Kun Iam Temple, on Avenida do Coronel Mesquita, is one of the shrines in Macao’s list of Classified Immovable Properties.

The founding year of this particular shrine to Kun Iam is undocumented. A plaque nonetheless commemorates the renovation of the temple circa 150 years ago in 1867, during the Qing Dynasty.

Pou Chai Temple, also known to locals as Kun Iam Tong, is one of the three oldest temples in Macao. The shrine is famous not only because it has witnessed Macao’s evolution over the past three centuries, but also because the “Treaty of Mong-Ha” between Qing Dynasty China and the United States of America was signed in the temple’s garden.

Kun Iam Tong is extensive, with a number of impressive architectural features. In addition to the central pavilions, there are also side pavilions and a garden to the rear. There can be found a group of memorial stones with inscriptions.

There are also temples in Taipa and Coloane dedicated to Kun Iam, a Buddhist bodhisattva also worshipped in Chinese folk religion as a goddess of mercy. Kun Iam Tong Temple, at Rua Direita Carlos Eugénio, was built in 1902.

There are also temples in Taipa and Coloane dedicated to Kun Iam, a Buddhist bodhisattva also worshipped in Chinese folk religion as a goddess of mercy. Kun Iam Tong Temple, at Rua Direita Carlos Eugénio, was built in 1902.

The temples often considered the most impressive are those built in front of giant rocks. Kun Iam Temple at Estrada Nordeste da Taipa is an example. The shrine, constructed in around 1871, consists of a front hall and a rear chamber. A statue of the Goddess Kun Iam stands inside a stone cavern integrated into the structure of the temple.

In Coloane, a Kun Iam Temple was constructed in 1800. The single-chamber temple was built and financed by local boat dwellers and fishing communities.

Another Kun Iam Temple in Coloane is built close to the sea, because the deity is believed to protect sailors and fishermen during their sea voyages.

Ka Ho’s Kun Iam Temple was built in 1881, making it the oldest structure in the village. The shrine stands in a quiet and green environment, with a view of the Bay of Ko Ho.