Religious site
Tin Hau Temple Complex, Yau Ma Tei
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The Tin Hau Temple Complex in Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon, is a row of five adjacent historic buildings: temples dedicated to Tin Hau, Shing Wong and Kwun Yum, plus a former communal hall and study hall. The complex stands behind the public square historically known as Yung Shue Tau.
Don't miss
- Five distinct buildings in a row: Kwun Yum temple (built 1894), Shing Wong Temple (1878), Tin Hau Temple (oldest), Kwun Yam Lau She Tan (1894, originally a communal hall), and Hsu Yuen (1897, a former study hall).
- The Tin Hau Temple is the oldest temple in the complex, erected around 1864.
- A Nine-Dragon Wall in the garden behind the complex.
Tickets & tours
Ways to visit Tin Hau Temple Complex, Yau Ma Tei
You can visit Tin Hau Temple Complex, Yau Ma Tei on your own. A guide is worth it for the history and detail that is easy to walk past, and a tour can combine it with nearby sights.
Cheapest way inTaipei's Origin & Longshan Temple - Taiwan Cultural Walking Tour4.8★ · 28 travelers~2 hoursFree cancellationFrom$5 per personSee dates →
Most bookedHong Kong's Tin Hau Hidden Gems Food Tour with 7+ Local Tastings4.9★ · 387 travelers~3 hoursFree cancellationFrom$107 per personSee dates →
Private & flexiblePrivate Kowloon Michelin Rated Street Food & Culture Tour4.9★ · 46 travelers~4 hoursFree cancellationFrom$238 per personSee dates →Getting there
Know before you go
- The full five-building complex was declared a monument in May 2020.
- The Hsu Yuen study hall and communal hall hosted a free school for local boat and land communities until 1955.
- Land reclamation moved the shoreline so far outward that the once-waterfront temple now stands nearly three kilometres inland.
- A Nine-Dragon Wall stands in the garden behind the complex.
A bit of history
The Tin Hau Temple likely originated from a small temple in the Kwun Chung Market area and was moved to its current site by boat people and villagers of Yau Ma Tei around 1864. Originally facing the Yau Ma Tei waterfront, land reclamation has since placed it nearly three kilometers inland. The communal hall and study hall were used until 1955 as a free school for boat and land people. The temple was managed by a local merchant council before 1914, then by the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals from 1914 onward, with official transfer in 1928. The Tin Hau Temple was listed as a Grade I historic building in June 2000, and the entire complex became a declared monument in May 2020.
Common questions
What buildings make up the Tin Hau Temple Complex?
It consists of five adjacent buildings: Kwun Yum temple, Shing Wong Temple, Tin Hau Temple, Kwun Yam Lau She Tan (a communal hall), and Hsu Yuen (a former study hall).
Why is Temple Street named that way?
Temple Street took its name from the Tin Hau temple beside the historic public square.
What is the significance of the Nine-Dragon Wall?
It is a decorative wall located in the Public Square Street Children's Playground and Rest Garden behind the complex, adding a cultural landmark to the area.
How far is the temple from the original waterfront?
Due to land reclamation, the complex is now nearly three kilometers inland from where it originally faced the Yau Ma Tei waterfront.
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