Sha Tin
The Che Kung Miu near Tai Wai, in Sha Tin District, New Territories, is the most famous one in Hong Kong. During the second and the third days of Lunar New Year, thousands of people go to this temple to worship, including many local Hong Kong government officials. This temple, on Che Kung Miu Road, is located midway between Tai Wai and Che Kung Temple stations of the MTR.
The original temple was first built at the end of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and was renovated 1890, 1993 and 2004. The external walls are now plastered with false brick lines and the roofs with green glazed ceramic tiles. The recent renovation is considered to have "very much diminished the authenticity of temple". Due to the high number of worshipers during the Che Kung Festival following the Lunar New Year, a new temple was built in 1994 in front of the original one. The original temple has been preserved in-situ; it is only occasionally open to the public. It is classified as a Grade II historic building since 1987.
The current Che Kung temple, in Japanese-style, was built in 1993-1994 at a cost of HK$48 million. It is eight times the size of the old one. The main hall contains a giant statue of Che Kung. Next to it is a fan-bladed wheel of fortune, which, worshippers believe, will bring good luck when turned three times. Fortune-tellers can be found within the temple.
The temple is administered by the Chinese Temples Committee since 1936. Admission to the temple is free, but it is customary for visitors to donate money to support the maintenance of the temple. Its opening hours are 7:00am to 6:00pm daily.
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