Tin Hau Temple Reopening - Sok Kwu Wan
(May 17, 2005)
As
you might have heard, the beautiful, 150-year-old Tin Hau temple in Sok
Kwu Wan in South Lamma has burnt down on Chinese New Year day 2004. This
is how amazing it looked before: Sok Kwu Wan dinner.
Here are some photos of the
rebuilding effort.
Lon dance in front of the
Cantonese opera
arena, celebrating the temple reopening.
Well, it's been completed and officially
reopened in grand style last Tue, May 17, 2005! Lamma-Por and I
took a special Rainbow Restaurant ferry from Yung Shue Wan to Sok Kwu Wan,
on invitation from Lammadonna. She was one of the officials opening the
temple, dotting the eyes of the lions before they become "alive" and dance
to celebrate this brand-new temple in honour of Tin Hau the goddess of the
sea, sailors & fishermen.
A huge turnout and stunning, sunny weather - I got a strong tan now, quite
unbecoming for this usually pale "Artsy Cybergeek" - especially as there
was a huge, free (temple donations welcome) Buddhist vegetarian buffet
ready after the official opening ceremony.
Here's my captioned, comprehensive photo gallery of this once-in-150-years
event, the lion dances & the stunning inside of this new Sok Kwu Wan
landmark. Check it out on your next visit down there!
(click to enlarge)
Arriving in Sok Kwu Wan - by special ferry from Yung Shue Wan
Cantonese opera ad display
Cantonese opera poster
Front of all-new Tin Hau temple in Sok Kwu Wan
Detail of temple front, high up
Dotting the eyes to make the guard lions come alive
Lion with freshly dotted eyes, guarding the temple entrance
The lions being fed
Lammadonna (orange arm) dotting the eyes of the dancing lions
Dancing in front of the Cantonese opera's temporary bamboo arena
Lion dancing is tiring work - for martial artists only
Closeup of the lion's frontman
Closer closeup
The two lions got their own band
Celebrating the temple opening
Lighting joss sticks for good fortune
Traditional candles - outside only, no more temple fires!
Bigger joss sticks = bigger & better fortune?
After the worshipping...
One of the workers helping with the setup
INSIDE THE TEMPLE: A very rare Chinese Ora fish - only one caught in HK, 5 worldwide - donated by Rainbow Rest.
Headboard of the temple's altar
Temple altar
Donations by worshippers
Temple guardian
More joss sticks...
Cantonese opera bamboo arena
The Buddhist vegetarian buffet is ready!
A long line is forming quickly
Our lunch, pretty yummy, actually
Souvenir from the Year of the Cock
Bye-bye, Sok Kwu Wan, we'll be back soon
Tin Hau temple souvenir, for a $50 temple donation
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