The Kwun Yum Temple is the most famous among the great number of them in the territory. It was built in 1873.
In 1909, a road was constructed to connect Hung Hom with Tsim Sha Tsui and Kowloon City. When workers were digging in the hilly areas, red water spouted from the ground. It was rumoured that the vein of the dragon that inhabited in that area had been ruptured as a result of the work. The workers were frightened to continue with the road construction. Despite laboratory findings that the colour of the water was due to a mixture of underground deposits of sulphur and mercury, the workers were still worried and donated money to renovate the temple in the belief that Kwun Yum would be able to help them to avert any subsequent disaster.
During the second World War, it was said that Hung Hom district was under two rounds of heavy bombardments by the Japanese, aiming at destroying the Whampoa Dock. There were heavy casualties in the adjacent school but those people taking shelter in the temple were unharmed. The residents in the area believed that it was a miracle of Kwun Yum.
Photos that show this Place
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Kwun Yum Temple today
kun yam temple in 10s, 30s and 50s
The temple in 1910
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The temple in the 30s
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temple in late 50s
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1951-3-26 and 1958-4-8 celebrations of Kun Yam birthday
News report about the celebration of the birthday of goddess Kun Yam on 3-26 in 1951. A gigantic stage was built on the wuhu children playground for the Cantonese opera performance by the "big phoenix troupe".
https://new.gwulo.com/media/43057
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Upper picture shows wuhu children playground with a big stage for cantonese opera performance. Picture taken at the Chatham-Wuhu junction looking east along wuhu street. Lower picture shows a crowd in front of the Kun Yam temple at the station lane-kun yam st junction.
https://new.gwulo.com/media/43058
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A 1958 news report reads like this: Yesterday was Chinese Calendar Feb 19 - the birthday of Kun Yum (1958-4-7), Kun Yum temples all over Hong Kong were crowded with worshippers.The most crowded was the one in Hunghom. In the past 50 years locals celebrated the occasion with opera performances. People everywhere came to pay their tributes to the goddesss. Yesterday the weather was nice. The crowd was larger than last year. The Hunghom police superintendent came with his police force to maintain order. From morning to noon, the place was crowded. All Hunghom 3-district neighbourhood association committee members, led by chairman mr. Wu, went to the temple to pay tribute according to ancient tradition. There were roast pigs, red buns, 3 kinds of meat. They burned incense (joss sticks) and bowed to the goddess in a solumn ceremony. Many locals also joined in. They returned to the association afterwards. Two temporary structures were erected in front of the Kun Yum temple. One is the Sanqingdian (三清殿). The other is a performance stage (right side in picture). At entrance of temple was another structure with a "big head ghost eater" made of paper. It is 20 feet tall and looking fierce. On both sides of the street were coloured lamps. Inside the temple was full of smoke. It was newly redecorated. Even the goddess herself had some new clothes. It was the result of donations from pious worshippers. Yesterday was the busiest and also the best day for the temple attendant. Every worshipper of course bought a lot of incense. When they brought in a roast pig or other meat, they have to make a substantial donation. It is estimated there were more than ten thousand worshippers entering the temple. The income must be quite substantial. The neighbourhood association also built a stage in the Wuhu children playground. There were performances by the "new bright sun" (新艶陽) troupe led by Xinma Shizeng (新馬師曾), Fang Yanfen (芳艷芬). Every performance was sold out. Yesterday there were one daytime and one evening performance sponsored by the hunghom neighborhood association. Members of other neighbourhood associations, senior government officials were invited to attend. Today and tomorrow evening performances will be for raising funds for building a maternity clinic. The association chairman mr. Wu told reporters the fund raising is doing well. They sold a lot of tickets. In order to serve the urgent needs of poor pregnant women, the association will start the construction of the free clinic after the performances. He hope more people will help out.
The following picture showing the two structures in front of kun yam temple. The right one is a performance stage. The left is "三清殿", a temporary temple for the worship of the 3 gods of Daoism. Picture is looking north along Kun Yam street.
https://new.gwulo.com/media/43059