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One of the oldest and most famous and beautiful temples
in Hong Kong is Man Mo Temple. It is located at the intersection
of Hollywood Road and Ladder Street. The temple was built in the
1800s, at the beginning of the British colonial rule. A copper bell
in the temple, made during the reign of Emperor Daoguang (1820-1850),
proudly proclaims the temple's long history.
Although it has been remodeled several times, the temple still
maintains its original appearance. Inside the temple are delicate
wooden bases used for transporting deities during parades and festivals
and incense burners made of copper and other metals. Huge tower-shaped
incense coils are always hanging from the ceiling of the hall and
over the courtyard. And the smoke of the burning incense, together
with the sunbeams, adds an element of mystery to the temple and
indicates happiness, health and fortune.
The temple is a perfect combination of Taoism and Buddhism. Two
deities are worshiped side by side in the temple shrine. They are
Wenchang and Guan Yu. Wenchang, with a brush in his hand, takes
charge of literature, especially during the imperial examinations,
which determined a man's official rank in feudal times. Guan Yu,
holding a sword in his hand, is in charge of war. There are statues
of other Chinese gods as well, like Baogong, the symbol of justice
and the town god who protects the whole city.
In these days, the temple is still popular. During the Spring Festival,
many children, accompanied by their parents, pay a visit to the
temple to pray for good grades in a new semester. Usually, the pilgrims
to the temple are people from the business circles and the financial
community, donating from two or three hundred yuan to more than
ten thousand yuan.
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