Tai O, an ancient fishing village, boasts a rich history evident in its numerous historical buildings. After indulging in the delicious street food, take a 10-minute stroll northward from Tai O's downtown area along Kat Hing Back Street to immerse yourself in the village's history at the over three-century-old Yeung Hau Temple.

Overlooking the waterfront, the resident god – Yeung Leung-jit 楊亮節 (Yeung Hau 楊侯 is the appellation) is deemed to be the maternal uncle of the last second emperor during the Song dynasty, who has been worshipped and praised by villagers for his bravery and loyalty as he protected the king from the Mongol attacks despite having a serious illness. It is no surprise a few other local deities like Pak Tai (北帝) – the Water God, Guan Yu (關羽) – the Warrior God, and Hung Shing (洪聖) – the God of the South Sea are also situated at the temple to protect fishermen from violent sea storms. 

Similar to many other local temples in town, Yeung Hai Temple is structured in the classic Qing vernacular two-hall-three-bay architectural style. However, its interior stands out due to the lavish decorations that include handcrafted ceramic and wood murals illustrating ancient folktales and stories of heroes. Other than the excessive embellishment, you can also tell the villagers back in the days were pretty well-off as the building is supported by both stone and wooden pillars, which the latter could have already done the job. There are a few more treasures of high historical values that you should check out: an iron bell that is the oldest relic dating back to 1699, and a 150-year-old crafted couplet (對聯) inside the main hall.