Repulse Bay

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Repulse Bay

Though you wouldn’t know it from the beach views of today, Repulse Bay has a long, and somewhat grim, history of military importance. Its name comes from the British warship the HMS Repulse which chased out the local pirates operating in the area. During World War II, the Repulse Bay Hotel housed British troops. When the Japanese invaded in 1941, they took over the hotel, and the British troops were either killed or sent to prison camps.

Today, Repulse Bay is home to a number of ex-pats, as evidenced by the many Filipina nannies with blond toddlers in tow, and the International Herald Tribune in the local Starbucks. The beach is broad and clean, the water is calm, and there are showers and changing rooms for beach-goers.

What sets Repulse Bay apart from other pretty beaches is the Tin Hau Temple at one end. Some say it’s kitschy, I think it’s charming. It is also the home of the Repulse Bay Life Guard Association, so be nice.

The Tin Hau Temple is home to statues of gods, goddesses, and good luck totems of almost every stripe in Asia. Tin Hau? Check. Buddha? Check. Kuan Yin? Check. And the list goes on. But the most prominent are the enormous statues of Kuan Yin and Tin Hau. Kuan Yin is also considered to be the guardian of lifeguards.

A note about Kuan Yin: Alternately spelled Guan Yin, Quan Yin, or Kuan Im, she is the goddess of compassion, especially to those in distress at sea. Some say she is a bodhisattva, that is, one who has attained Enlightenment, but has chosen to forgo Nirvana in order to help others achieve the same goal. Some say she was born a man, but reincarnated as a woman in order to be more approachable. She is often shown with a jar of pure water or a lotus, symbolizing beauty and purity growing out of unfortunate circumstances. Some statues of her have a very close - and intentional - resemblance to the Virgin Mary. For more on Guan Yin check the Wikipedia entry: Guan Yin

Getting to Repulse Bay is a fairly easy bus ride from Exchange Square in Central on Hong Kong Island. These are generally double-decker buses. Snag a seat on top, but be prepared to fly down the narrow steps when you get close to your stop.

Hong Kong, February 2009

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Photos

Guan Yin
Goddess of Compassion

Tin Hua Temple
at one end of Repulse Bay

Baby Buddha
Women who want to conceive will rub the Budhha's belly for luck.

God of Wealth
They say if you run your hands from the top of the statue's head to his feet, and then put your right hand in your pocket, you will come into money. Of course, there is a prominent donation box next to the statue.

Fu Lu Shou
The Three Stars

Fu Lu Shou
These three figures represent Good Fortune, Prosperity, and Longevity.

Incense burner
Joss sticks are always burned in multiples of three, symbolizing yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Door Guard
Guarding the Moon Gate

Door Guard
Guarding the Moon Gate

Peace and Harmony
This statue was dedicated at the 10th Asia Pacific Life Saving Conference.

Comments

[Lil' Bro]

Longevity Bridge
Does it matter which way you cross the bridge? i.e. does it subtract 3 days if you go the wrong way? Hope your travels are going well.