Tin Hau Festival Images

“Birthday of Tin Hau” also known as the “Tin Hau Festival”. This is not a public holiday and you will only see something special actually very close to a Tin Hau temple – and probably only in the smaller communities particularly in fishing islands.

In some places also called Matsu, this was a real lady – who’s name was Lin Muoniang but after death became the Taoist Goddess of the Sea. Because it is her who who protects fishermen and sailors you will find a lot of temples to her on fishing islands.

Tin Hau is very important because she is god of the sea and hence patron of fishermen. As most of Hong Kong communities are originally from the sea she is very important in traditional island life.

In Hong Kong, around 60 temples are dedicated, at least partially to Tin Hau. They were mostly built around early Ching dynasty. The temple in the Tin Hau area, east of Victoria Park, in Eastern district, on Hong Kong Island, has given its name to the area and to the MTR station serving it (Island line). There is a big temple for Tin Hau on Cheung Chau as well as Peng Chau because there are still fishermen in these areas.