Here stands the Temple of Tam Kung. What stories do these walls hold?
Let’s step back to 1905. Fishermen built this temple. They needed protection on the seas. Tam Kung is a sea deity. He watched over them. Shau Kei Wan was once a fishing village. Today, tower blocks surround us. Yet, this temple remains.
Tam Kung is a local god. His worship is mainly in Hong Kong and Macau. The Qing Dynasty officially deified him. But his origins are debated.
One account says Tam Kung was from Huizhou. This was during the Yuan Dynasty. People worshipped him from age 12. He could cure the sick. Also he controlled wind and rain. It’s said he could stop storms with peas. Or start rain with water. He looked like a 12-year-old even in old age. Stories say he roamed mountains with a tiger. The tiger carried his things.
Another story links Tam Kung to Kowloon. Jonathan Chamberlain suggests he was Emperor Bing. Bing was the last child emperor of the Song Dynasty. He fled the Mongols. The area got its name because the young emperor counted eight hills. An advisor said there were nine dragons since he was emperor. Gau Lung means nine dragons. The British corrupted it to Kowloon.
Walking around the Temple of Tam Kung, notice the stone behind you. It is said to be Tam Kung’s magic seal.
Now gaze at the ornate roof. To the left, someone may be sleeping. The temple draws those needing protection.
Inside, the space is surprisingly light. Most Hong Kong temples are dark. This one is airy. It is said to have good fung shui. The temple faces water with its back to a hill.
Passing the Door Official and Earth God, you find a model dragon boat. Then you enter the main hall of the Temple of Tam Kung.
Ahead, Tam Kung looks out. To the left, there is an altar with the Eight Immortals of Taoism. Kwan Kung and All Saints are also represented.
The central house holds Wong Tai Sin. He is a healer and medicine god. Legend says he transformed rocks into sheep.
Before Tam Kung, there are three rows of offering tables. At the lower altar, there is the Unpredictable Ghost. The main deity is baby-faced. He wears a red nine-dragon robe. This aligns with the theory that he was a boy emperor. He usually holds a bell. In front of him are older wooden images. They are all child-like.
On the right is Lung Mo. She is the Dragon Mother. She is the goddess of motherly love. Dragons control rain. Tam Kung controls rain too. They both offer protection.
In a side hall, there are two Kwun Yum statues. Kwun Yum is the bodhisattva of Mercy. One statue is Taoist. The other is Buddhist.
Outside the Temple of Tam Kung, a pilgrim seeks shelter. The gods offer spiritual reassurance. The Temple of Tam Kung shows how ordinary people become gods. A shepherd, a country girl, a child emperor. All can be gods in Hong Kong.