Click to enlarge the map showing our travels this trip across China, beginning in Shanghai on the East, then Tibet on the West, Chengdu in the center, and Hong Kong in the south.
One of Hong Kong's signature experiences is taking the iconic Star Ferry from the island to the Tsim Tsui area of Kowloon. The ferry crossing made a cameo appearance in the 1960 film The World of Susie Wong. The Star Ferry Company dates to 1888 and consists of a fleet of 12 vessels, with each named after a star. We had a devil of a time finding the ferry pier, but didn't want to pass up on a classic approach to one of the world's most photographed vistas. Fortunately, there were ferry crossings every six to ten minutes, so we didn't have to wait long.
I read that the Hong Kong Island skyline, with its ever-growing number of skyscrapers, was built over a couple of generations, compared to 10 to 20 generations in Paris and London, and 6 in New York.
The interior of the ferry didn't look as if it had been renovated since its inception in 1888! It reminded us of a similarly ancient one we took crossing the Nile years ago.
It was an all-too-brief eight-minute ride across Victoria Harbour.
A minute from the pier was one of Hong Kong's landmarks: the Clock Tower, a remnant of the old Kowloon-Canton Railway Station, built in 1915 and demolished in 1978.
Behind it was the Hong Kong Cultural Center, which includes a theater, concert hall, and arts library.
Unfortunately, we had a pretty dismal day for admiring the Hong Kong Island skyline from the Kowloon waterfront, which is normally the ideal place!
Kowloon, which means Nine Dragons in Cantonese, is the area where most of Hong Kong's major museums, some of the liveliest street markets, and pockets of fading colonialism are found. Across the road was the fabled Peninsula Hotel, an oasis of luxury in what had become a rather run-down neighborhood. We darted in for a few quick glimpses of the grand building, which had maintained the British ritual of serving afternoon tea in the lobby.
We made our way on foot to Kowloon Park, a retreat from exhaust fumes, and where the Kowloon Mosque and Islamic Centre was located on the park's corner. Unlike the mosque in Chengdu, this one was only open to Muslims. A sign prohibited begging in front of the mosque!
The gigantic public service billboard promoted cleanliness by encouraging people to work together to keep the city clean. It was part of an ongoing campaign to reduce litter and maintain public hygiene in Hong Kong. I wonder what the reaction would be if one were to appear in some of America's largest cities!
The park was built on the site of a barracks for a British Army Indian regiment.
The park's serenity and peacefulness were dimmed by another PSA.
We did approve of the park's sculptures, though.
Then another sign indicated that, according to the Pleasure Grounds Regulation, feeding any animal in the park was subject to prosecution. Big Brother was taking away all the fun for little ones! All the admonitions certainly put a damper on things.
It was a long, 80-minute slog via the metro and a walk to the Nan Lian Garden on Diamond Hill. The garden was designed in the Tang Dynasty's classical style between 618 and 907.
The stroll through the attractive rockery garden, across graceful bridges, past Chinese pagodas, water features, and meticulously pruned bonsai trees helped temper our frustration with the park's woeful signage for foreign visitors!
The pagoda was an oasis amid the surrounding high-rise buildings.
The absence of public service advertising also helped put us in the right frame of mind to tour the nearby Chi Lin Nunnery, which was connected by a footbridge. Though it looked ancient, the Buddhist monastery complex was built in the 1930s and later renovated in 1998. The impressive wooden structure channeled ancient Tang Dynasty construction methods, featuring interlocking cypress beams without a single nail, making it one of the world’s largest handmade wooden buildings.
Shan Men was the name of the main entrance to the Chi Lin Nunnery, as shan men literally means the mountain gate, since most monasteries are located in the mountains, far from populous areas. It also meant that as one enters the mountain gate, people leave behind "the tribulations of secular life." Shan men also refers to san men, which literally means the three gates, referring to Buddhist wisdom, compassion, and skilful means, or faith, understanding, and practice, the three important methods to gain liberation. The hope was that people entering the monastery would attain spiritual liberation.
Buddhist Master Yin Guang proclaimed, "A man of faith utters no empty words. He does what he says, without conceit and arrogance."
I hadn't realized before that rocks could become works of art, especially after being polished.
We gravitated to the wide-open courtyards to admire the bonsai trees and lotus ponds.
We thought, and privately hoped, that we might come across Buddhist nuns delivering fruit and rice to the temples' gods, but that was not to be.
A sign noted that the Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva had already attained "Buddhahood," but was reborn out of compassion for all suffering beings. "She appears in many forms to teach and save beings with different needs and inclinations." The faithful who pray to her for spiritual needs, or worldly needs, such as health and wisdom, will have their wishes answered. The Bodhisattva reclines on a lotus seat upon a rock in the middle of the ocean to contemplate on the reflection of the moon in the water, a symbol of life's impermanence.
We bid a reluctant adieu to the peaceful urban sanctuary before embarking on another long metro trip.
We were right in the middle of the frenetic city when we stopped next at the Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple, a renowned Taoist temple established in 1921, and one of the most famous temples in Hong Kong. It's considered an important destination for people of all walks of life in Hong Kong, from pensioners and business people to parents and young professionals.
The temple's main entrance archway:
The temple complex was built in 1973 and is dedicated to the god Wong Tai Sin, who began his life as a humble shepherd in Zhèjiāng province. Since an immortal taught a teenage Wong Tai Sin how to make a herbal potion that could cure all illnesses, he has been worshipped both by the sick and those trying to avoid illness. He is also a favorite god of business people.
We didn't notice people who had come to have their futures told by shaking numbered bamboo ‘fortune sticks’ from a box onto the ground, then taking the particular numbers to a fortune-teller attendant for reading for a fee.
We admired the vibrant temple, but it was hard not to think of it as being gaudy when compared to the peaceful nunnery.
Our first day in Hong Kong was beginning to sound (and feel!) like a baptism of fire through the city's vast transportation system, as we made our way through two more metro lines over to the New Territories and its Hong Kong Heritage Museum. Because the New Territories are home to rustic villages, hiking trails, lush parks, and pristine beaches, it's a favorite getaway from Hong Kong's urban congestion.
Though the fabulous museum was the city's largest, it still felt like a well-kept secret with very few people present in any of the galleries.
One of them was devoted to Cantonese Opera Heritage Hall, an altogether different type that we'd heard and watched with great enthusiasm in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, two nights earlier. In previous centuries, troupes had to stage their first performance on this Foshan stage, considered the cradle of Cantonese opera. The opera stage, built in 1658, came to be known as the Ten Thousand Blessings Opera Stage.
The simplest forms of village theater were created in China by arranging square tables to form an impromptu stage. The most elaborate sheds contained separate seating for male and female guests, a stage, and a backstage area. The area between the seats and the stage was the bik dei, or the pit, where some villagers could watch the show for free. The entire venue was contained under a bamboo roof with a pointed top.
Cantonese opera used to be performed on the temple stage at the Bamboo Shed Theater or under a temporary shed built on village grounds.
This was a recreation of Cantonese opera backstage, where artists prepared for their performances. The dressing 'rooms' were created by positioning curtains and personalized chests to make small spaces. The room's size and location were related to the artist's role within the company.
Dressing rooms:
Hats, helmets, and headdresses are among the most distinctive aspects of Cantonese opera costumes, as the type of headgear is critical to the role. Hard headgear is for royalty and ministers, whereas soft headgear is relegated to common people. If we ever see another Chinese opera, you can bet I'll pay more attention to what type of headgear is being worn!
Footwear is also an important part of costumes in Cantonese opera. Female roles (note that I didn't say females!) typically wear embroidered shoes or stilt shoes, and male roles normally have riding boots or scholar's shoes.
Wai Ming Chu, a native of Panyu in Guangdong province, was born into a Cantonese opera family. She learned in the early 1930s from relatives and performed with her younger sister. In 1936, she accompanied the Tai Ping Opera Troupe and performed in Singapore and Malaysia, and joined the Greater China Troupe after returning to the mainland.
After what the museum referred to as the Anti-Japanese War, but is known by most as the Second Sino-Japanese War, which was fought between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan from 1937 to 1945, Wai Ming Chu participated in the Cantonese Opera Service Troupe to boost morale and raise funds among Chinese citizens overseas. Later, she made Cantonese opera films and performed throughout Southeast Asia to great acclaim, playing the leading male roles.
Wai Ming Chu toured the United States and Vancouver, earning the support of Chinese people at home and abroad through her Cantonese opera. The Pearl of Cantonese Opera passed away in 2000 after "fading out of the stage" in the 1970s. Her family donated her collection of Cantonese cultural relics, including costumes, props, boots, headgear, and photos, to the museum in 2019.
The T.T. Tsui Gallery of Chinese Art had an exquisite collection of Chinese ceramics and bronzes. It was established in gratitude to Dr. T. T. Tsui for donating over 700 pieces from his private collection to the Hong Kong Heritage Museum. I appreciated the introduction to the Gallery: "Antiquities are history and provide knowledge that cannot be found in most books."
One example of the ancient ceramics was an Equestrian and a Foreign Groom from the Tang Dynasty. His deep-set eyes, high-bridged nose, and pointed hat were indicative of Central Asians who traveled to the Central Plains on business or as servants or attendants.
Also from the Tang Dynasty was the Caparisoned Horse with Painted Decoration. Caparison, meaning horse armor, was introduced from Persia, but it fell out of favor because the heavy armor hindered the horse's movement.
Don't you just want to pet and caress Two Horses with Harnesses in Lime Green Glaze from the Sui Dynasty, 518-618? Notice their long manes and the swaying saddle cloth. The green celadons from the Yue kiln in the south were the most famous and were described as "the jade green of a thousand peaks."
The detailed, ancient bronze Bo Bell was manufactured during the Warring States Period, which ran from 475 to 221 BC! Subjects found on bronzes from that era depicted aspects of daily life, such as hunting and dining. Precious stone inlays were popular decorations.
As early as 4,000 years ago, China was manufacturing complex bronzes that often reflected ritual beliefs and social status. They appeared in many extraordinary shapes with ornamental patterns and inscriptions that have contributed vital information to the study of ancient Chinese history. Objects such as these can tell stories of how the people lived and what they believed.
The delicate Group of Seven White Jade Garment Hooks with Decoration of Dragon Heads and Chi-Tigers was of a more recent vintage. They were made during the Qing Dynasty between 1736 and 1795.
The Wooden, Leaf-shaped Box with the Cicada and Insect Design inset was created in the Qin Dynasty.
Next to it was a wooden box with a stone rose and bird inlay.
Because the museum was about to close, we only had time to admire some elegant Chinese porcelain pieces, which I always have a soft spot for.
A last view of the New Territories before heading back to Hong Kong Island:
The gorgeous Hong Kong skyline at night:
Next post: The gambling mecca of Macau!
Posted on March 11th, 2026, from back in Denver. I read the following on Instagram, and it resonated with me: "If you want to see how terrible the world is, read the news. If you want to see how beautiful the world is, travel it." Please take care of yourselves and your loved ones.
What a serene oasis you found in Kowloon Park and The Chi Lin Nunnery, with its Tang Dynasty-style wooden (amazingly without nails !! ) construction, beautiful bonsai trees and stunning lotus ponds would invariably promote spiritual enlightenment. What a stark contrast to the concrete jungle that is the Hong Kong skyline (albeit a stunning urban skyline).
ReplyDeleteAnd I truly loved the quote you included at the end... turn off the world news and travel the world instead sounds like a brilliant suggestion . xo Lina xo
Thanks for sharing your insights and observations Anne. So much to see and do there and I'm sure you did your best to see it all!!
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