Preserving the Chinese culture & traditions

The History of Kwock Hing Society

Originally named the Ket Hing Society, the Kwock Hing Society was organized in 1900.

Ket Hing Society was a Hung Men Society fraternal order, also known as Hoong Moon, a Chinese Masonic Lodge which originated in 300 A.D. in the Han Dynasty.

In later years, Ket Hing became a secret society because of its involvement in the revolutionary activities with Dr. Sun Yat-Sen who successfully overthrew the Manchu Empire and became the first President of the Republic of China.

The Kwock Hing Society temple was built in 1907 and was moved to its present site in 1912. The original mission of the Kwock Hing Society was to preserve the temple and cemetery grounds and to be a gathering place for Chinese families to receive information from back home.

The Kwock Hing temple houses the altar of the society’s deity known as Kwan Ti, god of justice and compassion. The altar also houses ancestral plaques of the Hung Men Society as well as the Society’s earth gods.

The altar room has an area containing ceremonial clothes and fortune sheets. Worshippers believed that the spiritual powers they felt in this temple had influence on their fortunes.

In December of 2020 a Chinese Altar was donated by Jana N.W.L. Ireijo in memory of her Kun Tai Lau, Ben Len Kui Lau and Margaret Yit Hoon Lau for the entry of the temple to make it easy for our elderly to participate in rituals and ceremonies.

Fook On Tong Cemetery

The Kwock Hing Society has its own Cemetery called Fook On Tong. The cemetery is located on Kohea Drive about 3 miles from the Kwock Hing Society.

The site of the cemetery was chosen according to Feng shui based on how vital energy or chi flows through the land. Fook On Tong’s Altar is directly aligned with the peak of the mountain on top Haleakala from the behind, and it is directly aligned with the peak of the West Maui Mountains in the foreground. This is known as “long mai” which is supposedly a channel of vital energy that runs down from the peak of the mountain.

The renovation of the cemetery altar was donated by Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s Foundation for Peace and Education in commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of the 10/10/1911 Xin Hai Revolution in the year 2011.

Kwock Hing continues its mission to preserve its building, cemetery and traditions. It’s still the gathering place for members and friends. The Kwock Hing Society celebrates many festivals such as Chinese New Year and Ching Ming.

An important festival at the temple is Moon Festival. It’s a reunion for Asian families and friends to eat together, socialize and enjoy Moon Cakes. Festivals at the temple are usually a time to teach the next generations the importance of their heritage and rituals so that they can continue to share Chinese culture and traditions. T

he Kwock Hing Society Temple is open for tours and to schools to share the richness of the Chinese culture and to share the life of the first immigrants that came to Hawaii over 200 years ago.