The main gods here are Tin Hau, Goddess of the Sea, and notably, Madam Kam Fa, the Goddess of Fertility and protector of infants and pregnant women. Every year the temple celebrates her birthday (17th day of the fourth lunar month) with Cantonese opera performances. Tin Hau Temple in San Tsuen is the second of four temples visited during the Tai O Dragon Boat Water Parade.

Madam Kam Fa is believed to be a demon-taming shamaness in Guangdong who drowned – watching a dragon boat race according to one version. But her body did not rot and emanated a strange fragrance. Meanwhile a wooden sculpture resembling her was found floating in the lake. The villagers began praying to the icon, believing it was indeed her. She was elevated to deity status and was deemed particularly effective at granting the wishes of women desiring to have boys.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

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1. Tai O

0.32 MILES

On weekends, droves of visitors trek to the far-flung west coast of Lantau to see a fascinating way of life. Here in Tai O, historical home to the Tanka…

2. Tai O Kwan Tai Temple

0.45 MILES

Tai O's oldest temple, raised in the 15th century (Ming dynasty), is dedicated to Kwan Tai, a deified general known as the God of War. It was renovated in…

3. Stilt Houses

0.56 MILES

Tai O's remaining stilt houses stand over the waterway, scrunched up against each other for support. Some have ladders descending to boats, the vehicle of…

4. Tai O Hung Shing Temple

0.7 MILES

Located away from the main street, in a windy spot in Sha Lo Wan Village, this temple has an air of modest quietude. It was built in the 18th century to…

5. Tai O Yeung Hau Temple

0.79 MILES

Yeung Hau, Tai O's patron deity and the resident god here is believed to be the maternal uncle of the last Song emperor. Marquis Yeung is said to have…

6. Yin Hing Monastery

1.24 MILES

There are good views of the mountains from this small Buddhist monastery, hidden away inside the South Lantau Country Park.

7. Po Lin Monastery & Big Buddha

2.67 MILES

Po Lin is a huge Buddhist monastery and temple complex that was built in 1924. Today it seems more of a tourist honeypot than a religious retreat,…

8. Fan Lau

3.5 MILES

Only accessible on foot, Fan Lau (Divided Flow), a small peninsula on the southwestern tip of Lantau, has a couple of good beaches and the remains of Fan…