FAITH of the FISHERMEN HUNG SHING 洪聖

HUNG SHING TEMPLE, APLEICHAU

Spirituality And Beliefs Of The Fishermen In Hong Kong

Lantern

The lanterns in red symbolize good fortune and are believed to protect the fishermen while they sail out for fishing. It also represents wealth, fame, and prosperity, symbolising prosperous fishing and flourishing life.

Facing the Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter, the Hung Shing Temple located near the old main street of Apleichau has been worshipped by the fishermen and maritime traders for protection and rich catches. Declared as a first-grade monument in 2014, this legendary temple on Apleichau was allegedly built over 250 years ago during the Qing Dynasty in 1773 for the worship of Hung Shing.

According to The Chinese Temples Committee, there are mainly 15 idols that could be found in a vast array of temples in Hong Kong, while traditional temples like Hung Shing Temple retain their original fung shui setting of facing the sea and associate proximately with the local community, could barely be found in Hong Kong now. Among countless Gods and Goddesses in traditional Chinese culture, Hung Shing is known as the God of the South Sea. As a popular deity in Southern China, worshippers believe Hung Shing could shield them from maritime distress and natural disasters and also bless fishermen with fruitful harvests. It is also believed among fishermen that Hung Shing was a virtuous official in the Tang Dynasty who had established an observatory which enabled accurate weather prediction.

Popular Deities In Hong Kong

“FUNG TIU JYU SEON” PRAYER FOR FAVOURABLE WEATHER

Despite the ever-changing community and couple times of renovations, the appearance and its unique architectural traits have never been destroyed, maintaining a similar image as it was built two decades ago. Among its visuals, the faith of fishermen has never changed as well. Till now, “Fung Tiu Jyu Seon” is still an essential belief among fishermen, which is the prayer for favourable weather conditions for fishing in Cantonese. Not only fishermen or fish merchants, boat makers and residents who live nearby come here to pray as a daily routine – inheriting this spiritually essential element of the neighbourhood.

Apart from Hung Shing which represents the faith of fishermen on Apleichau, people on the other side of the Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter – Aberdeen – believe in Tin Hau instead of Hung Shing according to local fishermen. Despite other wellknown deities in Hong Kong such as Kwan Tai (God of War), Tai Sui (Sixty Gods of Time), Man Cheung (God of Literature and Bureaucracy) and Kwun Yum (Goddess of Mercy), Tin Hau is also a popular deity among fishermen like Hung Shing. Similar to Hung Shing, the god monitoring maritime affairs, Tin Hau is believed to travel above the sea to save people who drowned in the sea. Thus, Tin Hau and Hung Shing formed the most essential god and goddess to guard the fishermen at Aberdeen Harbour..