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Kwan Ti Worshpping at Po Leung Kuk

 

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Date

7/2024 - 6/2025

 

Location

Leslie Kwing-Wai Lam Exhibition Hall III

Po Leung Kuk Museum, Main Building
66 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay
Hong Kong

 

Opening Hours
Mon-Sat 09:30-17:30
Close on Sundays and Public Holidays

 

Make a Reservation 

 

Intro Image

 

Exhibition Introduction

Kwan Ti as a symbol of loyalty, justice, benevolence, and courage, is revered widely in the community. It is also the “guardian god” of Po Leung Kuk; significant Kuk ceremonies and important life events of Kuk residents, like inauguration, adoption, and marriage ceremonies, were conducted in front of Kwan Ti solemnly.

 

Kwan Ti Festival has been included in the Intangible Cultural Heritage Inventory of Hong Kong. We hope that by showing the distinctive Kwan Ti worshipping culture at the Po Leung Kuk, the exhibition would offer another perspective to understand this guardian, who has been protecting the community for ages, passing on Chinese culture and tradition.

 

 

 

 

 

Highlight Exhibits

The exhibition showcases the unique Kwan Ti traditions of Po Leung Kuk through precious historical documents and photographs. It aims to provide the public with a deeper understanding and appreciation of Kwan Ti culture.

Group Photograph of Po Leung Kuk Directors (1908-1909) The photo shows the setup of worshipping Kwan Ti in the former headquarters on Po Yan Street, Sheung Wan. Sacrificial vessels are placed on the table behind the Directors. There were also pairs of couplets on the wall behind. The one in the middle was chosen and documented in the meeting records in 1888. Presumably, they were moved into the former headquarters on Po Yan Street during the relocation of the Kuk in 1896.
Quotation from Fourseas Silk Company Limited (1990) The Kuk once ordered traditional attires of cheongsam and qipao for Directors participating in Kwan Ti Festival. This was the quotation from Fourseas Silk Company Limited, which was founded by Lai Sze-nuen. He was a philanthropist, Director of the Kuk (1964-65), and Chairman of Tung Wah Hospital.
Debit Note from Fourseas Silk Company Limited (1990)
Cheongsam and Ma Kwa Jacket (Tailor-made in 2024) Cheongsam and Ma Kwa jackets are traditional male attire that comprises two parts – a long dress and a Ma Kwa jacket. The black cheongsam displayed here is similar to the one that Po Leung Kuk once ordered for the Directors in 1990. The cheongsam is decorated with patterns of bats (pronounced fu in Chinese which means luck and happiness) and a stylized Shou (Chinese character of longevity) medallion, carrying the double auspicious meaning of luck and longevity at the same time. Cheongsam and Ma Kwa jackets gradually became the symbol of social status in the twentieth century. Many celebrities and elites would wear them on important occasions. It was a regular occurrence in the Kuk’s Board of Directors group photos. The technique of making Hong Kong cheongsam has been included in the Intangible Cultural Heritage Inventory of Hong Kong today.
Letter from Confucian Academy
Rundown of Kwan Ti Festival (1991) The rituals have been performed for a long time in Kuk history. Throughout the ceremony, each step carries its significance and is performed by different roles in a specific order in solemnity and sacredness.
Invitation Letters for Kwan Ti Festival (1972) The post-ceremony feast was mentioned in the invitation letters.

Po Leung Kuk and Kwan Ti Traditions

 

2023 Po Leung Kuk Kwan Ti Festival 

Po Leung Kuk and Kwan Ti Culture in Hong Kong (Part 1)

Po Leung Kuk and Kwan Ti Culture in Hong Kong (Part 2)

(Videos available in Cantonese only.)