Man Mo Temple (Tai Po)

As one of the precious heritage of Hong Kong, the Man Mo Temple in Tai Po was declared in 1983 as a monument under the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance. The temple was built in 1891, more than a hundred years from now, by the Tsat Yeuk Community of Tai Po to mark the founding of Tai Wo Market Town, commonly known as Tai Po Market. In 1985, the Tai Po Tsat Yeuk Rural Committee undertook major repairs to restore the old temple to its former state, with technical advice and subsidies from the government. The entire roof was removed and its rotten timbers replaced. The traditional green-brick walls were stabilised and additional windows opened in them were blocked up. The temple's delicately carved timber panels and plastic mouldings were repainted and repaired in the traditional manner. The giant hanging incense coils signify worshippers' prayers for blessings and virtue. The restoration of the temple not only dresses the place with a fresh outlook but also sharpens its image as a typical ancient Chinese architecture.