In recent days, Man Mo Temple in Sheung Wan has emerged as a trending topic on Threads, with many netizens praising it as an efficacious place to pray for career success. People make posts and comments claiming that they received job offers or interview invitations shortly after worshipping Man Cheong and Mo Tai in the temple. Some have even shared step‑by‑step guides to finish a proper worship, including how to prepare incense, which deities to approach, and how to phrase their wishes. While temple worship is often seen as a traditional practice associated with older generations, this trend has drawn a growing number of young adults, including many university students, to give this “new” practice a try.
Standing on Hollywood Road, Man Mo Temple was built by the local Chinese merchants between 1847 and 1862 and has been managed by Tung Wah Group of Hospitals since 1908.
The Man Mo Temple Compound is made up of three interconnected buildings, which is Man Mo Temple, Lit Shing Kung, and Kung Sor. The Man Mo Temple was created to honour Man Cheong, the God of Literature, and Mo Tai, the God of Martial Arts. Lit Shing Kung was established to worship all Chinese gods, while Kung Sor functioned as a meeting hall for the local Chinese community to discuss different affairs.
As the academic year comes to an end, many final-year HKU students are celebrating their graduation. However, many are also grappling with growing anxiety about their future. The question “What is your plan after university?” has become increasingly unavoidable.
I feel like I’m running out of time,”
says Sophia, a final‑year Bachelor of Engineering student. “Some of my friends already received graduate offers last year, and I’m still sending out applications every week.” She also noted that job competition is extremely intense when she attends interviews.
This sense of falling behind is common. According to observations from student forums and daily discussions, many HKU students feel that “success” is narrowly defined. It seems that only landing a prestigious graduate scheme or multinational firms are defined as success. Those who take alternative paths, such as freelancing, pursuing creative work, or taking a gap year, may feel unusual or even judged.
Our conversations have entirely shifted to graduate jobs and Master’s programs,”
says Heidi, a final-year Bachelor of Arts student. “Just a year ago, we were still debating which restaurants or bars to go to after lectures.” Heidi has already decided to pursue a Master degree, which has made her less anxious currently. She also admits that she sometimes worries about her friends, especially watching them struggle with uncertainty and pressure from their family. “They are all excellent people, but that doesn’t mean that they got everything going smoothly,” she says.
Official data from last year may paint a relatively optimistic picture. According to the HKU Graduate Employment Survey 2024, which was responded to by 83% of the 3,792 full‑time Bachelor’s degree graduates, 72.6% of graduates were engaged in employment and 98.6% of the employed graduates secured their first job offer by December 2024. The major employment sector was commerce and industry, which accounted for 45.9%. In addition, 22.2% of the graduates are pursuing further studies, primarily in Hong Kong but also in the UK, USA, and Canada.
Yet, for many students, those numbers do not ease the fear of being left behind. Behind the heartening statistics lies a more complicated reality, including peer pressure, parental expectations, economic fluctuations and the fear of not living up to the “HKU brand”.
Indeed, the transition from a “junior adult” to a “real adult” remains stressful. In the context of today’s job‑seeking pressures, perhaps Man Mo Temple offers not only religious significance, but also a form of psychological reassurance. Visiting Man Mo Lounge might not be a superstitious or sheeple behaviour, but rather a quiet way of admitting that we all need a little luck when we step into the unknown.