Che Kung Temple

Sometimes it seems wrong to comment on religious establishments. Che Kung Temple itself is, afterall, a temple, and shouldn’t be at the whims of us mere mortals poking our fingers at it commenting whether it’s interesting or not. However, if you really know Hong Kong well, you will know that Che Kung Temple retains its name not only in the religious sense– but also in its touristic value. I don’t have any exact figures on this but at times I would wonder whether more people come here just to take a few pictures rather than to pray.
First and foremost– this temple is dedicated to the god Che Kung. He’s known for changing fortunes and many believers believe that fortunes could be turned through turning the fan at the entrance at the temple; as a sign that their luck is «turning». Now if you are the superstitious type than don’t turn it on a whim because it may turn your good luck the other way around. Inside, you will get the various incense stick burning stoves and the statues inside– anyone can buy them right outside but unless you are really keen on this I wouldn’t recommend it.
From a tourist point of view; this is probably well worth a visit. This is a tradition that has carried on for thousands of years and this shows you once again that Hong Kong really is a mix of cultures and traditions. The temple, the worshippers are all part of that culture and for that alone it is well worth visiting.

On the second day of the first lunar month, you will see hundreds of thousands of people would come here to worship Che Kung who was a general during the Southern Song Dynasty in ancient China as it is believed it was his birthday (also commonly known as Che Kung’s festival) and visiting Che Kung Temple grants you good luck in the coming year. As superstitious as commonly believed, Chinese people do take it very seriously as they would bring wheels of fortune while turning the fan signifies the turn of bad luck into good.
The establishment of this fascinating temple was due to the desperate move from the authorities back then to suppress the epidemic that killed quite a number of people. Legend has it that the pandemic showed signs of subdue upon the successful completion of the construction.
I have never been much of a believer and I have only been there with my parents several times but I am sure this will be an eye-​opener for both tourists and the new generations as this place is filled with traditional Chinese culture like the color of red and the Chinese zodiac, etc. Do not forget to go inside the main hall as there erected the magnificent statue of Che Kung which is laid with gold. Also, outside you may find quite a lot of fortune-​tellers who may be able to change your luck in the coming year!

The Che Kung Temple is one of the busiest temples in Hong Kong and is usually packed with visitors from Hong Kong and the Mainland. Interestingly, the temple is home to three religions — Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. This mix makes it an extremely spiritual place in Wong Tai Sin, and I noticed when I visited that it did indeed feel a little more dynamic than some other temples I’ve been to in HK.
For one, the architecture is a little bolder. There are twelve statues as you enter the temple, each of them with the body of a human, but each with the head of a different Chinese zodiac animal. It’s a really good spot to take a few photos with your own respective animal, but be wary of the lines of visitors with their cameras ready for the hunt…
As you head up the steps, you’ll find yourself in the main courtyard with the main sight — the temple itself. The traditional style of this temple means plenty of orange, yellow and of course, red. When I visited there were lanterns hanging across the temple roofs, all a little too gimmicky, methinks.
This was only emphasized when you do what most of the people do at the temple: find out what your future holds! You can ask at the temple stall for a cup of lollipop sticks, each one with a number. As you kneel and face the deities at the temple, you shake the cup until one falls out. After this often lengthy process, you can take the stick to the reader and find out what’s in store for you, if one were so mystically inclined…
As we were about to leave the temple, we took a turn into the wonderfully named ‘Good Wish Garden’. If your fortune telling didn’t go so well this time round, this may be a good place to contemplate things and put your mind at ease by the koi fish pond and man-​made waterfall. We were definitely glad to have taken the extra half hour walking around the pagodas and over the bridges, beating the crowds that swarmed around the main activities.