Situated at the corner of Hollywood Road and Ladder Street, Man Mo Temple is Hong Kong's oldest and most famous temple.

Built in 1847, the temple is dedicated to two gods, one civilian, and the other military. Man, or Man Cheong, the god of literature, and Mo, or Kuan Ti, the god of war. People pray to the pair of deities in the hope that their children will inherit the wisdom of Man and the strength of Mo.

Rebuilt several times, the temple still keeps its original appearance. Figures of each stand on the main altar, Man dressed in green holding a writing brush and Mo arrayed in red brandishing a sword. Man was a 3rd-century BC Chinese statesman, Mo was a 2nd-century AD Chinese soldier. Man is the traditional protector of civil servants, Mo - worshipped by Taoists and Buddhists alike - the guardian of armies, policemen, secret societies and pawnbrokers. Lesser gods lie ranged beside the temple's altar statues, notably Pao Wong, the god of justice, and Shing Wong, a god who keeps watch over the surrounding district.

A visit here is a must if you want to savor the flavor of a Taoist temple (albeit one with Buddhist overtones), the atmosphere mystical but oddly casual, the dusky air pungent with the scent of incense burning from huge coils hung from the roof. A bell and drum by the entrance sound when a prayer or offering is made - usually fruit or sticks of incense; the large bell, cast in Guangzhou (Canton), dates from 1846, its smaller neighbor, on the left, from 1897. Also look out for the two antique sedans under glass by the altar, originally used to carry the statues of Man and Mo during ceremonial processions.