"On my final day in Hong Kong, I visited four temples. Hung Hom Temple was my least favourite temple out of the four.

There were a lot of sketchy people and really narrow sidewalks.

I could only last 30 seconds inside due to the amount of smoke from the incense burning.

Out of the six temples I visited, this was the only one I would never return to."

Logan Saunders

"Hung Hom Kwun Yum Temple is a historically significant and culturally revered temple in Hong Kong, dedicated to Kwun Yum (Guan Yin), the Goddess of Mercy. She is widely worshipped by those seeking blessings for prosperity, success, and protection from misfortune.

Inside the temple, the statue of Kwun Yum is enshrined as the primary deity, drawing devotees who come to pay their respects and offer prayers. Additionally, the temple houses other revered Chinese deities, such as Cai Shen (the God of Wealth) and Yu Huang (the Jade Emperor), making it a spiritually significant site for a variety of blessings.

However, one notable aspect of the temple is the heavy presence of incense smoke, which can make breathing uncomfortable and cause eye irritation. The temple is frequently filled with worshippers lighting incense sticks as offerings, resulting in a thick haze throughout the premises. Visitors who are sensitive to smoke or have respiratory concerns may find it beneficial to bring a mask or a cloth to cover their nose and mouth.

Overall, Hung Hom Kwun Yum Temple is a deeply spiritual and sacred place, offering a profound cultural and religious experience. While the overwhelming incense smoke may be a challenge for some, those who can tolerate it will find the temple a meaningful destination for worship and reflection in Hong Kong."

Surakul

"The Kwun Yum Temple is the most famous among the great number of them in the territory. It was built in 1873. In 1909, a road was constructed to connect Hung Hom with Tsim Sha Tsui and Kowloon City. When workers were digging in the hilly areas, red water spouted from the ground. It was rumoured that the vein of the dragon that inhabited in that area had been ruptured as a result of the work. The workers were frightened to continue with the road construction. Despite laboratory findings that the colour of the water was due to a mixture of underground deposits of sulphur and mercury, the workers were still worried and donated money to renovate the temple in the belief that Kwun Yum would be able to help them to avert any subsequent disaster.

During the second World War, it was said that Hung Hom district was under bombardments, aiming at destroying the Whampoa Dock. There were heavy casualties in the adjacent school but those people taking shelter in the temple were unharmed. The residents in the area believed that it was a miracle of Kwun Yum.

Kwun Yum or Kwun Sai Yum (觀世音) is known for centuries as a deity of sympathy, compassion and mercy, hearing the pleas of those who are suffering. She is worshipped by people of both the Taoist and Buddhist religions. Kwun Yum in the earlier times was a male divinity, but evolved to be a female deity in Tang Dynasty (唐朝). Arising from a saying that Kwun Yum studied Taoist teachings on lotus blossoms, some Kwun Yum Temples are also called Lin Fa Kung or Palace of Lotus Flower (蓮花宮). Temples dedicated to Kwun Yum are often alternatively known as Shui Yuet Kung or Palace of Water and Moon (水月宮), which stands for all that is quiet and peaceful and detached from the material world.

Architecturally, the temple is a traditional Chinese temple. The front hall is shaped like a Chinese pavilion. The middle hall looks like a covered-year and the rear part is the main hall where the images of the deities are placed."

Cocowlyn