The Yuk Hui Temple, which is also known as Pak Tai Temple, was built by local residents of Wan Chai for the worship of Pak Tai, a deity associated with the stars of the north and the sea. The temple serves as an important historic landmark of the early development of Wan Chai and as a symbol of the local community’s identity.
The main temple building is a two-hall-three-bay Qing vernacular structure with an incense pavilion in the centre and annexes to either side, all of which are constructed of grey bricks, granite and timber. The main building was built in the first year of the Tongzhi reign (1862) during the Qing dynasty, and work was completed in 1863. It is noteworthy that the completion year of the temple was inscribed on a ridge purlin in the entrance hall, which is something rarely seen in traditional Chinese buildings in Hong Kong.
The main building has outstanding architectural features. The characters “Yuk Hui Temple” on the granite lintel over the main entrance were written by Zhang Yutang, the then Commodore of the Dapeng Brigade stationed at Kowloon Walled City. A Ming dynasty bronze statue of Pak Tai, which bears an inscription on its robe hem marking the thirty-first year of the Wanli reign (1603) during the Ming dynasty, is enshrined in the temple’s incense pavilion. Exquisite examples of historic Shiwan ceramic decorations, mostly portraying Chinese folk stories, can be found on the main ridge and gable corner walls of the temple’s entrance hall. The annex attached to the temple on its left was originally a communal hall, which in the 1950s housed the St. James’ Settlement Boys' and Girls' Club. The annex on its right was formerly a school.
Yuk Hui Temple was declared a monument in 2019.