Located at the northern foothill of Mong-Ha Hill, Lin Fong Temple is composed by a large, magnificent three-bay courtyard compound, each with three halls. Beside the temple there are the Lin Fong Charity Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic, the Lin Fong Pou Chai School and the Lin Zexu Memorial Museum. The ridge of the temple’s façade is decorated with traditional Huiwen patterns, with red-and-black patterns decorated under the eaves, giving it a general air of dignity and elegance.
In 1723, the predecessor of Lin Fong Temple, the Cihu Temple, was built at the foothill of Lin Fong Hill. During the Jiaqing period (1796-1820) of the Qing dynasty, the structure was renamed Lin Fong Temple. Since it was close to the Border Gate, the Portuguese called it “Border Gate Temple”, and was located alongside the isthmus that originally connected the Mainland to Macao Peninsula, where officials, businessmen and citizens had to pass whenever crossing the border. Travelers could disembark from boats in front of Lin Fong Temple, which served not only for worship, but also as a meeting place for merchants, as well as Chinese officials who could stay there overnight when they visited Macao in official capacity. Outside the temple, there is a wide-open front yard with two stone flagpoles. In Macao, only Lin Fong Temple and A-Ma Temple have this type of flagpoles, showing their prominence.
Macao was an important trade port that also assisted the interests and functions of the Guangdong Customs of Guangzhou during the Qing dynasty, serving as the necessary gateway for ships from the West intended to trade with China. As Fujian and Guangdong cargo ships also frequently travelled to Macao for commercial activities, Chinese merchants relied on their devotion to certain deities to ensure their safety at sea. The restoration and expansion works in Lin Fong Temple throughout the ages was made possible, not only with donations from the public, but also with the support from business circles and government officials, clearly reflecting the important role of this temple in the context of the Maritime Silk Road.
Lin Zexu, a famous imperial commissioner who led the anti-opium campaign, paid an inspection visit in Macao in 1839, together with Deng Tingzhen, Governor-general of Guangdong and Guangxi, during which they met with Portuguese officials in Lin Fong Temple, declaring a ban on opium. In 1844, Qiying, also imperial commissioner and the Governor-general of Guangdong and Guangxi, visited Macao twice for negotiations with the United States and France, and stayed at Lin Fong Temple. In 1849, seven villagers from Long Tin Village in Macao, including Shen Zhiliang, killed the Governor of Macao, João Maria Ferreira do Amaral, near Lin Fong Temple, marking a dramatic event in the history of Sino-Portuguese relations. A stone carved with the Portuguese coat of arms was placed at the site in memory of the event.
The temple has the largest number of inscription-carved steles in Macao, as well as a rich collection of stone carvings, plaster molding decorations, brick carvings and other artifacts, all closely related to Macao's maritime and commercial activities. Therefore, it assumes a remarkable place in the Maritime Silk Road in Macao and in modern Chinese history.
