Pak Tai
Encyclopedia
Taoism
Taoism refers to a philosophical or religious tradition in which the basic concept is to establish harmony with the Tao , which is the mechanism of everything that exists...
god of the North. Many Chinese celebrate his birthday on April 21.
Background
Pak Tai, also named Yuen Tin Sheung Tai (玄天上帝) (Supreme Emperor of the Northern Heaven or the Mysterious Heaven), was a prince of the Shang DynastyShang Dynasty
The Shang Dynasty or Yin Dynasty was, according to traditional sources, the second Chinese dynasty, after the Xia. They ruled in the northeastern regions of the area known as "China proper" in the Yellow River valley...
. During the fall of the Shang Dynasty, the Demon King ravaged the world. The Taoist Primeval Deity (also known as Yuen Chi Tin Chuen (元始天尊)) then ordered the Jade Emperor
Jade Emperor
The Jade Emperor in Chinese folk culture, is the ruler of Heaven and all realms of existence below including that of Man and Hell, according to a version of Taoist mythology. He is one of the most important gods of the Chinese traditional religion pantheon...
to appoint Pak Tai as the commander of twelve heavenly legions to fight the evil. Pak Tai defeated the Demon King and was subsequently granted the title of Supreme Emperor of the Mysterious Heaven. In Pak Tai temples, the bronze tortoise and serpent under the feet of Pak Tai's image signifies that the good will always prevails over the evil.
Temples
In Hong Kong, it is worshipped among other places in:- Yuk Hui Temple aka. Pak Tai Temple, No. 2 Lung On Street, Wan ChaiWan ChaiWan Chai is a metropolitan area situated at the western part of the Wan Chai District on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island, in Hong Kong. Its other boundaries are Canal Road to the east, Arsenal Street to the west and Bowen Road to the south. The area north of Gloucester Road is often called...
(Grade I) - Pak Tai Temple, No. 146 Ma Tau Wai Road, Hung HomHung HomHung Hom is an area of Kowloon, in Hong Kong, administratively part of the Kowloon City District, with a portion west of the railway in the Yau Tsim Mong District. Hung Hom serves mainly residential purposes though is mixed with some industrial buildings in the north.-Geography:Hung Hom is located...
(Grade III) - Yuk Hui TempleYuk Hui TempleYuk Hui Temple also known as Pak Tai Temple , is a taoist temple located on the island of Cheung Chau, Hong Kong. The temple address is Pak She Street, Tung Wan, Cheung Chau.- Introduction :...
aka. Pak Tai Temple, Pak She Street, Cheung ChauCheung ChauCheung Chau is a small island 10 km southwest of Hong Kong Island, is nicknamed as the 'dumbbell island' for its shape. It has been inhabited for longer than most other places in the territory of Hong Kong, with a population of about 23,000 up to 2006...
(Grade I) - Sam Tai Tsz Temple and Pak Tai Temple, Nos.196 and 198 Yu Chau Street, Sham Shui PoSham Shui PoSham Shui Po, or Shamshuipo, is an area of Sham Shui Po District, Hong Kong, situated in the northwestern part of the Kowloon Peninsula, north of Tai Kok Tsui, east of Cheung Sha Wan and south of Shek Kip Mei. Sham Shui Po is known for its street market for electronic devices.-History:Sham Shui Po...
(Grade II) - Tam Kung and Tin Hau TempleTin Hau temples in Hong KongOver 70 temples are dedicated to Tin Hau in Hong Kong. They include:* Tin Hau temple, located at 10 Tin Hau Temple Road, Causeway Bay, east of Victoria Park, in Eastern District, on Hong Kong Island. It is a declared monument. The temple has given its name to the MTR station serving it .* The Tin...
, No. 9 Blue Pool RoadBlue Pool RoadBlue Pool Road is a road linking Happy Valley and Wong Nai Chung Gap on the Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It starts in Wong Nai Chung Road, breaks at a roundabout, and continues in Tai Hang Road where it ends in a dead end. It is steep, and is mainly lined with residential apartments, although...
, Wong Nai Chung (Happy Valley) - Yuen Kwan Yi Tai Temple aka. Pak Tai Temple, Yuen Long Kau HuiYuen Long Kau HuiYuen Long Kau Hui is an area in Yuen Long, Yuen Long District, in the western New Territories of Hong Kong.-Geography:Yuen Long Kau Hui is located in the north-east of the present Yuen Long Town. It is sited south of a small hill and directly north of Yuen Long MTR Station. It comprises several...
(Grade I) - Pak Tai Temple, Stanley Main Street, StanleyStanley, Hong KongStanley is a town and a tourist attraction in Hong Kong. It located on a peninsula on the southeastern part of Hong Kong Island. It is east of Repulse Bay and west of Shek O, adjacent to Chung Hom Kok...
Festivals
- A festival is held on the island of TaipaTaipaTaipa is the smaller of the two islands in the Chinese special administrative region of Macao .- Geography :It is 2.5 kilometres from Macau Peninsula and east of the Lesser Hengqin Island of Zhuhai, Guangdong Province...
in MacauMacauMacau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
. The celebration at the Pak Tai Temple includes an opera-styled performance - Annual Bun FestivalCheung Chau Bun FestivalCheung Chau Bun Festival or Cheung Chau Da Jiu Festival is a traditional Chinese festival on the island of Cheung Chau in Hong Kong. Being held annually, and with therefore the most public exposure, it is by far the most famous of such Da Jiu festivals, with Jiu being a Taoist sacrificial...
in Cheung ChauCheung ChauCheung Chau is a small island 10 km southwest of Hong Kong Island, is nicknamed as the 'dumbbell island' for its shape. It has been inhabited for longer than most other places in the territory of Hong Kong, with a population of about 23,000 up to 2006...
Island, Hong KongHong KongHong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, held in front of the Pak Tai Temple.