Temple Street, Hong Kong
Encyclopedia
Temple Street is a street located in the areas of Jordan
and Yau Ma Tei
in Kowloon
, Hong Kong
. It is known for its night market and one of the busiest flea market
s at night in the territory. The night market is in the Yau Ma Tei, Jordan part of the street and not the Mong Kok
part of the street. Popular with tourists and locals alike in the evening, it is common to see the place crowded at dusk. It sells cheap merchandise and food items. The place is sometimes known as Men's Street.
and it was named after a temple
to Tin Hau
was constructed there. It settled at banyan in the middle of the street (the place is called Yung Shue Tau
). Contrast that with the Ladies' Market in Tung Choi Street
, Mong Kok
.
to mobile phone
s and watch
es. Stalls have items mainly for men, jeans
, t-shirts, pants
, lighters, shoes, condoms and men's accessories
. Cheap merchandise is common in the night market. Cheap second hand goods such as cassettes, video tapes, old newspapers, antiques
are also sold there. Like in other night markets in South East Asia, prices can always be negotiated by bargaining.
If one has to buy merchandise in Temple Street, one has to hunt for shops hidden in streets behind the stalls rather than looking in the stall themselves. This is one of the uniqueness of Temple Street Night Market.
(1990) and The Prince of Temple Street (1992). It was used as a symbol for public life in Hong Kong at that time. Also, many gangster
films describe the place as a street of crime
.
Temple Street also plays a prominent role in the Stephen Chow
film, The God of Cookery and Fiona Sit
series, C'est La Vie, Mon Chéri
.
for treating illnesses and diseases. They are known as Masters instead of doctors and have run these clinics for many years.
There are also lots of restaurants selling seafood
. These hot pots can be perfect for an intimate dinner
. They are delicious as well as cheap. All of these culinary delicacies represent Hong Kong's traditional and unique food culture.
and the Hong Kong Tourism Board
.
stations to Temple Street are Jordan
and Yau Ma Tei
.
Jordan, Hong Kong
Jordan is an area in the Yau Tsim Mong District of Hong Kong. The unofficial area is named after a road of the same name.-Geography:Jordan is located in the central part of the Yau Tsim Mong District, as suggested by the name of some bus stops nearby...
and Yau Ma Tei
Yau Ma Tei
Yau Ma Tei, also known as Waterloo , is an area in the Yau Tsim Mong District in the south of the Kowloon Peninsula in Hong Kong.-Name:Yau Ma Tei is a phonetic transliteration of the name 油麻地 in Cantonese...
in Kowloon
Kowloon
Kowloon is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. It is bordered by the Lei Yue Mun strait in the east, Mei Foo Sun Chuen and Stonecutter's Island in the west, Tate's Cairn and Lion Rock in the north, and Victoria Harbour in the south. It had a population of...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong 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...
. It is known for its night market and one of the busiest flea market
Flea market
A flea market or swap meet is a type of bazaar where inexpensive or secondhand goods are sold or bartered. It may be indoors, such as in a warehouse or school gymnasium; or it may be outdoors, such as in a field or under a tent...
s at night in the territory. The night market is in the Yau Ma Tei, Jordan part of the street and not the Mong Kok
Mong Kok
Mong Kok , less often known as Argyle , is an area in the Yau Tsim Mong District on Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong...
part of the street. Popular with tourists and locals alike in the evening, it is common to see the place crowded at dusk. It sells cheap merchandise and food items. The place is sometimes known as Men's Street.
History
The place was built during the Qing DynastyQing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
and it was named after a temple
Tin Hau temples in Hong Kong
Over 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...
to Tin Hau
Matsu (goddess)
Mazu , also spelt Matsu, is the indigenous goddess of the sea who is said to protect fishermen and sailors, and is invoked as the patron deity of all Southern Chinese and East Asian persons...
was constructed there. It settled at banyan in the middle of the street (the place is called Yung Shue Tau
Yung Shue Tau
Yung Shue Tau is the public square before Tin Hau Temple in Yau Ma Tei of Kowloon in Hong Kong. The name in Cantonese means the head of banyan indicating banyan-covered square. Yung Shue Tau is known natively but seldom written on the maps. The square is bounded by Shanghai Street, Public...
). Contrast that with the Ladies' Market in Tung Choi Street
Tung Choi Street
Tung Choi Street is a street situated between Boundary Street and Dundas Street in Mong Kok, Kowloon, Hong Kong. Its southern section, popularly known as Ladies' Market or Ladies' Street , is one of the most well-known street markets in Hong Kong, where various kinds of products are available for...
, Mong Kok
Mong Kok
Mong Kok , less often known as Argyle , is an area in the Yau Tsim Mong District on Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong...
.
Shopping
The place is sometimes known as Men's Street as it is very popular for men's fashion. The market starts at 2 p.m. in the afternoon, but is lively at dusk daily. Traffic is closed on the street at that time, and visitors swarm into the street. There are more than a hundred stalls with colourful lights in the market. There are carts bulging with goods from clothingClothing
Clothing refers to any covering for the human body that is worn. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic and is a feature of nearly all human societies...
to mobile phone
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
s and watch
Watch
A watch is a small timepiece, typically worn either on the wrist or attached on a chain and carried in a pocket, with wristwatches being the most common type of watch used today. They evolved in the 17th century from spring powered clocks, which appeared in the 15th century. The first watches were...
es. Stalls have items mainly for men, jeans
Jeans
Jeans are trousers made from denim. Some of the earliest American blue jeans were made by Jacob Davis, Calvin Rogers, and Levi Strauss in 1873. Starting in the 1950s, jeans, originally designed for cowboys, became popular among teenagers. Historic brands include Levi's, Lee, and Wrangler...
, t-shirts, pants
Trousers
Trousers are an item of clothing worn on the lower part of the body from the waist to the ankles, covering both legs separately...
, lighters, shoes, condoms and men's accessories
Fashion accessory
Fashion accessories are decorative items that supplement and complement clothes, such as jewelery, gloves, handbags, hats, belts, scarves, wigs, watches, sunglasses, pins, stockings, bow ties, hand fans, leg warmers, leggings, neckties, suspenders, and tights....
. Cheap merchandise is common in the night market. Cheap second hand goods such as cassettes, video tapes, old newspapers, antiques
Antiques
An antique is an old collectible item. It is collected or desirable because of its age , beauty, rarity, condition, utility, personal emotional connection, and/or other unique features...
are also sold there. Like in other night markets in South East Asia, prices can always be negotiated by bargaining.
If one has to buy merchandise in Temple Street, one has to hunt for shops hidden in streets behind the stalls rather than looking in the stall themselves. This is one of the uniqueness of Temple Street Night Market.
Temple Street in film
The unique characteristics of Temple Street make it a desirable location to shoot films in Hong Kong such as Queen of Temple StreetQueen of Temple Street
Queen of Temple Street is a 1990 Hong Kong film directed by Lawrence Ah Mon. It has a Category III rating in Hong Kong.-Cast and roles:* Sylvia Chang - Big Sis Wah* Carol Cheng * Ha Ping - Older Woman* Josephine Koo - Venus...
(1990) and The Prince of Temple Street (1992). It was used as a symbol for public life in Hong Kong at that time. Also, many gangster
Gangster
A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Some gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from mob and the suffix -ster....
films describe the place as a street of crime
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
.
Temple Street also plays a prominent role in the Stephen Chow
Stephen Chow
Stephen Chow Sing-Chi is a Hong Kong actor, comedian, screenwriter, film director and producer.- Professional career :Stephen Chow began as a temporary actor for TVB. He entered TVB in early 1980s, and was trained there, although he had few opportunities to appear in films. Chow graduated from...
film, The God of Cookery and Fiona Sit
Fiona Sit
Fiona Sit Hoi-Kei is a female singer and actress from Hong Kong.-Biography:Fiona Sit attended Island School and studied Creative Media in City University of Hong Kong until 2004...
series, C'est La Vie, Mon Chéri
C'est La Vie, Mon Chéri
C'est La Vie, Mon Chéri or New Endless Love is a series starring Fiona Sit and Aloys Chen based on an adaptation of the 1994 Hong Kong movie, also known as C'est la vie, mon chéri. Both the movie and the series are directed by Derek Yee....
.
Clinics
Old Chinese clinics exist on this street and they use Traditional Chinese medicineTraditional Chinese medicine
Traditional Chinese Medicine refers to a broad range of medicine practices sharing common theoretical concepts which have been developed in China and are based on a tradition of more than 2,000 years, including various forms of herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage , exercise , and dietary therapy...
for treating illnesses and diseases. They are known as Masters instead of doctors and have run these clinics for many years.
Food and Beverage
The night market is famous for its snacks and roadside dining, which serves local street cuisine. It sells a wide range of delicious local delicacies.There are also lots of restaurants selling seafood
Seafood
Seafood is any form of marine life regarded as food by humans. Seafoods include fish, molluscs , crustaceans , echinoderms . Edible sea plants, such as some seaweeds and microalgae, are also seafood, and are widely eaten around the world, especially in Asia...
. These hot pots can be perfect for an intimate dinner
Dinner
Dinner is usually the name of the main meal of the day. Depending upon culture, dinner may be the second, third or fourth meal of the day. Originally, though, it referred to the first meal of the day, eaten around noon, and is still occasionally used for a noontime meal, if it is a large or main...
. They are delicious as well as cheap. All of these culinary delicacies represent Hong Kong's traditional and unique food culture.
Temple Street Festival
During September 2003, the inaugural Temple Street Festival was organised and was supported by the Home Affairs BureauHome Affairs Bureau
Home Affairs Bureau is one of the policy bureaux of the Hong Kong Government.One of the important roles of the Home Affairs Bureau is to enhance liaison and communication with all sectors of the community including the Legislative Council and the general public.Tsang Tak-sing has been the...
and the Hong Kong Tourism Board
Hong Kong Tourism Board
The Hong Kong Tourism Board is a Government-subvented body founded in 2001. The Board replaced the Hong Kong Tourist Association established in 1957...
.
Nearest MTR Stations
The nearest MTRMTR
Mass Transit Railway is the rapid transit railway system in Hong Kong. Originally opened in 1979, the system now includes 211.6 km of rail with 155 stations, including 86 railway stations and 69 light rail stops...
stations to Temple Street are Jordan
Jordan (MTR)
Jordan is a station on the Hong Kong MTR Tsuen Wan Line. It has dark green and light green livery. It is named after Jordan Road. About 220,000 passengers go through this station every day.-Location:...
and Yau Ma Tei
Yau Ma Tei (MTR)
Yau Ma Tei, formerly named Waterloo after Waterloo Road, is an MTR station located in Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon. It is the western terminus of the Kwun Tong Line, and is also located on the Tsuen Wan Line....
.
See also
- List of buildings, sites and areas in Hong Kong
- Temple Street, SingaporeTemple Street, SingaporeTemple Street is a one-way street located in Chinatown within the Outram Planning Area in Singapore. The road links New Bridge Road to South Bridge Road, and is intersected by Trengganu Street.-Etymology and history:...
- List of streets and roads in Hong Kong