Hau Wong Explained

Hau Wong or Hou Wang is a title that can be translated as "Prince Marquis" or "Holy Marquis". It is not any one person's name.[1] Hau Wong refers usually to, a loyal and courageous general. Despite his failing health, he remained in the army to protect the last emperor of Southern Song Dynasty when he took refuge southwards in Kowloon.[2]

Temples in Hong Kong

There are several temples dedicated to Hau Wong in Hong Kong, including six temples in Yuen Long.[3] These temples can be named Hau Wong Temple or Yeung Hau Temple . The table provides a partial list of these temples.

Note 1: A territory-wide grade reassessment of historic buildings is ongoing. The grades listed in the table are based on these updates https://www.aab.gov.hk/filemanager/aab/en/content_29/AAB-SM-chi.pdf https://www.aab.gov.hk/filemanager/aab/en/content_29/list_new_items_assessed.pdf (8 June 2023). The temples with a "Not listed" status in the table below are not graded and do not appear in the list of historic buildings considered for grading.
Note 2: While most probably incomplete, this list is tentatively exhaustive.

Islands District

LocationNotesStatusReferencesPhotographs
Tai O, Lantau Island
22.2591°N 113.8628°W
Yeung Hau Temple (大澳楊侯古廟)
Built in 1699.[4] Managed by the Chinese Temples Committee.
Pictures of Hau Wong Festival: http://www.hkhikers.com/Tai%20O%20Hau%20Wong%20Festival.htm http://www.hkhikers.com/Tai%20O%20Yeung%20Hau%20Festival%202009.htm
Declared[5] (2017)https://www.amo.gov.hk/en/historic-buildings/monuments/outlying-islands/monuments_117/index.html http://www.ctc.org.hk/en/directcontrol/temple19.asp
Shek Pik, Lantau IslandInundated by the Shek Pik Reservoir in 1960.Non extanthttp://industrialhistoryhk.org/shek-pik-reservoir-submerged-villages/
Sha Tsui Tau, Tung Chung, Lantau Island
22.2803°N 113.9312°W
Hau Wong Temple, Tung Chung (東涌侯王古廟)
Built in 1765,[6] it is the largest Hau Wong temple in Lantau island.[7]
Grade IIhttps://www.aab.gov.hk/filemanager/aab/common/historicbuilding/en/889_Appraisal_En.pdf https://www.aab.gov.hk/filemanager/aab/common/historicbuilding/photo/889_Photo.pdf https://www.ctc.org.hk/en/temple/%E6%9D%B1%E6%B6%8C%E6%B2%99%E5%92%80%E9%A0%AD%E4%BE%AF%E7%8E%8B%E5%BB%9F/ https://fso.createhk.gov.hk/en/location/detail.php?id=1009

Yuen Long District

LocationNotesStatusReferencesPhotographs
Hang Tau Tsuen, next to Sheung Cheung Wai, Ping Shan, Yuen Long District
22.4464°N 114.0077°W
Yeung Hau Temple, Ping Shan (屏山楊侯古廟)
Partly dedicated to Hau Wong. The temple is part of the Ping Shan Heritage Trail.[12] [13]
Grade IIIhttps://www.aab.gov.hk/filemanager/aab/common/historicbuilding/en/924_Appraisal_En.pdf https://www.aab.gov.hk/filemanager/aab/common/historicbuilding/photo/924_Photo.pdf https://hong-kong-heritage.com/pingshan16/ https://www.hkmytravel.com/new-territories/yeung-hau-temple-ping-shan
Tong Yan San Tsuen, Ping Shan, Yuen Long District22.4339°N 114.0125°WYeung Hau Temple, Tong Yan San Tsuen . The temple is also known as Yee Ling Temple and Za Ling Temple
Situated to the east of Tong Yan San Tsuen near Sha Tseng Road,[14] it was built in 1711.[15]
Grade IIIhttps://www.aab.gov.hk/filemanager/aab/common/historicbuilding/en/1045_Appraisal_En.pdf http://www.aab.gov.hk/filemanager/aab/common/historicbuilding/photo/1045_Photo.pdf http://blog.terewong.com/archives/14006
Tung Tau Tsuen, Ha Tsuen, Yuen Long District
22.4536°N 113.9931°W
Yeung Hau Temple, Ha Tsuen (廈村楊侯宮) also known as Tung Tau Miu [16] Declared[17] https://www.amo.gov.hk/en/historic-buildings/monuments/new-territories/monuments_34/index.html https://web.archive.org/web/20110724153810/http://www.go2yl.com/history.asp?id=k10&lang=eng http://blog.terewong.com/archives/14057
San Wai, Ha Tsuen, Yuen Long District
22.4528°N 113.9897°W
Yeung Hau Temple, also called the Sai Tau Miu [18]
It was renovated in 1901. It serves as the social venue which plays the dual roles as a temple and an ancestral hall of San Wai. Basin meal feasts are organized in front of the Temple during Yeung Hau Festival and Lunar New Year.[19]
Nil gradehttps://www.aab.gov.hk/filemanager/aab/common/historicbuilding/en/1415_Appraisal_En.pdf http://www.aab.gov.hk/filemanager/aab/common/historicbuilding/photo/1415_Photo.pdf http://blog.terewong.com/archives/14707 https://isletforum.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=11624
Sik Kong Wai, Ha Tsuen, Yuen Long District
22.449°N 113.9921°W
Yeung Hau Temple
Shrine of a walled village. Situated at the end of the central axis of Sik Kong Wai, a walled village of the Tang Clan in Ha Tsuen, with its name recorded in the Xin'an Gazetteer of 1820.[20]
Nil gradehttps://www.aab.gov.hk/filemanager/aab/common/historicbuilding/en/1343_Appraisal_En.pdf https://www.aab.gov.hk/filemanager/aab/common/historicbuilding/photo/1343_Photo.pdf http://blog.terewong.com/archives/10164 http://blog.terewong.com/archives/20732
No. 26C Cheung Shing Street, Yuen Long Kau Hui, Yuen Long
22.4473°N 114.0324°W
Tai Wong Temple, Yuen Long Kau Hui
It was probably built between 1662 and 1722. It is the main temple of Nam Pin Wai as well as Yuen Long Kau Hui.[21] It was built for the worship of Hung Shing and Yeung Hau. Other than for worship, the temple was a venue for solving disputes and discussing market affairs among the villagers.[22] It also once served as a yamen and the officials lived there.
Grade Ihttps://www.aab.gov.hk/filemanager/aab/common/historicbuilding/en/190_Appraisal_En.pdf https://www.aab.gov.hk/filemanager/aab/common/historicbuilding/photo/190_Photo.pdf
Wong Uk Tsuen, Yuen Long District
22.4484°N 114.038°W
Yi Shing Temple, conventionally called Tai Wong Temple
It is mainly for the worship of Hung Shing and Yeung Hau deities. Renovation was carried out in 1924. It still acts as an alliance temple of the Tung Tau Alliance formed by the seven villages next to Yuen Long Kau Hui. In the old days, the temple operated a credit society serving the alliance villages.[23] [24]
Nil gradehttps://www.aab.gov.hk/filemanager/aab/common/historicbuilding/en/1265_Appraisal_En.pdf http://www.aab.gov.hk/filemanager/aab/common/historicbuilding/photo/1265_Photo.pdf http://blog.terewong.com/archives/7015/comment-page-1
Yuen Kong Tsuen, Pat Heung, Yuen Long District
22.4256°N 114.0777°W
Chung Shing Temple (Temple of All Saints)
The main deity of the temple is Pak Tai with some others including Hau Wong and the Earth God.[25]
Grade IIIhttps://www.aab.gov.hk/filemanager/aab/common/historicbuilding/en/1065_Appraisal_En.pdf https://www.aab.gov.hk/filemanager/aab/common/historicbuilding/photo/1065_Photo.pdf http://blog.terewong.com/archives/11344

See also

Notes and References

  1. Frederick, Holder. Livernash, Edward James. [1892] (1892). The Californian Illustrated Magazine: December, 1892 to May 1893 Volume III. The Californian Publishing Company. No ISBN digitized text
  2. Web site: Deities . .
  3. http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/ce/Museum/Monument/en/trails_pingshan1.php?tid=6 Antiquities and Monuments Office website
  4. [Chinese Temples Committee]
  5. Web site: Tai O's 300-year-old Yeung Hau Temple declared a monument. Clark. Robert. 2017-10-22. Lantau News. en-US. 2020-02-08. 2020-03-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20200320174529/https://lantaunews.com/2017/10/22/tai-os-300-year-old-yeung-hau-temple-declared-a-monument/. dead.
  6. Siu. Anthony K.K.. 1980. Distribution of temples on Lantau Island as recorded in 1979. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong Branch. 20. 136–139. 1991-7295.
  7. Web site: Tung Chung Hau Wong Temple . 2012-08-31 . 2012-10-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121006005747/http://www.np360.com.hk/en/lantau-outdoor-fun/land/hau-wong-temple.html . dead .
  8. Web site: Tai Wai Walled Village and its Hau Wong Temple . 2010-06-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110718103526/http://orientalsweetlips.wordpress.com/2009/08/15/tai-wai-walled-village-and-its-hau-wong-temple/ . 2011-07-18 . dead .
  9. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkjo/view/44/4401542.pdf "Old Hau Wong Temple, Tai Wai, Sha Tin"
  10. [Chinese Temples Committee]
  11. Lim, Patricia. [2002] (2002). Discovering Hong Hong's Cultural Heritage. Central, Hong Kong: Oxford University Press. ISBN Volume One 0-19-592723-0
  12. http://www.hkoutdoors.com/new-territories/ping-shan-trail.html Ping Shan Trail at hkoutdoors.com
  13. http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/ce/Museum/Monument/en/trails_pingshan1.php?tid=6 Ping Shan Heritage Trail - Yeung Hau Temple, Hang Tau Tsuen
  14. [Antiquities Advisory Board]
  15. [Antiquities Advisory Board]
  16. [Antiquities Advisory Board]
  17. [Antiquities and Monuments Office]
  18. [Antiquities Advisory Board]
  19. Web site: Brief Information on proposed Grade Nil Items. Item #1415 . 2017-07-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121015135424/http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/ce/Museum/Monument/form/Brief_Information_on_proposed_Grade_Nil_Items.pdf . 2012-10-15 . dead .
  20. [Antiquities Advisory Board]
  21. [Antiquities Advisory Board]
  22. [Antiquities Advisory Board]
  23. [Antiquities Advisory Board]
  24. [Antiquities Advisory Board]
  25. [Antiquities Advisory Board]
  26. Houwang. "Houwang ." Australian Temple website. Retrieved on 2007-05-08.