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Man Mo Temple
 

Man Mo Temple, a temple dedicated to Man, God of Literature, and Mo, God of Martial Valour, is located at the intersection of Hollywood Road and Ladder Street. Built in 1848 during the early years of British rule, the temple is one of the oldest and most famous temples in Hong Kong. People pray to the pair of deities in the hope that their children will inherit the wisdom of Man and the strength of Mo.

Rebuilt several times, the temple still keeps its original appearance. Two images are enshrined inside the temple, God of Literature who holds a writing brush in his hand and God of Martial Valour who wears a green gown and holds a long sword. The brass and pewter incense burners, and heavy wooden chairs with intricate carvings of images of the gods, make visitors feel the atmosphere of crowded worshippers praying in the temple in past years. From the ceiling in the middle hall, massive coils of incense suggesting the shape of a pagoda hang down and burn slowly, the fragrant smell permeating the room and "attracting the attention" of the gods. Occasionally the rhythmic beating of a drum can be heard in the background.

In the early days of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the local Chinese were not accustomed to the proper ceremony for taking a religious oath. Then the Qing court adopted the traditional Chinese oath taking form to fulfill the task. It is said that the oath taking ceremony that included cutting off a chicken's head and burning yellow paper, as performed here during the period of the Qing Dynasty, is still recognized today by the Hong Kong Government.

Near the temple are fortune-tellers' stalls where you can discover your destiny by shaking a bamboo cylinder containing fortune sticks - the number on the first stick to fall out corresponds to a suitably ambiguous written fortune.

 
 
 
 
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