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Kaho Chinese Temples

Temple of Sam Seng (Three Divinities) of Ka Ho

The Temple of Sam Seng (Three Divinities) of Ka Ho lies in the Beach of Sam Heng. The Three Divinities refer to the Emperor of Hung Seng, Kwan Tai and Tam Kung.

It is written in the couplet on the main door of the temple: “The wave of benevolence fills Ka Ho covers tens of thousands of people.”

Originally called Ka Ho Bay, it has changed to be called Beach of Sam Seng immediately after the set-up of the temple. There had been a temple of Hung Seng and at the time reconstruction in the 9th year of Guangxu Reign (1883) the gods of Kwan Tai and Tam Kung were added to the original temple. In the temple there is a stone tablet inscribed in the 9th year of Guangxu Reign (1883), where is written: “The God of Hung Seng of Ka Ho Bay has a time-honoured origin. In the first year of Tongzhi Reign, some persons proposed to built altars and motivated donations to repair it. Until now, many years have passed and the shrines of Kwan Tai, Hung Seng and Tam Kung have been still placed here. “In the 9th year and the 34th year of Guangxu Reign the temple was rebuilt.
The Temple of Three Divinities is the oldest temple of the Jiu’ao Region and it has exerted a pretty profound influence. From the late Qing Dynasty to the beginning of the Republic of China, there used to be a battle performance played in an awning on the beach every 13th of May of lunar year, on the anniversary of Kuan Tai. The activity has stopped for years.

None of the original wharves, dockyards and shipyards of the Beach of Three Divinities still exists.

Kun Iam Temple in Ka Ho

The Temple of Kun Iam of Ka Ho is the temple of Ka Ho Village, built in the 7th year of Guangxu Reign (in 1881) and located in the Hill of Ka Ho with the green trees as setoffs. Its dedicated to Kun Iam.

The Temple is a mono-hall temple and small in scale. It was rebuilt at the end of Guangxu Reign (the 33rd year of Guangxu Reign, in 1907).

There is a tablet of the 7th year of Guangxu Reign recording the origin of the temple, where it is written: “It is generally regarded that the power of Buddha is boundless and its benevolence spreads widely. When the spirit recognizes the necessity of the common people, they will get what they need in return. Here in Ka Ho there had already been sculptures of Kun lam who had a notable fame (…) until the 7th year of Tongzhi Reign, it was suggested to build temples with donations. No matter how much faithful person could provide, every little would make a mickle (…) and the project was concluded on the day of full moon. “From the inscriptions we know that there were idols on Kun lam first and later the temples were constructed.

The cultural relics of the temple are mainly couplets, altars, shrines and idols of the late Qing Dynasty.

(Excertps from: Macau Temples by Chan, Lei and Chendra published by IACM SAR 2002). Back to Macau Temples

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