Man Mo Temple & Sheung Wan

Chinese merchants and local residents built the temple compound between 1847 and 1862, only a few years after the British took over Hong Kong Island. It has three parts: the Man Mo Temple itself; Lit Shing Kung, built for the worship of all the heavenly gods; and Kung Sor, a hall where community affairs were discussed and disputes settled at a time when the Chinese population had little say in colonial government.

Under the Man Mo Temple Ordinance of 1908, the temple and its property were entrusted to Tung Wah Hospital, now the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, which still manages it. A free school, Chung Wah College, was founded beside the temple in 1880. The compound was declared a monument in 2010, and the annual Autumn Sacrificial Rites held here, organised by Tung Wah since 1957, are listed on Hong Kong's Intangible Cultural Heritage Inventory.

Artefacts inside include a bronze bell cast in 1847 and a sedan chair made in 1862, along with granite carvings, plaster mouldings and historic murals.

Man Mo Temple remains an active place of Chinese folk and Taoist worship. Many people visit on the 1st and 15th days of the lunar month, when the temple opens earlier, and students and their parents come to pray to Man Cheong before exams. Hanging an incense coil, often with a red tag bearing the donor's name and wishes, is a common offering. Visitors should move quietly, avoid blocking altars or worshippers, never touch offerings, and photograph discreetly.