A-Ma Temple(Mazu Pavilion)

A-Ma Temple sits with its back to the hill and faces the sea. It is a cliffside temple dedicated to the sea goddess Mazu. Scholars generally believe that before the Portuguese settled here, a temple honoring Mazu already stood here, and along with Lin Fung Temple and Kun Iam Temple, it is counted among the three ancient temples of the area.

This site is not symmetrically arranged like a typical traditional temple; instead, it clings to the hillside and faces the sea in a staggered layout: the granite archway at the entrance is guarded by stone lions; passing through the arch and climbing the steps, the main hall, Hongren Hall, Guanyin Pavilion, and Zhengjue Zen Monastery unfold along the mountain path in sequence. Halfway up the hill, Hongren Hall uses the natural rock as its rear wall; it is a small stone hall, with the statue of Mazu placed in front of the rock; along the way, the cliff faces are dotted with cliff inscriptions by officials and scholars from various dynasties, written in regular, cursive, seal, and clerical scripts; on one side of the entrance a rock shows an ancient sailing ship carved into it, and the flag bears the words "to brave the great river". Inside the hall a giant incense coil hangs high and spirals layer upon layer, with curling smoke, and the scene known as "A-Ma purple smoke" takes its name from this.