Joss House Bay

Joss House Bay
Traditional Chinese	大廟灣
Transcriptions Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Daaih miuh wāan Jyutping Daai6 miu6 waan1

Joss House Bay. The island on the left is Tung Lung Chau.

Distant view of the Tin Hau Temple at Joss House Bay. The hill on the left is Tin Ha Shan.

Rock inscription at Joss House Bay.

Ferry pier.

Joss House Bay, also known as Tai Miu Wan, is near the south end of Clear Water Bay Peninsula in Hong Kong. The Cantonese name Tai Miu Wan means "the bay of large temple" after the oldest Tin Hau Temple in Hong Kong. This is also a popular place for fishing enthusiasts.

Tin Hau Temple

Main article: Tin Hau Temple, Joss House Bay

The Tin Hau Temple was a large joss house built in 1266. It is the oldest and biggest Tin Hau Temple in Hong Kong so it is called the Big Temple. It is a Grade I Historic Building.^[1] The temple is located near Fat Tong Mun, the channel between the peninsula and Tung Lung Chau on the major channel along the sea route in the South China. It was founded by the Lam family in former Po Kong in Kowloon.

Rock inscription

The rock inscription at Joss House Bay is a declared monument of Hong Kong since 1979.^[2] This inscription is dated to the Jiashu year of the Xianchun reign in the Southern Song dynasty (i.e. 1274 AD). It is the oldest dated inscription in Hong Kong, and records a visit by Yan Yizhang, an officer in charge of the salt administration, and a friend.^[3] It also gives the history of two temples, north and south of Joss House Bay.^[4]

Transportation

A regular green minibus (Route 16) operates between MTR Po Lam station Public Transport Interchange and Po Toi O. Visitors should alight at the Tai Miu Wan stop (near the entrance to Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club) and walk for about 10 minutes down a flight of stairs to Joss House Bay, passing the rock inscription on the way down.^[5]

Every year during Tin Hau Festival, New World First Ferry operates a special ferry service between North Point and Joss House Bay for worshippers. This service is regulated by the Transport Department over two designated days: the day preceding the Tin Hau Festival and the day of the Tin Hau Festival. Both fast ferry and ordinary ferry services are provided.^[6] Thousands of worshippers typically use this service.^[7] A general summary of fares and departure times can be found on the Transport Department website.^[8]

References

1. "Welcome to the Film Services Office". Archived from the original on 23 November 2005. Retrieved 26 May 2006.
2. "Annex I Listing of Declared Monuments". Environmental Protection Department. Government of Hong Kong. 1 January 1999. Archived from the original on 28 October 2009. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
3. Fung, Fanny W. Y. (13 June 2014). "Sai Kung rock may hold key to To Kwa Wan relics' history". South China Morning Post. Hong Kong. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
4. "Rock Inscription at Joss House Bay, Sai Kung - Declared Monuments - Antiquities and Monuments Office". Amo.gov.hk. 30 June 2016. Archived from the original on 9 November 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
5. Transport Department website: Green Minibus Route 16
6. "New World First Ferry Services Limited". Nwff.com.hk. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
7. "New World First Ferry Services Limited". Nwff.com.hk. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
8. Transport Department website: Franchised and Licensed Ferry Services (North Point - Joss House Bay)

22°16′N 114°17′E