The Man Mo Temple was built in 1847 and is known to be one of oldest temples in Hong Kong. The Man Mo Temple was built to honour the God of Literature (Man) who holds a writing brush and the God of War (Mo) who is depicted with a sword, by students who wished to succeed in civil examinations of Imperial China. Its initial use during the Qing dynasty was a court of arbitration which served to adjudicate on matters between the Chinese and the colonialists. The Temple is the epitome of heritage in Hong Kong, as for years, locals travel from around the country to worship and offer prayers to the Gods. For tourists visiting the Temple and looking for accommodation in the vicinity, there are plenty of options such as Cosmopolitan Hotel Wan Chai Hong Kong.
The main entrance of the hall stands with four goldentabletsheld on poles, two of which describe the Gods worshipped at the temple, one requesting for silence within the premises and the other prohibiting menstruating women from entering the main hall. These four golden plaques used to be taken on processions, while the two Gods are believed to have carried around on sedan chairs featuring elaborate carvings. The 19th century artefacts which the Gods sat upon are now located inside the temple.
The Man Mo Temple forms part of a compound, which includes Lit Shing Kung, known as the ‘saints palace’, where Buddhist and Taoist deities are worshipped, the Kung Sor which is a public meeting place used simultaneously as a court of justice to solve disputes in the Chinese community, before the modern judicial system replaced it.
The entrance to the temple requires those entering the premises to refrain from taking pictures and any prejudice as they are reminded that it is a place of worship and therefore a highly sacred place amongst its worshippers.
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