good 'Feng Shui' since it is located on the pulse of the dragon, which stretch to the island from

Lantau Island Lantau Island (also Lantao Island, Lan Tao) is the largest island in Hong Kong, located West of Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula, and is part of the New Territories. Administratively, most of Lantau Island is part of the Islands ...

nearby, with the sea in front and the mountains of

Hong Kong Island Hong Kong Island is an Islands and peninsulas of Hong Kong, island in the southern part of Hong Kong. Known colloquially and on road signs simply as Hong Kong, the island has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km ...

protecting from behind). Allegedly, this is also why Yuk Hui Temple has been the most popular temple on the island for a long time. The temple is in traditional Chinese style with a roof of detailed green concave tiles, ridges and ceramic figurines.Asia Web Direct. (2009). ''Cheung Chau Attractions – Pak Tai Temple''. Retrieved 9 October 2009, from http://www.hong-kong-hotels.ws/attractions/cheung-chau.htm. Figures of stone lions can be found all around the architecture and this temple has the most stone lions (4) among Hong Kong temples.

Structure

The primary entrance leads to the main hall, which holds the Pak Tai statue. There are two smaller halls on each side of the main hall. The images of a white tiger and a blue dragon in the left-side hall and the right-side hall respectively represent power. The two side halls help to improve the temple's 'Feng Shui'. An ancient drum and bell can be seen on the left of the temple's entrance to drive away evil spirits and to attract the attention of the gods. It is believed that the writings surrounding the bell area will be heard by the gods in heaven.

Stone lions

At the main entrance, there are four lively stone sculptures of lions playing a ball game. Two of the lions have balls in their mouths and it is said that unmarried girls who can remove the balls will eventually marry a prince. The two lions on the left side of the entrance are lionesses with a small cub beneath their paws, while those on the right are males with a ball beneath their feet. It is believed that milk is contained in the ball for humans to drink.

The stone pillars

In the centre of the hall are two stone pillars carved from a solid piece of granite in the shape of dragons. They are imperial dragons as they have five claws on each foot while ordinary ones have only four. A ball can be seen in the dragon's mouth which is known as 'The Pearl of the Dragon'. According to

Chinese culture Chinese culture () is one of the world's oldest cultures, originating thousands of years ago. The culture prevails across a large geographical region in East Asia and is extremely diverse and varying, with customs and traditions varying grea ...

, it is believed to be a sign of good luck if the dragon releases the ball. There are some square stone pillars which carries the message that can be translated as: 'Pi tai will look after Cheung Chau and will bring calm seas and good weather'.

Cheung Chau Bun Festival

is a traditional Taoist festival that takes place in and around the Yuk Hui Temple on

It is staged every year (usually in late April or early May) to mark the eighth day of the fourth moon in the

Chinese calendar The traditional Chinese calendar (also known as the Agricultural Calendar ��曆; 农历; ''Nónglì''; 'farming calendar' Former Calendar ��曆; 旧历; ''Jiùlì'' Traditional Calendar ��曆; 老历; ''Lǎolì'', is a lunisolar calendar ...

. The event draws tens of thousands of tourists from overseas and local areas and is promoted by the

Hong Kong Tourism Board The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) is a Government-subvented body founded in 2001. The Board replaced the Hong Kong Tourist Association (HKTA) established in 1957. It has 15 branch offices and representative offices in 6 markets around the w ...

. The name of the festival comes from its main attraction; the 'bun snatching race' where brave individuals climb up 'Bun Mountains' or 'Bun Towers' and strip them down of buns.

Gallery

File:Basketball court at Yuk Hui Temple.jpg, A basketball court outside the temple File:templefront.JPG, A front view of the temple File:HK Cheung Chau Pak Tei Temple n Basketball Court n Blue Sky 2.JPG, Overall view of the temple File:Bun festval construction.jpg, Construction of a pavilion for the

File:Cheung Chau location map.svg, Location of

References

External links

Cheung Chau Island on Hong Kong Tourism Board website

Yuk Hui Temple on Chinese Temples Committee website

Culture radiate {{coord, 22.212382, 114.027852, display=title Cheung Chau Taoist temples in Hong Kong Grade I historic buildings in Hong Kong