Kun Iam Tong 觀音堂 (观音堂)

Located at Avenida do Coronel Mesquita in Macau The Kun Iam Tong is a Temple for the Goddess of Mercy. The temple was founded in the 13th century, with the present structure dating back to 1627 which make the temple as one of the oldest, biggest and wealthiest temples in Macau (the other two are A-Ma Temple and Lin Fung Temple (Temple of the Lotus).

There are open courtyards and ornately embellished halls, dedicated to the Precious Buddhas, the Buddha of Longevity or Kun Iam. The deity is dressed in embroiled silk and her clothing is changed every year. Flanking the Kun Iam are eighteen Buddha statues and one of them is said to be carved in the image of Marco Polo who studied Buddhism in the temple. The adjoining rooms hold funeral chapels and scrolls honouring Kun Iam.

A terraced garden is located behind the temple. The temple also known as the site of the first Sino-American treaty which was signed in 1844, between Ki Ying, the Viceroy of Canton, and Caleb Cushing, the United States minister. Close by is a marble statue of a monk. There are four old banyan trees here and their branches seem to intertwine. These old banyan trees are called the Lovers Trees and are a symbol of marital fidelity. Fountains, groves of bamboo and smaller shrines in honour of departed priests can be found on other parts of the Kun Iam Tong garden.

The feast day of Kun Iam is celebrated on the 19th day of the second, sixth, ninth and 11th moons.



觀音堂又稱普濟禪院。 是澳門三大禪院中規模宏大、歷史悠久、佔地廣闊、建筑雄偉的一家。 建於明朝末年, 距今約三百六十多年。 觀音堂除在於其悠久歷史以外, 更是簽署中美「望廈條約」的地方。 禪院為中國古翬飛式的佛教建筑, 具中國名山古剎的特色。 禪院的首座是大雄寶殿, 次殿是長壽佛殿, 后座正殿是觀音殿。 院后還有廣闊幽深的后花園, 是一座具規模港澳罕有的佛寺建筑。

大雄寶殿正對禪院, 供奉三尊三寶佛像, 皆為丈八金身。 其中之一為佛祖釋迦牟尼, 殿旁懸有一個已有三個半世紀的歷史銅鐘。 殿頂檐頭瓦脊鑲有明朝琉璃瓦及精工鑲嵌的石灣公仔。

次殿是長壽佛殿, 供奉長壽佛, 象徵佛陀普渡眾生的精神。 進入主殿觀音殿, 供奉觀音大士蓮台, 樟木雕塑, 18羅漢分列主殿兩旁, 雕工精細, 造型神態活現, 其中位於左面的一尊羅漢, 眼睛浮突、鼻骨高隆、鬢發卷曲，極像外國人, 據雲就是意大利威尼斯人馬可孛羅, 他曾在中國研習佛理。

禪院內進的前廳挂有一幅人稱「大笑佛」畫像。 無論從那個方向欣賞畫像, 佛相均咧咀相視而笑。 院內收藏了很多名家的書畫、書法、文物包括馳譽中外畫壇的嶺南派大師高劍父及乃徒關山月, 有嶺南三大詩家之稱的陳恭尹, 著名學者章太炎等人, 他們的作品懸挂於殿堂供游客欣賞。 在院內僧舍客堂屏壁, 雕花金飾, 而書法雕刻, 亦見清雅。 兩度屏風, 每度刻四屏條, 收米芾、董其昌、劉墉等歷代名人手跡, 刻工精細。

Temples in Macau 澳門廟宇 (澳门庙宇)

1. Hong Kung Miu
Location : Stands in the bustling market square between Rua das Estalagens and Rua de Cinco de Outubro.
Built : 1750

The Temple is dedicated to the God of War and Riches, Kwan Tai.

2. Kun Iam Tong
Location : Avenida do Coronel Mesquita
Built : 1627

This is the oldest organized temple in Macau, a statue of Kun Iam adorns the main hall of the temple. People regards this temple perhaps the most impressive of Macau’s three oldest temples. Inside the temple is the Hall of the Three Precious Buddhas and Hall of the Buddha of Longevity. It also has a lotus pond (the lotus is supposed to have grown into the shape of Chinese character for longevity).

3. Lin Fung Miu
Location : Avenida do Almirante Lacerda
Built : 1592

The temple was built in 1592 and its the leading Taoist temple in Macau. A statue of Commissioner Lin Zexu is on the temple grounds inside the temple. In the 1980s, some restoration work took place. It restored several times during Qing Dynasty before. Inside the Lin Fung Temple, the main hall is devoted to Kun Iam, who stands on an altar with detailed and meticulous inscriptions and carvings. Historically, the temple has served as a boarding house for government officials when they visited Macau from the Mainland.

4. Lin Kai Miu
Location : Travessa da Corda

Built : it dates from the late 1600’s

This is one of the older temples in the city and the temple’s facade is granite with carvings on the walls. The temple’s focus 'Ua Kuong' is the god of protection against fire. Furthermore, There is a hall devoted to the Taoist Monkey god. Lin Kai Temple also supports a hospital and a home for the poor people in Macau.

5. Pou Tai Un
Location : Taipa
Built : Founded in the 19th century, Buddhist monks started the temple date back in the 1800’s.

This is possibly the richest temple in Macau and both the monastery and temples have since been extended and enriched by devotees. There are new pavilions with soaring yellow-tile roofs and an elegant statue of Kun Iam on a marble-columned terrace in this temple. The original prayer hall is now home to images of the Three Precious Buddhas.

6. Tai Soi Miu
Location : Rua da Figueira

Kun Iam has a prominent place in the temple. Also included inside the temple is a shrine to Pau Kung, the Taoist god of justice. Tai Soi is among Macau’s most interesting temples, therefore its worth for a visit. The temple has been described as “a vertical maze of prayer halls linked by narrow staircases and moon gates” with a collection of goddesses, who serve as patrons to pregnant women, fertility, and child birth, are in the temple. Moreover, there is a shrine to the gilded Sleeping Buddha inside the temple.

7. Tam Kung Miu
This temple is dedicated to Tam Kung, the Taoist god of sailors. It also houses a four foot replica of a dragon boat made from whale bone - complete with wooden sailors in red robes and yellow hats, and there are extravagant murals in the temple.

Source : www.flickr.com and taken by daniel_k_wong

8. A-Ma Temple
The A-Ma Temple sits at the bottom of Penha Hill by a cliff. The temple has four main buildings, three of which are dedicated to A-Ma, which are the goddess of Mercy, Kun Iam, is the focus of one shrine. The Main Hall, Stone Hall, and Great Mercy Hall, however, all are dedicated to A-Ma and include statues of the goddess and models of the Chinese junk in which she made her legendary voyage. The Garden spots built into the cliff behind the temple provide some excellent views of the city. There is a festival in honor of A-Ma in April or May every year.

Source : www.flickr.com and taken by * andrew

9. Pak Tai
Location : Rua do Regedor
Built : 1844

The temple is devoted to the Taoist god of the North, Pak Tai. It was renovated in 1994 by the Macau Cultural Institute and the Orient Foundation of Macau.

Source : www.flickr.com and taken by lam_vienna

10. Tin Hau Old Temple
Location : Avenida da República.
Built : 1677

This is the oldest temple on Coloane Island. The temple has undergone several renovations in the past decades. The most recent one is being sponsored by the Macau Cultural Institute in the 1980’s. In traditional fashion, the temple is divided into three chapels - Tin Hua is the “Queen of the Sky” in Chinese mythology, Tin Hau shares the temple with alters to the god of war (Kuan Tai), the god of wealth (Choi Pa Seng Kaun), the god of medicine (Wa To), and the god of carpenters (Lou Pan).

11. Kuan Tai Temple
Built : 1750

This temple is dedicated to Kuan Tai, which is the god of war and riches in Chinese mythology. Kuan Tai and his two sons sit on an alter in the temple. Festivals to Kuan Tai take place in May and June every year.