Wong Tai Sin Temple
A busy Kowloon temple where worshippers shake bamboo fortune sticks by the thousand.
Updated 31 August 2026
Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple has stood on this Kowloon site since 1921 and is one of the busiest places of worship in Hong Kong, dedicated to a Taoist deity credited with granting requests and drawing Taoist, Buddhist and Confucian practice into one compound. The sound of the main terrace is kau cim: worshippers kneeling with cylinders of numbered bamboo sticks, shaking them until one falls out, then taking the number to one of the fortune tellers in the arcade below to have it read. Around the main hall are a bronze pavilion, a wall of the zodiac, a hall of three saints and the Good Wish Garden, a small landscaped enclosure with a pond.
The main sights
- Kau cim fortune sticks - worshippers shaking numbered bamboo on the terrace.
- The fortune tellers' arcade - rows of booths reading the numbers.
- The main hall and bronze pavilion - the centre of the compound.
- The Good Wish Garden - the landscaped enclosure behind the halls.
When to go
Year round; Lunar New Year is overwhelming, with enormous crowds burning the first incense of the year. One to two hours. Mornings are calmer than afternoons.
What to expect
It is genuinely crowded and full of incense smoke, which is hard on eyes and lungs. Fortune tellers charge and quality varies. It is a working temple; photographing people at prayer without asking is intrusive. The Good Wish Garden charges a small fee.
Nearby
Chi Lin Nunnery is one stop west; Lion Rock rises behind.
What to pack for Wong Tai Sin Temple
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
- Comfortable walking shoes - Sightseeing means kilometres of pavement and cobbles daily. Find on Amazon
- Modest clothing - Shoulders and knees covered - the single most common requirement. Find on Amazon
- A slim anti-theft daypack - Zips that close properly; keep it in front in crowds and on transit. Find on Amazon
- A scarf or shawl - To cover the head or shoulders on entry; women especially at mosques. Find on Amazon
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