Yuk Hui Temple (Pak Tai Temple), Wan Chai湾仔玉虚宫（北帝庙）

Type

Temples and Abbeys (Gongguan)

Location

Hong Kong, China · Hong Kong · Wan Chai, Hong Kong Island · 2 Lung On Street, between Stone Nullah Lane and Queen's Road East

Coordinates

22.2729, 114.1738 Map ↗

First built

Construction began in 1862, completed in 1863 · Built with funds raised by the residents of Wan Chai; the name plaque 'Yuk Hui Kung' was written by the noted Qing-dynasty general Zhang Yutang; it is now managed by the Chinese Temples Committee

Heritage status

Hong Kong Declared Monument (2019)Hong Kong Grade I Historic Building (2010)

Overview

The Pak Tai Temple in Wan Chai, formally named Yuk Hui Kung, was begun in 1862 and completed in 1863, built with funds raised by the residents of Wan Chai, and is dedicated primarily to Zhenwu Xuantian Shangdi, Ruler of the North, with the Three Treasure Buddhas, the Dragon Mother, the God of Wealth, and the Year Deities (Taisui) also worshipped. The bronze seated statue of Pak Tai enshrined in the main hall stands over three meters tall, with an inscription on the hem of the robe reading "the thirty-first year of Wanli" (1603), making it the temple's most important artifact. The building follows the two-hall, three-bay form typical of Qing-dynasty folk architecture, with an incense pavilion at the center and side halls on either side; the main ridge and the gable at the entrance are decorated with Shiwan ceramic ware, and the completion date is carved into the front eave beam — a practice rarely seen in Hong Kong temples. The three characters of the temple's name plaque, "Yuk Hui Kung," were written by the noted Qing-dynasty general stationed in Guangdong, Zhang Yutang. In 2005 a major restoration costing over ten million Hong Kong dollars was completed. The birthday of Pak Tai (the third day of the third lunar month) is a major festival in Wan Chai. The temple was graded a Grade I historic building in 2010, and was upgraded to a Hong Kong Declared Monument on 25 October 2019.

Highlights

• The bronze statue of Pak Tai from the thirty-first year of the Wanli era of the Ming (1603)
• The name plaque 'Yuk Hui Kung' written by Zhang Yutang
• The Shiwan ceramic-decorated main ridge
• The birthday of Pak Tai