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Attractions & Activities: Temples
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Wang Tai Sin Temple Pavillion
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Wong Tai Sin
Located six subway stops northeast of Yau Ma Tei in the far north end of Kowloon Peninsula, Wong Tai Sin is Hong Kong's most popular Taoist temple, visited by more than 3 million worshipers. Although the temple itself dates only from 1973, it adheres to traditional Chinese architectural principles with its red pillars, two-tiered golden roof, blue friezes, yellow latticework, and multicolored carvings. What makes the temple so popular, however, is that everyone who comes here is seeking information about their fortune--from advice about business or horse racing to determining which day is most auspicious for a wedding. Most worshipers make use of a bamboo container holding numbered sticks. After lighting a joss stick and kneeling before the main altar, the worshiper gently shakes the container until one of the sticks falls out. The number corresponds to a certain fortune, which is then interpreted by a soothsayer at the temple. You can wander around the temple grounds, on which can be found halls dedicated to the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy and Confucius; the Nine Dragon Garden, a Chinese garden with a pond, waterfall, and a replica of the famous Nine Dragons mural (the original is in Beijing's Imperial Palace); the Good Wish Garden, a replica of the Yi He Garden in Beijing with circular, square, octagonal, and fan-shaped pavilions, ponds, an artificial waterfall, and rocks and concrete fashioned to resemble animals; and a clinic with both Western medical services and traditional Chinese herbal treatments. Wong Tai Sin takes its name, in fact, from a legendary shepherd who learned the art of healing. In short, a visit to this temple, surrounded by vast, government housing estates, provides insight into Chinese religious practices and is well worth a stop despite its out-of-the-way location.
Wong Tai Sin Estate
Open: Temple daily 7am-5:30pm; gardens Tues-Sun 9am-4pm.
Free admission to temple, though donations of about HK$1 are expected at the temple's entrance and for Nine Dragon Wall Garden; admission to Good Wish Garden HK$2 extra.
MTR: Wong Tai Sin and then a 3-minute walk (follow the signs).
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 denotes a Frommer's Favorite
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