Wong Tai Sin in the 1920s and 1930s

Hardly could you find any HKers unfamiliar with Wong Tai Sin (the temple at the very least). For locals, you couldn't ask for a more ready easy touch; for tourists, despite being the authentic local must-go sightseeing spot, finding an "authentic" taoist priest will end up nowhere.

Indeed, Wong Tai Sin is a popular Taoist god in Hong Kong. The refugee god as he has been called. The historical narratives of the belief and the temple do not feed up my fastidious habit of enquiry. Not because the authors of The Refugee God (I haven't had a chance to read it yet) was accused of poor Chinese language ability and shallow understanding of the Chinese tradition, "[mistaking] some clouds in the sky to be forests on the horizon", but more specific historical and contextual analysis is needed to re-access the limits and contributions of the belief and the temple.

I have just found two very interesting pieces of government documents, Administrative Reports 1928 and 1932. According to the AR 1928, the Report of the Secretary for Chinese Affairs for the year 1928 shows that, from Jan. to Dec. 1928, Wong Tai Sin Temple, Kowloon City (Sik Sik Yuen) contributed $1,500 to the General Chinese Charities Fund (GCCF, administered by the Chinese Temples Committee, which also controlled the Chinese Temples Fund, surpluses of which must be transferred to GCCF for disbursement to appropriate Chinese charities in Hong Kong), a handful more than the rent from the Kwun Yam Temple in Chi Wan Shan ($1,449), Pak Tai Temple in Wanchai ($1,374.52), and Tam Kung Temple in Shaukiwan ($1,357.5) (AR 1928, C37). In 1932, according to the AR 1932, Wong Tai Sin, again, contributed $1,500 to the GCCF whereas Wong Tai Sin was yet to be under the delegated management of the Chinese Temples Committee (under the direct administration of Sik Sik Yuen instead). (AR 1932, C66)

Why did Wong Tai Sin, or Sik Sik Yuen, bother to contribute such a large amount of money to the GCCF? Where did the money come from? Private donation throughout years? From whom? Wealthy local merchants? Were they in any way connected with the Chinese Temples Committee, say committee members? It would be very interesting to examine the complex network between temples and the giant committee to reflect the interwoven relations within the Chinese community, as well as vs. the expat. community.

to be continued...