Legend
| Wong Tai Sin | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The famous Wong Tai Sin Temple, dedicated to Wong Tai Sin. Everyday Hong Kong people flock to this temple to wish for good health and prosperity. | |||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 黃大仙 | ||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 黄大仙 | ||||||||||
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According to the Self-Description of Chisongzi (Master Red Pine) (赤松子自述) that is kept at the Wong Tai Sin Temple in Hong Kong, Wong Tai Sin was born under the name Wong Cho Ping (黃初平, Huang Chuping in Mandarin Chinese) in 338 in today's Lanxi, Jinhua, Zhejiang Province. Western sources have him listed at c. 284 to 364 CE.
Wong Cho Ping is said to have experienced poverty and hunger and to have become a shepherd when he was eight years old. He began practicing Taoism at the age of fifteen after meeting a so-called 'immortal' or saintly person in the Red Pine mountain in his hometown. Legend has it that he was able to transform stones into sheep forty years later. He is also known as the Red Pine Immortal (赤松仙子), named after his hermit mountain. His birthday is celebrated on the 23rd of the eighth lunar month.
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