LOUNGE ACCESS 老廟新樓
MAN MO TEMPLE GETS A NEW COMMUNITY SPACE – AS PART OF AN OLD TRADITION 文武廟增建了一座小巧的別苑，延續該廟
THERE’S NO INCENSE HERE: IT’S PART RELAXATION LOUNGE, PART LENDING LIBRARY, PART SOUVENIR SHOP
STUDENTS COME TO pray to Man Cheung – the god of literature and bureaucracy – for success in exams. Professionals pray for prosperity to Kwan Mo – the
god of military prowess. Tourists flock to marvel at the
173-year-old Qing Dynasty architecture and breathe
in the heady incense from the coiled joss sticks which
line the ceilings.
But the real purpose of Sheung Wan’s Man Mo Temple, built by local gentry circa 1847, is to serve the community. And the opening of a new social hub has
taken this mission into the 21st century.
‘Man Mo Temple is the archetype of local Chinese charities’, explains Vandesar Leung, assistant planning
officer (ritualistic services) at Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, which became the official guardian of the
temple in 1908.
‘In the past, Taoist temples doubled as community centres, where worshippers and residents gathered
to seek a wide spectrum of welfare services provided
by the gentry – spanning education, medical care, employment referral, arbitration and consolation,’ explains Leung. ‘The religious site has since transformed into a non-religious community body, connecting residents of all ages.’
It’s in that spirit that the new Man Mo Lounge has opened, a stone’s throw from the main temple complex. There’s no incense here: Man Mo Lounge is a contemporary, multi-functional space. It’s part relaxation lounge, with a sofa and vending machine for
refreshments; part lending library, with a range of books
delving into Taoist and Buddhist rituals as well as Hong Kong’s history and culture; and part souvenir shop, with an eclectic mix of traditional Chinese handicrafts,
locally designed merchandise, anime-inspired outfits of Kwan Mo, and toy brick models of the temple – perfect for visitors hoping to take home a piece of Hong Kong
tradition, with all proceeds going to charity.
The lounge also organises weekend workshops to
further foster communal gatherings, from learning the
craft of Chinese knots to puppet-making and creating
scented sachets. And if you’re just exhausted after a
day’s walking around Central, people are welcome to
visit the lounge simply to socialise or unwind.
‘It’s a time-honoured tradition in Chinese communities for temples to also serve as social and commercial hubs,’ says Vandesar. ‘In the case of Man Mo Temple, its roots and raison d’être lay in philanthropy and communitybuilding. Today, its multi-faceted role and inclusive spirit still represent the zeitgeist.’ 5 Square Street, Sheung Wan temples.tungwahcsd.org
顧名思義，屹立上環173年的文武廟供奉文昌帝和關武帝，
香火非常鼎盛。文昌帝以保佑信眾學業聞名，吸引年輕的學子；關武帝則保守生意興隆，商人會特地前來祈求順境。新建的別苑雖不見香火祭品，卻重燃了文武廟百多年前建廟的初衷。
文武廟由坊眾鄉紳於1847年發起創建，在1908年移交慈善團體東華醫院 (後來發展成東華三院) 管理至今，而新啟
用的文武別苑是一個供人聚首之地，回歸文武廟服務社會的使命。
東華三院廟宇及祭祀服務助理策劃主任梁中杰說：「文
武廟可說是華人慈善福利機構的始祖，廟宇因神明祭祀聚集
了信眾街坊，成為社區的中心，鄉紳領袖順勢提供廣泛的服
務：如教育、醫療、就業介紹、民間仲裁、心靈慰藉等，以宗教為平台連結男女老少，提供非宗教的民生福利。」
而新建的文武別苑則創立了一個無煙的廟宇延伸區，它坐落於距離文武廟一分鐘步程的橫街。現代化的多用途空間既是個休憩場地，擺放有梳化、提供零食及飲品的自動售賣機，也闢有一個圖書角，典藏有關中國宗教信仰和香港
歷史文化的書刊，同時亦劃分為紀念品店，內裡搜羅了各類
別苑並沒有香火祭品，它既是休憩場地，也闢有圖書角，亦有紀念品商店
具有中國傳統特色的手工藝品，包括本地設計師的創作，如漫畫造型的文武二帝襯衣、廟宇積木套裝等，供外地及本地遊客選購，所有收益將撥捐慈善機構。
另一方面，別苑會舉辦工作坊，如製作中式繩結、布
偶、綉花香包等，讓來自各區的參加者、家庭親子聚首一堂，
享受一個愉快的周日。在中環附近逛得倦了，不妨踏進休憩
場地聯誼一番，或者歇歇腳稍事休息。
梁中杰補充：「在華人社會，廟宇除了是祭祀之地，亦是群體社區和商業活動的場所，這個歷史由來已久。文武廟
的營運宗旨是服務大眾和行善，文武別苑則回應了文武廟
創立的目的及存在的必要。文武廟惠澤社群，多元與融和的
傳統，正正體現出現今的時代精神。」
上環四方街5號temples.tungwahcsd.org