Temple and Feng Shui Tour
Temple and Feng Shui Tour
Hong Kong Island and Kowloon
Feng shui has been a part of the culture of Hong Kong since its early days. It aims for harmony of chi, and when achieved, good luck, synonymous with health and wealth, will follow.
A feng shui master looks at the flows of energy called chi (considered to be the breath of nature) in a location or building using a special compass called a lopan. This determines the energy characteristics. Complex mathematical calculations are also involved. Hills, water and buildings can all affect the flow of chi, as everything in the universe has an energy force. The first villages built in the New Territories were located in sites that captured the chi, and today feng shui continues to be an accepted part of many aspects of life in the city.
We start our guided walk in the Central business district, taking in the environment of the HSBC bank building and its location on a Dragon’s pulse. Moving along we look at the China Bank Tower, (the masterpiece of architecture, designed by IM Pei) which has an interesting slant on feng shui.
From here we use public transport and take ourselves northward, to the foothills of Lion’s Rock, to a perfect feng shui location for the Wong Tai Sin temple (Sik Sik Yuen), the home of the ‘great God Wong’. Here, people worship Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism, all under the same roof – famed for the statement, “What you request is what you get”.
This is one of Hong Kong’s busiest temples, with most visitors coming to the temple in search of a spiritual answer via a practice called Kau Cim. They light incense sticks, kneel before the main altar, make a wish and shake a bamboo cylinder containing fortune sticks until a stick falls out. A ritual follows and eventually a stick is exchanged for a piece of paper bearing the same number, whereupon the soothsayer will interpret the fortune on the paper for the worshipper.
This is a very busy place, particularly during Chinese New Year, with worshippers waiting overnight to get to light their incense as early into the New Year as they can.
From here we move onto the peaceful Nan Lian garden and through the Buddhist temple at the Chi Lin Nunnery. This beautiful building was constructed without using any iron nails, as it would have been in the Tang dynasty. It is the only such building in Hong Kong.
We finish the tour here. For those who are hungry, there is the option of staying for lunch at the vegetarian restaurant in the garden.
Highlights: HSBC Building, China Bank Tower, Wong Tai Sin Temple, Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lian Garden.
Summary
Cost: HKD500 per person, includes transport
Time: Half day
Tour starts: 9.00am
Tour ends: 12.30 at the Nan Lian Garden
Meeting point: Outside the General Post Office (beside the green stamp-vending machines), 2 Connaught Place, Central, Hong Kong Island
Facilities: Toilets along route, and refreshment stops available.
Note: Please note that our tours run on demand. You have to make a booking in order to participate.
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