HUNG SHING 洪聖

Spirituality And Beliefs Of The Fishermen In Hong Kong

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

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..

Apleichau Pontoon

Transport For Fishermen

Before the construction of the Apleichau Bridge in 1977, villagers on Apleichau heavily relied on the very traditional way of water transportation in Hong Kong, Sampan. Sampans serving the Apleichau-Aberdeen inbound line we see today are all modernised boats with a stiff shelter and an outboard engine, even with an electronic payment machine installed. It is totally different from the simple and crude flat-bottom wooden boat drawn by man in the past, according to an old Sampan driver who was born and raised in a fishermen's family on Apleichau.

Sampan Across The Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter

Upon the construction of the Apleichau Bridge as well as the MTR South Island Line in 2016, the importance of Sampan seems to be declining ever since. Changing its mode to mainly serve tourists and elder residents who are used to taking Sampan for a long time, fortunately, the Sampan is still here amidst rapid urban development and leaves a remark on the history of Apleichau.