Wah Fu and Pok Fu Lam Village
Hong Kong is an enormous labyrinth of a city. While being regarded as one of the richest, most developed cities of the world, Hong Kong still maintains and preserves its traditional culture. This is to such an extent that you can see more “traditional Chinese culture” in Hong Kong rather than their brothers across the border.
Having been to Hong Kong nearly ten times, I have aimlessly wandered the streets to death. This is not to say that those trips exploring the dark back alleys of Kowloon are in vain, but to say that before I spent my time poking my head behind every street corner.
For first-timers to Hong Kong, I do simply recommend them to wander the streets, but Hong Kong is also a lot more than a sprawling city. Those looking to see more of Hong Kong off the beaten track can go explore sleepy fishing villages and hidden mountainside shrines. For some, leaving the cosmopolitan shopping streets would stray away from their whole reason for going to Hong Kong in the first place. Those looking to experience more of the soul of the city, however, must venture out a bit further.
Entering Wah Fu Village
While there are not a lot of options online for Hong Kong: off the beaten track. Atlas Obscura did recommend a rather unique shrine on the opposite end of Hong Kong Island. Just over Victoria Peak, escaping the hustle of the city lays the village of Wah Fu (華富).
The first thing one notices when stepping off from the little green minibus is that this suburb is essentially one huge nursing home. While most young people are busy in the city looking for work and a more exciting lifestyle. The senior citizens relax in this quiet hamlet, spending their days shopping at the local market, washing clothes, swimming in the sea, doing tai chi, or just loitering. Chatting with whoever may be passing by.
The markets were full of these local old folks and their younger South East Asian maids, making their rounds around the aisles of the market, bartering for fish, vegetables, and meats.
A Sky Full of Gods and Buddhas
Leaving the madness of the market behind, I started down the steep sidewalk taking me towards the sea. While I was not a hundred percent sure where this shrine was, I knew that Waterfall Bay Park was to the right, and the temple was to the left.
It wasn’t long before I found a small gate in the chain-link fence dividing tourists from the sea. As I passed through the threshold I was in awe of the site of the shrine. Looking like something out of the pages of Where’s Waldo, hundreds of statues lined the hillside, silently looking out over the coast. These gods, goddesses, and buddhas were once the same foot tall porcelain figures you would find in any Chinese home. But what fate do these protectors meet when a family has to move or give them away for whatever reason? The statues are often given to a nearby temple or shrine and are placed at a far end corner of the complex.
Wah Fu is one of the first places where I saw so many statues properly displayed in such an enormous quantity. Among all the Guan Yus, Guan Yins, Siddharthas, and Laughing Buddhas, there were also some maneki-nekos (Lucky Cats) and even Micky Mouses scattered about. One could easily spend half an hour wandering up and down the hillside, inspecting the various characters perched on the coast.
Just a few steps out of the other end of the shrine, there is yet another deity in a more formal shrine attentively watching some elderly men and women take a dip in a seemingly popular swimming hole. Taking no heed of the signs which state “no swimming” in both English and Chinese, and a disregard for the yachts and freighters going in and out of port. These locals were gleefully doing their laps up and down the shoreline, casting nets and lines out to try their luck at getting a catch, and even sunbathing on the scorching hot concrete.
Pok Fu Lam Village
Just a kilometer or so inland, up the steep winding roadways, is the village of Pok Fu Lam tucked into the side of Mount Kellett. The first impression one gets when looking out over the rusted tin roofs of this more less developed village, is that this would be more of a scene from the outskirts of a city in South East Asia, rather than the affluent Hong Kong.
Pok Fu Lam has a history going back to the 17th century, and even though most of the traditional architecture have been replaced with concrete two-story houses, the village still casts a glimpse into what old Hong Kong was like.
Bearing a likeness to the floating village of Tai O, but narrower alleyways and far less touristy. While Pok Fu Lam has its historic districts, further up the mountain it has many shanties and squatters. Living in whatever materials they can find or even just under the shade of the trees.
Bogong Shrine
What first attracted me to this village was simply a few shrines and temples popping up on my map. Like many other rural villages, a shrine is placed at the entrance serving as a boundary marker. One of the shrines of Pok Fu Lam is that of Bogong (伯公), or “granduncle”, a local deity worshipped by locals. Although Bogong is a quite plain and simple shrine, it dominates the dark winding alleyways of Pok Fu Lam. Truly giving a feeling of be watched over and protected by a god.
Liling Pagoda
The second of the noteworthy shrines in the village is the Liling Pagoda (李靈塔). The pagoda itself is quite shabby and unimpressive. A small outdoor kitchen is nearby, providing food for the local retirees, who are busy playing mah-jong under the shade of a high tin roof. The outside of the two-story pagoda is painted red with white lines tackily outlining each brick.
The two lions which are commonly found protecting houses and temples are hidden behind mounds of dirty dishes stacked on the ground. What the pagoda lacks in appearance is made up in it’s history. Long ago the village was plagued by demons and evil spirits coming from the mountain pass. In a dream, the deity called Liling visited a villager in a dream, taking the form of a young girl. She promised to expel all evil from the mountain. From then on, all the eerie noises and supernatural occurrences in the village ceased.
Out of gratitude and hope that Liling would continue to bless and protect the village a pagoda was erected. The pagoda standing today was built in 1916. As part of the yearly Fire Dragon Dance during mid-autumn festival, the parade stops both in front of Bogong and Liling shrines, before proceeding down to Waterfall Bay by the coast.
Shrine on Mount Kellet
The higher I climbed Pok Fu Lam’s steep alleyways up the side of the mountain, the more shanties and shacks emerged. Where the village met the forest, there was nothing more than tarps strung between trees and wild dogs protecting their master’s camp.
I averted any unnecessary confrontations with the squatters and their pets as I continued up the hiking trails. All of Mount Kellett is a vast state park, complete with trails, sitting areas, and beautiful views of the harbor. Having already done my fair share of hiking for the day, my destination was yet another shrine. The reason for venturing off so far to see these religious structures is nothing more than mere curiosity. I have also found that these less frequented sites offer an adventure and something to be explored.
Hidden Gods In The Forest
At an overlook with a view over Wah Fu village was a small Guan Yin (Goddess of Mercy) statue, standing on a messily painted slab of concrete. Many local hikers didn’t even give the shrine as much of a glance before turning their back to look out over the mountains, forest, and sea.
Even I was disappointed by the sight of this “historic shrine”, but as I observed it more closely I saw a small stone path leading further up the mountain. Passing by many of the same foot tall statues that I saw down on the coast at Wah Fu, I finally reached the mountain’s peak. Under the shade of a rainbow-striped umbrella were several gods and goddesses lined up neatly in a row. All listening to a radio suspended from the umbrellas handle playing Buddhist chants. While dodging trees and pushing your way through the push and weeds, the sound of somber chanting in the distance is enough to bring shivers down anyone’s spine.
Why Should I go to Wah Fu and Pok Fu Lam?
Traveling through Wah Fu and Pok Fu Lam has inspired me to one day come back to see the Fire Dragon Dance for Mid-autumn festival. Where locals will take the burning effigy of a dragon from the mountainside village down to the sea to be extinguished.
Even during other parts of the year, walking through the shrines and alleyways truly gives one not only the feeling of going back in time but also stepping into the spirit world. Anyone looking to escape the materialistic cosmopolitan atmosphere of downtown Hong Kong can easily lose yourself here, walking among the watchful eyes of the deities of old.
For more information of Pok Fu Lam check out there website or facebook.
