Lo Pan Temple
Encyclopedia
Lo Pan Temple which is built for the later generation to commenmorate Lo Pan is in Central and western district, No. 15 Ching Lin Terrace, Kennedy Town
. This temple is now in the route of "Central and Western Heritage Trail
─ The Western District and the Peak Route" , which is created by Antiquities and Monuments office, leisure and culture services department of the government. And it is also in the list of Grade I historic buildings in Hong Kong.
was a Chinese carpenter, engineer, philosopher, inventor, military thinker, statesman who lived during the Spring and Autumn Period of China. Lo Pan was deified as god, and is the patron saint
of Chinese builders and contractors. According to folk legend, he was born with a huge flock of cranes spiralling above his home and special fragrance full of his room. He was therefore conceived as a celestial being. His festival falls on the 13th of the sixth month of the Lunar Calendar
.
joined together to donate money for the establishment of Lo Pan Temple.
The land ownership changed several times and in 1921 was acquired by the temple management company Kwong Yuet Tong. In 1949, Kwong Yuet Tong registered as the legal entity to manage the Temple. The staff of Kwong Yuet Tong mainly consists of the builders in Hong Kong.
Although there are a few temples on the mainland dedicated to Lo Pan, they are usually associated with other gods; Lo Pan Temple in Hong Kong pays tribute solely to Lo Pan. Although repair and maintenance work is often carried out, the Temple generally remains as its original appearance and structure. In 1949, an office of Kwong Yuet Tong and Hong Wah Secondary School were built on the vacant land next to the Temple.
walls, clay sculptural figures, relieves and paintings inside and outside the Temple. It is the Chinese temple with the largest number of wall-paintings on Hong Kong Island.
s filled with traditional Chinese Cultural style depicting different people, insects, animals, flowers and landscapes such as butterflies and narcissi (蝴蝶水仙圖), rowing a boat (張騫泛槎圖), Red Cliff
(夜遊赤壁圖), visiting friends (訪友圖), ladies next to the rock (倚石仕女圖), etc. Different styles of calligraphy are incorporated into the wall-paintings to serve as captions.
. It records the purpose of building this temple - to commemorate Lo Pan as the god of Chinese Architecture and to remind descendants to think of the origin.
Besides, Lion dance
and dragon dance
are performed outside the Temple for entertainmnet and a ceremony is held by the Labour and Welfare Bureau
to award the builders with outstanding performance to encourage the improvement of skills within the construction industry.
Apart from the celebration, Taoist priests are invited to comfort the deceased by chanting prayers inside the Temple.
Kennedy Town
Kennedy Town is at the western end of Sai Wan on Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. It was named after Arthur Edward Kennedy, the 7th Governor of Hong Kong from 1872 to 1877...
. This temple is now in the route of "Central and Western Heritage Trail
Central and Western Heritage Trail
The Central and Western Heritage Trail is a Heritage Trail in Hong Kong, that was designed by the Antiquities and Monuments Office of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.It covers the Central and Western District of Hong Kong and consists of 3 parts:...
─ The Western District and the Peak Route" , which is created by Antiquities and Monuments office, leisure and culture services department of the government. And it is also in the list of Grade I historic buildings in Hong Kong.
Lu Ban
Lu BanLu Ban
Lu Ban was a Chinese carpenter, engineer, philosopher, inventor, military thinker, statesman and contemporary of Mozi, born in the State of Lu, and is the patron Saint of Chinese builders and contractors. He was born in a renowned family during the Spring and Autumn Period when China was...
was a Chinese carpenter, engineer, philosopher, inventor, military thinker, statesman who lived during the Spring and Autumn Period of China. Lo Pan was deified as god, and is the patron saint
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
of Chinese builders and contractors. According to folk legend, he was born with a huge flock of cranes spiralling above his home and special fragrance full of his room. He was therefore conceived as a celestial being. His festival falls on the 13th of the sixth month of the Lunar Calendar
Lunar calendar
A lunar calendar is a calendar that is based on cycles of the lunar phase. A common purely lunar calendar is the Islamic calendar or Hijri calendar. A feature of the Islamic calendar is that a year is always 12 months, so the months are not linked with the seasons and drift each solar year by 11 to...
.
Temple history
Located in 15 Ching Lin Terrace, this is the only urban temple in Hong Kong erected to Lo Pan. It was built by the Contractor's Guild in 1884 with donations from many people connected with the trade. According to the record of a stone curving inside the temple, more than one thousand people from GuangdongGuangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
joined together to donate money for the establishment of Lo Pan Temple.
The land ownership changed several times and in 1921 was acquired by the temple management company Kwong Yuet Tong. In 1949, Kwong Yuet Tong registered as the legal entity to manage the Temple. The staff of Kwong Yuet Tong mainly consists of the builders in Hong Kong.
Although there are a few temples on the mainland dedicated to Lo Pan, they are usually associated with other gods; Lo Pan Temple in Hong Kong pays tribute solely to Lo Pan. Although repair and maintenance work is often carried out, the Temple generally remains as its original appearance and structure. In 1949, an office of Kwong Yuet Tong and Hong Wah Secondary School were built on the vacant land next to the Temple.
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1884 | Establishment of Lo Pan Temple by the Contractor's Guild |
| 1921 | Kwong Yuet Tong became the management company of Lo Pan Temple |
| 1928 | Renovation work took place |
| 1949 | Kwong Yuet Tong registered as a legal entity |
| 1949 | The office of Kwong Yuet Tong and Hong Wah Secondary School were built next to the Temple |
| 2006 | Lo Pan Temple was declared monument as a Grade I historic building |
| 2009 | The 125th Anniversary of Lo Pan Temple was celebrated |
The architectural style
The Temple is a two-hall structure, with an unusual jagged roof, elaborate "fire" type parapetParapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
walls, clay sculptural figures, relieves and paintings inside and outside the Temple. It is the Chinese temple with the largest number of wall-paintings on Hong Kong Island.
Wall-paintings
Lo Pan Temple is known for its diverse muralMural
A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface. A particularly distinguishing characteristic of mural painting is that the architectural elements of the given space are harmoniously incorporated into the picture.-History:Murals of...
s filled with traditional Chinese Cultural style depicting different people, insects, animals, flowers and landscapes such as butterflies and narcissi (蝴蝶水仙圖), rowing a boat (張騫泛槎圖), Red Cliff
Red Cliff
Red Cliff or Red Cliffs may refer to:* Battle of Red Cliffs , battle at the end of the Han Dynasty in China* Open Hall-Red Cliffe, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada...
(夜遊赤壁圖), visiting friends (訪友圖), ladies next to the rock (倚石仕女圖), etc. Different styles of calligraphy are incorporated into the wall-paintings to serve as captions.
Clay sculpture
Having different clay sculpture on the walls is one of the unique characteristics of Lo Pan Temple since it is difficult to find clay sculptures in the temples on Hong Kong Island. Those sculptures can be found on the wall and gable of the Temple. The theme of the sculptures are mainly about some Chinese history and mythology. For example, inside the Temple, there is a clay sculpture of one famous Chinese mythology "Historical Romance"(封神演義) on the left wall. There are also clay sculptures of plants, animals, etc. around the Temple.Stone carvings
Inside the temple, there is a stone curving which is the oldest antique established in the Qing DynastyQing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
. It records the purpose of building this temple - to commemorate Lo Pan as the god of Chinese Architecture and to remind descendants to think of the origin.
Autography
On the two sides of the main door, there are engravings of Chinese poems which praise the contribution of Lo Pan in Architecture and wish his spirit can last forever.Lo Pan Festival
On the 30th day of the sixth month of every Lunar Calendar, the birthday of Lo Pan, Kwong Yuet Tong celebrates Lo Pan Festival. Meals (師傅飯) are distributed to celebrate the Festival. Many builders participate in the pilgrimage up the 200 steps from Belcher's Street to pray for working safely and smoothly. Builders and the Government also donate money for the upkeep of the Temple.Besides, Lion dance
Lion dance
Lion dance is a form of traditional dance in Chinese culture, in which performers mimic a lion's movements in a lion costume. The lion dance is often mistakenly referred to as dragon dance. An easy way to tell the difference is that a lion is operated by two people, while a dragon needs many people...
and dragon dance
Dragon dance
Dragon dance is a form of traditional dance and performance in Chinese culture. Like the lion dance it is most often seen in festive celebrations. Many Chinese people often use the term "Descendants of the Dragon" as a sign of ethnic identity, as part of a trend started in the 1970s. Another...
are performed outside the Temple for entertainmnet and a ceremony is held by the Labour and Welfare Bureau
Labour and Welfare Bureau
The Labour and Welfare Bureau is an executive agency of the Government of Hong Kong responsible for employment, labour development, poverty reduction and social welfare.in Hong Kong.The bureau is managed by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare...
to award the builders with outstanding performance to encourage the improvement of skills within the construction industry.
Apart from the celebration, Taoist priests are invited to comfort the deceased by chanting prayers inside the Temple.