Old Hong Kong-2 — Page 189

Old Hong Kong 昔日香港 All AI Reviewed

1080

TEMPLES

Down in the heart of the Western District, not far from the once notorious Taipingshan, there stands a temple in which the Chinese have worshipped for more than eighty years. Ornate, when viewed from the outside, but dark and gloomy in the interior, the Man Mo Temple remains to-day the most popular on the island.

When the British flag was hoisted on the island in 1841, this strand of "fragrant streams," as the Chinese poetically styled it, was inhabited chiefly by native fishermen who doubtless, when times were bad, aided and abetted the hordes of pirates who infested these and the neighbouring shores of the province of Kwangtung. But low as was the class of settlers here in the "good old days," they were not an altogether abandoned set, for numerous joss houses were then studded about the island, furnishing abundant evidence that the gods which their forefathers had been taught to worship were not altogether forgotten by the generation of fishermen whose lines were cast in altogether different and more prosperous times.

Amongst others, there was found a small temple situated at the foot of a gully (now the foot of Ladder Street) surrounded by a beautiful grove of banyan and other ornamental trees, and past which a rippling brook wended its way towards the sea.

To this temple the inhabitants of the island were in the habit of repairing in considerable numbers at the time of the Spring and Autumn solstice, and when their fleets of fishing vessels were about to put to sea at certain well-defined seasons of the year.

It was by no means an imposing structure in those days, but such as it was, the temple was the largest and most famous on the island, and contained accommodation for two priests and two large and seven small gods.

That was the condition of this historic temple in the 29th year of the reign of the Emperor To Kwong (1849). Coincident with the British occupation, however, an influx of Chinese settlers started and the original rustic appearance of the favourite "house of the gods" was soon altered. Trees, shrubs, and pretty grass plots disappeared and in their place, the homes of a heterogeneous population sprang up.

The newcomers were also attracted towards the shrine of the nine Buddhas, and so numerous were the worshippers on the great feast days that considerable difficulty was experienced by the priests in conducting the ceremonials.

This state of affairs naturally led to the leading Chinese getting up a subscription for the construction of a temple on the site of the one which had, by a strange sequence of stirring events, become too cramped for the purpose for which it was intended.

Success crowned the efforts of the promoters and in the thirtieth year of the reign of the Emperor To Kwong, (1850) the ancient rendezvous of the devout residents was demolished and the present Man Mo (Civilian-Military) Temple was raised over the ruins of the "great defunct." It was an edifice which cost $60,000 and which for years answered all the purposes for which it was constructed.

In 1894, sufficient money was raised for the re-construction of the temple. During the course of this work, a stone was discovered in one of the walls of the main building, bearing Chinese characters which at once set at rest any question of the real age of the temple.

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1080 TEMPLES Down in the heart of the Western District, not far from the once notorious Taipingshan, there stands a temple in which the Chinese have worshipped for more than eighty years. Ornate, when viewed from the outside, but dark and gloomy in the interior, the Man Mo Temple remains to-day the most popular on the island. When the British flag was hoisted on the island in 1841, this strand of "fragrant streams," as the Chinese poetically styled it, was inhabited chiefly by native fishermen who doubtless, when times were bad, aided and abetted the hordes of pirates who infested these and the neighbouring shores of the province of Kwangtung. But low as was the class of settlers here in the "good old days," they were not an altogether abandoned set, for numerous joss houses were then studded about the island, furnishing abundant evidence that the gods which their forefathers had been taught to worship were not altogether forgotten by the generation of fishermen whose lines were cast in altogether different and more prosperous times. Amongst others, there was found a small temple situated at the foot of a gully (now the foot of Ladder Street) surrounded by a beautiful grove of banyan and other ornamental trees, and past which a rippling brook wended its way towards the sea. To this temple the inhabitants of the island were in the habit of repairing in considerable numbers at the time of the Spring and Autumn solstice, and when their fleets of fishing vessels were about to put to sea at certain well-defined seasons of the year. It was by no means an imposing structure in those days, but such as it was, the temple was the largest and most famous on the island, and contained accommodation for two priests and two large and seven small gods. That was the condition of this historic temple in the 29th year of the reign of the Emperor To Kwong (1849). Coincident with the British occupation, however, an influx of Chinese settlers started and the original rustic appearance of the favourite "house of the gods" was soon altered. Trees, shrubs, and pretty grass plots disappeared and in their place, the homes of a heterogeneous population sprang up. The newcomers were also attracted towards the shrine of the nine Buddhas, and so numerous were the worshippers on the great feast days that considerable difficulty was experienced by the priests in conducting the ceremonials. This state of affairs naturally led to the leading Chinese getting up a subscription for the construction of a temple on the site of the one which had, by a strange sequence of stirring events, become too cramped for the purpose for which it was intended. Success crowned the efforts of the promoters and in the thirtieth year of the reign of the Emperor To Kwong, (1850) the ancient rendezvous of the devout residents was demolished and the present Man Mo (Civilian-Military) Temple was raised over the ruins of the "great defunct." It was an edifice which cost $60,000 and which for years answered all the purposes for which it was constructed. In 1894, sufficient money was raised for the re-construction of the temple. During the course of this work, a stone was discovered in one of the walls of the main building, bearing Chinese characters which at once set at rest any question of the real age of the temple.

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1080 TEMPLES Down in the heart of the Western District, not fer from the once notorious Taipingshan, there stands a temple in which the Chinese have worshipped for more than eighty years. Ornate, when viewed from the outside, but dark and gloomy in the interior, the Man Mo Temple remains to-day the most popular on the island. # When the British flag was hoisted on the island in 1841, this strand of "fragrant streams, as the Chine se poetically styled it, was inhabited chiefly by native fisherman who doubtless, when times were bad, aided and abetted the hordes of pirates who infested these and the neighbouring shores of the province of Kwangtung. But low as was the class of settlers here in the "good old days," they were not an altogether abandoned set, for numerous joss houses were then studded about the island, furnishing abundent evidence that the gods which their forefathers had been taught to worship were not altogether forgotten by the generation of fishermen whose lines were cast in altogether different and more prosperous time s . Amongst others, there was found a small temple situated at the foot of a gully (now the foot of Ladder Street)surrounded by a beautiful grove of banyan and other ornamental trees, and past whicha rippling brook wended its way towards the sea. To this temple the inhabitants of the island were in the habit of repairing in considerable numbers at the time of the Spring and Autumn solstice, and when their fleets of fishing vessels were about to put to sea at certain well-derined seasons of the year. It was by no means an imposing structure in those days, but such as it was, the temple was the largest and most famous on the island, and contained accommodation for two priests and two large and seven small, gods. That was the condition of this historic temple in the 29th year of the reign of the Emperor To Kwong (1849). Coincident with the British occupation, however, an influx of Chinese settler s started and the original rustic appearance of the favourite Vhouse of the gods" was soofi altered. Trees, shrubs, and pretty crass plots disappeared and in their place, the homes of a hetero- geneous population sprang up. The se newcomers were also attreated towards the shrine of the nine Buddhas, and so numerous were the worshippers on the great feast days that considerable difficulty was experienced by the priests in conducting the ceremonials. This state of affaire naturally led to the leading Chinese getting up a subscription for the construction of a temple on e site of the one which had, by a strange sequence of stirring events, be come too cramped for the purpose for which it was intended Success drowned the efforts of the promoters and in the thirtieth year of the reign of the Emperor. To Kwong, (1850) theancient rendezvous of the devout residents was demolished and the present Man Mo (Civilian-Military) Temple was raised over the ruins of the "great defunct." It was an edifice which cost $60,000 and which for years answered all the purposes for which it was constructed. ! In 1894, sufficient money was raised for the re-construction the temple. During the course of this work, a stone was dis- overed in one of the walls of the main building, bearing Chinese aracters which at once set at rest any question of the real age 2 the temple.

2026-05-02 11:12:24 · Baseline

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1080

TEMPLES

Down in the heart of the Western District, not fer from the once notorious Taipingshan, there stands a temple in which the Chinese have worshipped for more than eighty years. Ornate, when viewed from the outside, but dark and gloomy in the interior, the Man Mo Temple remains to-day the most popular on the island.

When the British flag was hoisted on the island in 1841, this strand of "fragrant streams, as the Chine se poetically styled it, was inhabited chiefly by native fisherman who doubtless, when times were bad, aided and abetted the hordes of pirates who infested these and the neighbouring shores of the province of Kwangtung. But low as was the class of settlers here in the "good old days," they were not an altogether abandoned set, for numerous joss houses were then studded about the island, furnishing abundent evidence that the gods which their forefathers had been taught to worship were not altogether forgotten by the generation of fishermen whose lines were cast in altogether different and more prosperous time s .

Amongst others, there was found a small temple situated at the foot of a gully (now the foot of Ladder Street)surrounded by a beautiful grove of banyan and other ornamental trees, and past whicha rippling brook wended its way towards the sea.

That was the condition of this historic temple in the 29th year of the reign of the Emperor To Kwong (1849). Coincident with the British occupation, however, an influx of Chinese settler s started and the original rustic appearance of the favourite Vhouse of the gods" was soofi altered. Trees, shrubs, and pretty crass plots disappeared and in their place, the homes of a hetero- geneous population sprang up.

The se newcomers were also attreated towards the shrine of the nine Buddhas, and so numerous were the worshippers on the great feast days that considerable difficulty was experienced by the priests in conducting the ceremonials.

This state of affaire naturally led to the leading Chinese getting up a subscription for the construction of a temple on

e site of the one which had, by a strange sequence of stirring events, be come too cramped for the purpose for which it was intended

Success drowned the efforts of the promoters and in the thirtieth year of the reign of the Emperor. To Kwong, (1850) theancient rendezvous of the devout residents was demolished and the present Man Mo (Civilian-Military) Temple was raised over the ruins of the "great defunct." It was an edifice which cost $60,000 and which for years answered all the purposes for which it was constructed.

In 1894, sufficient money was raised for the re-construction the temple. During the course of this work, a stone was dis- overed in one of the walls of the main building, bearing Chinese aracters which at once set at rest any question of the real age 2 the temple.

Old Hong Kong-2 — Page 189

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