The Government today (Oct. 2) gazetted a notice announcing that the Antiquities Authority (i.e. the Secretary for Development) has declared Hung Shing Temple in Wan Chai and Stanley Mosque in Stanley as monuments under the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance.
Located on Queen's Road East in Wan Chai, Hung Shing Temple is one of the district's oldest surviving temples, estimated to have been built between 1847 and 1852. Dedicated to Hung Shing, the "God of the South Sea", the temple has long served as an important venue for religious ceremonies and ritual practices, including the housing of soul tablets during its early years, thereby establishing close ties with the Wan Chai community.
Exemplifying traditional Lingnan vernacular architecture and seamlessly integrating with the nearby natural rocky terrain, Hung Sing Temple holds immense architectural value. It retains a high degree of authenticity, with well-preserved historic fabric and decorative features, including stone carvings, plaster mouldings, granite figures, and Shiwan ceramic ridge decorations produced in 1909, showcasing both refined craftsmanship and the continuity of traditional building practices. As a significant historic landmark in a modern city, the temple not only reflects Wan Chai's development over the past century, but also stands as a precious reminder of the district's early religious landscape and enduring communal traditions.
Stanley Mosque, located within Stanley Prison, was constructed between 1936 and 1937. It is the second oldest mosque in Hong Kong and the only mosque situated inside a prison compound. The mosque was initiated, funded, and built by the Indian and Pakistani Muslim staff of the Prisons Department (the predecessor of the Correctional Services Department) together with the local Indian community.
Modelled on the Badshahi Mosque in Lahore, Pakistan, Stanley Mosque represents a rare building typology in Hong Kong. It is built on a symmetrical plan along an east-west axis oriented toward the Holy Kaaba in Makkah, featuring a flat concrete roof edged by a crenellated parapet and an arcaded facade with horseshoe and ogee ornamental arches. Instead of a typical minaret, Stanley Mosque features minaret-like columns as decoration, maintaining a rich Islamic architectural character. It retains much of its original form, with only minimal alterations made to meet daily operational needs. The mosque not only stands as a testament to the growth of the Muslim community in Hong Kong, but also demonstrates ethnic harmony within society.
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