Tam Kung Temple in Coloane

Built in the first year of the Tongzhi Reign of the late Qing Dynasty (in 1862), it is one of the comparatively large temple of Coloane.

It is written in the couplet on the door of the temple of Tam Kung: "The stone jiao and the spirit of bell correspond to Billing, and returning waves and beautiful island are similar to Penglai."

In the temple there is a tablet set up in 1964 by the duty committee of the street Charity Committee of Coloane.

The tablet mentions the origin of the temple: "The temple of Saint Tan of Coloane was built in the first year of Tongzhi Reign of the Qing Dynasty. His mighty and magnificent benevolence spread widely. But the temple wasn't repaired for years and looked lack of refinement. Now it has been sixty-seven years since the 23rd year of Guangxu Reign …".

From the inscriptions of the tablets we can know that it was built in the first year of Tongzhi Reign.

The temple is only dedicated to Tam Kung. It is said that Tam Kung originated from the God of the Mount of Nine Dragons of Huizhou and often changed into a child's image to help the poor. It is also said that Tam Kung is Taoist of Tam Kung of Miao Dai.

Tam Kung Festival

There is Chinese opera, a procession through the streets and lively lion dances, while traditional offerings are made and firecrackers burnt near Coloane Village's Tam Kong Temple.

The day of celebration of the Temple of Tam Kung is the 8th of April of the lunar year. In recent years tour performance has been played again, at the same time, the performance of sacred battle is added to commemorate the anniversary of Tam Kung.

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