Kwun Yum Temple, Hung Hom [1873- ]

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 two rounds of heavy bombardments by the Japanese, 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.

http://www.ctc.org.hk/en/directcontrol/temple12.asp