Walled villages of Hong Kong

File:TaiWaiVillage MainEntrance Front 2007.JPG

Main entrance of Tai Wai Village.

File:Model of Kun Lung Wai, Fanling (Exhibit of HKHM).jpg

Model of San Wai (新圍) aka. Kun Lung Wai (覲龍圍), displayed in Hong Kong Heritage Museum.

Once common throughout China, walled villages can still be found in southern China and Hong Kong. Most of the walled villages of Hong Kong are located in the New Territories.

History

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the shore of Guangdong suffered from pirates, and the area of Hong Kong was particularly vulnerable to pirates' attacks. Winding shores, hilly lands and islands and far from administrative centres made Hong Kong an excellent hideout for pirates. Villages, both Punti and Hakka, built walls against them. Some villages even protected themselves with cannons.

Over time, the walls of most walled villages have been partly or totally demolished.

Names

In Punti Cantonese, Wai (圍, Walled) and Tsuen (村, Village) were once synonyms, hence most place names which include the word 'wai', were at some point in time a walled village.

Features

Walled villages in Hong Kong are characterised by row houses arranged in a square or rectangular block, where the parallel rows of houses are separated by narrow lanes.

• HK SheungCheungWai CentralAxle.JPG

  Central axle of Sheung Cheung Wai, with shrine at the end of the lane. Seen from the village gate.

• HK Shatin 大圍村 Tai Wai Village land god Tu Di Gong.JPG

  Tu Di Gong shrine within the gate of Tai Wai Village.

• Nam Pin Wai inside2.JPG

  A narrow lane in Nam Pin Wai, typical of Hong Kong walled villages.

• The Wall of Lo Wai.JPG

  Wall of Lo Wai.

Notable walled villages

Kat Hing Wai

File:Kat hing wai kamtin.png

Historic plan of Kat Hing Wai walled village in Kam Tin.

Main article: Kat Hing Wai

Kat Hing Wai (吉慶圍) is a noted Punti walled village in Yuen Long District of Hong Kong. It often mistakenly believed to be Hakka, whose people have similar traditions. However the Punti people were from Southern China and the first to settle in Hong Kong. Kat Hing Wai's residents speak Cantonese, rather than Hakka. Popularly known as Kam Tin, from the name of the area, it is home to about 400 descendants of the Tang Clan, who built the village back in the 17th century.

Kat Hing Wai is a rectangular (100 m x 90 m) walled village. As a family stronghold, Kat Hing Wai has served the Tangs well through the centuries, protecting the residents against bandits, rival clans, and wild tigers. In the Qing Dynasty, a five-metre high blue brick wall and four cannon towers were added to defend against bandits. Today, the village is still completely surrounded by 18-inch-thick walls, outside which are the remains of a moat. However, most houses within the walls have been rebuilt in recent years. There is only one narrow entrance, with a pair of iron gates.

Tsang Tai Uk

External view of Tsang Tai Uk.

Main article: Tsang Tai Uk

Tsang Tai Uk (曾大屋), also known as Shan Ha Wai, is another well-known Hakka walled village in Hong Kong, and one of the best preserved. It is located in Sha Tin, close to the south of the Pok Hong Estate, not far from the Lion Rock Tunnel Road. Built as a stronghold for the Tsang Clan, its construction started in 1847 and took around 20 years to complete. The village is built with granite, grey bricks and solid timber.

Sheung Shui Wai

Main article: Sheung Shui Wai

Sheung Shui Wai (上水圍), also known as Sheung Shui Heung (上水鄉), is one of the very few rural settlements having retained its original moat which was built in 1646. Characterized by its magnificent moat and landscape setting, the walled village is the core of the Liu clan, of which ancestors came originally from Fujian during the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368). The village is located in Sheung Shui.

Fanling Wai

File:Fanling Wai 2005.jpg

Houses reflecting in a pond at Fanling Wai.

Main article: Fanling Wai

Fanling Wai (粉嶺圍) is a walled village in Fanling built by the Pang (彭) Clan. It is recognisable with the distinctive pond and layout including features such as cannons and watchtowers. All these elements were crafted to form an integral part of the village setting. Fanling Wai is the centre of the Pang Clan who arrived in Hong Kong late in the Song Dynasty.

Nga Tsin Wai Tsuen

Main article: Nga Tsin Wai Tsuen

Nga Tsin Wai Tsuen (衙前圍村) is a walled village in Wong Tai Sin, New Kowloon. It is the only walled village left in the urban built-up areas of Hong Kong. Nga Tsin Wai Tsuen is also the only remaining walled village in Kowloon. It is located near San Po Kong. On 18 July 2007, the government announced its plans to redevelop Nga Tsin Wai Tsuen.

List of walled villages

Remaining walled villages in Hong Kong include:

North District

Name	Alternate name	Area	Notes	Photo	Coordinates References
Fanling Wai		Fanling	(see "Notable walled villages" above)	150px
Lo Wai (老圍)		Fanling	One of the "Five Wais" of Lung Yeuk Tau.	150px
Ma Wat Wai (麻笏圍)	鬱蔥圍	Fanling	One of the "Five Wais" of Lung Yeuk Tau.	150px
Wing Ning Wai (永寧圍)	六屋	Fanling	One of the "Five Wais" of Lung Yeuk Tau.	150px
Tung Kok Wai (東閣圍)	Ling Kok Wai	Fanling	One of the "Five Wais" of Lung Yeuk Tau.	150px
San Wai (新圍)	Kun Lung Wai (覲龍圍)	Fanling	One of the "Five Wais" of Lung Yeuk Tau.	150px
Hung Leng (孔嶺)		Fanling	The Hung Shing Temple of Hung Leng was probably built in 1763. It is the centre of the Four Yeuk (four villages alliance), namely Loi Tung, Lung Yeuk Tau, Lin Ma Hang and Tan Chuk Hang.	150px
Tan Chuk Hang Lo Wai (丹竹坑老圍)		Fanling	Tan Chuk Hang Lo Wai was probably established before 1688. Together with Tan Chuk Hang San Wai (aka. Sheung Tan Chuk Hang), it forms Tan Chuk Hang (丹竹坑) village.		12.2f-14 - 12.2f-39
San Uk Tsai (新屋仔)	Tam Chuk Hang San Uk Tsai (丹竹坑新屋仔)	Fanling	San Uk Tsai was probably established before 1688.		12.2f-22 - 12.2f-41
Wai Loi Tsuen (圍內村)	Sheung Shui Wai (上水圍)	Sheung Shui	Wai Loi Tsuen is the original settlement of Sheung Shui Wai, with its construction completed around 1584. It is one of the very few rural settlements having retained its original moat. The wall and the moat around Wai Loi Tsuen were constructed between 1646 and 1647. The village contains renovated Tin Hau and a Hung Shing temples.	150px
Tai Tau Leng (大頭嶺)		Sheung Shui		150px
Tsung Pak Long Tsuen (松柏塱村)		Sheung Shui		150px
Hakka Wai (客家圍)		Sheung Shui		150px
Ho Sheung Heung Lo Wai (河上鄉老圍)	Pak Pin Wai (北邊圍)	Sheung Shui	There are four villages in Ho Sheung Heung, namely Nam Pin Wai, Pak Pin Wai, Chung Sum Tsuen and Chung Wai Tsuen (San Tsuen).
Ho Sheung Heung Nam Pin Wai (河上鄉南邊圍)		Sheung Shui
Ping Kong (丙崗)		Sheung Shui	The village has a Tin Hau Temple.		[1]
Tsiu Keng Lo Wai (蕉徑老圍)		Sheung Shui
Muk Wu (木湖)		Ta Kwu Ling
Ma Tseuk Leng (麻雀嶺)		Sha Tau Kok
Man Uk Pin (萬屋邊)		Sha Tau Kok
Wo Hang (禾坑)	Sheung Wo Hang (上禾坑)	Sha Tau Kok
Lai Chi Wo (荔枝窩)		Sha Tau Kok		150px
Kuk Po Lo Wai (谷埔老圍)		Sha Tau Kok

Sha Tin District

Name	Alternate name	Area	Notes	Photo	Coordinates References
Tsang Tai Uk (曾大屋)	Shan Ha Wai	Sha Tin	(see "Notable walled villages" above)	150px
Chik Chuen Wai (積存圍)	Tai Wai (大圍)	Tai Wai		150px
Tin Sam Wai (田心圍)		Tai Wai	Tin Sam Wai was founded in the late Ming dynasty as a Punti walled village. A moat was built for its protection, and was later filled up and used as a fish pond. Historic buildings in the village include the Choi Ancestral Hall, built around the 1920s, the Leung Ancestral Hall, largely rebuilt, the Liu Ancestral Hall, and the Entrance Gate, built during the Qing dynasty. Two rectangular holes are above the front doorways of the Gate for feng shui benefit and for security watching.	150px

Tai Po District

Name	Alternate name	Area	Notes	Photo	Coordinates References
Pan Chung (泮涌)		Tai Po	A multi-clan village.	150px	[2] [3] #1403
Tai Po Tau Shui Wai (大埔頭水圍)	大埔頭老圍	Tai Wo		150px
Chung Sum Wai (中心圍)	青磚圍	Tai Hang		150px
Fui Sha Wai (灰沙圍)		Tai Hang	The walls of Fui Sha Wai were built by the local villagers in the mid-Ming dynasty. Four watchtowers were built in each corner for fortification. Nowadays, Fui Sha Wai still remains as a village exclusively for the Man clan.	150px
Ng Tung Chai (梧桐寨)		Lam Tsuen		150px
Kei Ling Ha Lo Wai (企嶺下老圍)		Shap Sze Heung		150px
Kei Ling Ha San Wai (企嶺下新圍)		Shap Sze Heung

Tsuen Wan District

Name	Alternate name	Area	Notes	Photo	Coordinates References
Sam Tung Uk (三棟屋)		Tsuen Wan	The former Hakka walled village has been converted into the Sam Tung Uk Museum, and is now a declared monument.	150px

Tuen Mun District

Name	Alternate name	Area	Notes	Photo	Coordinates References
Chung Uk Tsuen (鍾屋村)	Kwong Tin Wai (廣田圍)	Lam Tei	The Chungs of Chung Uk Tsuen moved from Dongguan during the Ming dynasty.		[4] [5]
Lam Tei Tsuen (藍地村)	Wing On Tsuen (永安村)	Lam Tei	Established by the To (陶) Clan	150px	[6]
Nai Wai (泥圍)	Wong Kong Wai (黃崗圍)	Lam Tei	Established by the To (陶) Clan	150px	[7] #1229 #1252
Sun Fung Wai (順風圍)	順豐圍	Lam Tei	A multi-lineage village established around 300 years ago.	150px	[8] #875 #1262
Tsing Chuen Wai (青磚圍)	Mak Yuen Wai (麥園圍)	Lam Tei	Established by the To (陶) Clan about 300 years ago. There is a Tin Hau Temple in the village.	150px	#1294 [9]
Tuen Mun San Tsuen (屯門新村)	大園圍	Lam Tei	Established by the To (陶) Clan		[10]
Tuen Tsz Wai (屯子圍)	Tin Tsz Wai (田子圍)	Lam Tei	Established by the To (陶) Clan	150px	#71 #1354 [11]

Wong Tai Sin District

Name	Alternate name	Area	Notes	Photo	Coordinates References
Nga Tsin Wai Tsuen (衙前圍村)		Wong Tai Sin	(see "Notable walled villages" above)	150px

Yuen Long District

Name	Alternate name	Area	Notes	Photo	Coordinates References
Kiu Tau Wai (橋頭圍)		Ping Shan	One of the "Three Wais" of Ping Shan.
Fui Sha Wai (灰沙圍)		Ping Shan	One of the "Three Wais" of Ping Shan.
Sheung Cheung Wai (上璋圍)	上章圍	Ping Shan	One of the "Three Wais" of Ping Shan. Built about 200 years ago by a line of the Tang Clan that branched out from nearby Hang Tau Tsuen, it is the only walled village along the Ping Shan Heritage Trail. The moat that once surrounded the village has been filled.	150px
Shek Po Tsuen (石埔村)	Shek Po Wai (石步圍)	Ping Shan		150px
Lam Hau Tsuen (欖口村)		Ping Shan		150px
Shan Ha Tsuen (山下村)	山廈村	Ping Shan		150px
水邊圍	鴨乸圍	Wang Chau
Chung Sam Wai (中心圍)		Wang Chau		150px
Tai Tseng Wai (大井圍)		Wang Chau		150px	[12]
Ng Uk Tsuen (吳屋村)		Wang Chau		150px	[13]
Sha Kong Wai (沙江圍)	蚺蛇	Ha Tsuen		150px
Mong Tseng Wai (輞井圍)		Ha Tsuen		150px
田心	田心圍	Ha Tsuen		150px
Sik Kong Wai (錫降圍)		Ha Tsuen
祥降圍	Lo Wai (老圍)	Ha Tsuen
Nam Pin Wai (南邊圍)		Yuen Long Kau Hui		150px
Sai Pin Wai (西邊圍)		Yuen Long Kau Hui		150px
Tai Wai Tsuen (大圍村)		Yuen Long Kau Hui		150px
Ying Lung Wai (英龍圍)		Yuen Long Kau Hui		150px
Ma Tin Tsuen (馬田村)		Shap Pat Heung		150px
Tin Liu Tsuen (田寮村)		Shap Pat Heung	The main shrine of the village is dedicated to Tai Wong, who is considered to be the protective deity of the village. Rebuilt in 1935, it lies on the central axis of the village together with the Entrance Gate (pictured).	150px
Muk Kiu Tau Tsuen (木橋頭村)		Shap Pat Heung		150px
Shui Tsiu San Tsuen (水蕉新村)		Shap Pat Heung		150px
楊家村		Shap Pat Heung
Pak Sha Tsuen (白沙村)		Shap Pat Heung		150px
Kat Hing Wai (吉慶圍)	灰沙圍	Kam Tin	(see "Notable walled villages" above)	150px	pp.56-58
Tai Hong Wai (泰康圍)		Kam Tin		150px	pp.56-58
Wing Lung Wai (永隆圍)		Kam Tin	The village was founded in the Chenghua reign (1465-1487). The enclosing wall was built in the Kangxi reign (1661-1722). The moat was reclaimed in the 1960s. The village was earlier called Sha Lan Mei (沙欄尾) or Wing Lung Wai (永龍圍; "Everlasting Dragon"). The name was changed into the present name in 1905.	150px
Kam Hing Wai (錦慶圍)		Kam Tin
Sha Po Tsuen (沙埔村)		Kam Tin
Wang Toi Shan Wing Ning Lei (橫台山永寧里)		Pat Heung
Tung Chan Wai (東鎮圍)		San Tin
Yan Shau Wai (仁壽圍)		San Tin
Wing Ping Tsuen (永平村)		San Tin
Shek Wu Wai (石湖圍)		San Tin		150px
Pok Wai (壆圍)		San Tin
Mai Po Lo Wai (米埔老圍)		San Tin

See also

• Housing in Hong Kong
• History of Hong Kong
• List of villages in Hong Kong
• Chinese clan
• Weitou dialect
• Dapengcheng, a walled village in Shenzhen
• Hakka walled village
• Kowloon Walled City

External links

• Ip, Hing-fong, "An historical geography of the walled villages of Hong Kong", Postgraduate Thesis, Master of Philosophy, University of Hong Kong, 1995
• Wang, Weijen, "Axial Inversion - the transformation of the spatial structure and its ritual axis in Hong Kong's walled villages" Hong Kong Papers in Design and Development, Vol.1, pp. 26–33, Dec. 1998

• Planning Department – Historical Background
• HK Yahoo News
• Antiquities and Monuments Office: Ma Wat Wai: Declared monument on AMO website
• Ma Wat Wai
• Antiquities and Monuments Office: Wing Ning Wai
• Antiquities and Monuments Office: Tung Kok Wai
• Antiquities and Monuments Office: Kun Lung Gate Tower: Declared monument
• Antiquities and Monuments Office: Kun Lung Walls
• Antiquities and Monuments Office: San Wai
• Introduction to 1444 Historic Buildings. Item #1044
• Agreement No. CE 45/2008 (CE) Liantang / Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point and Associated Works -Environmental Impact Assessment Report. Appendix 12.2f: Detailed Records of Identified Built Heritage Features within CHIA Study Area of the Lau Shui Heung Tunnel Section (South Tunnel)
• Christopher DeWolf, "At the end of the line: Sheung Shui Village", CNN GO, 5 May, 2010
• Antiquities and Monuments Offices: Ha Pak Tsuen - History
• Planning Department: Fanling & Sheung Shui - Historical Background
• Liu Man Shek Tong Ancestral Hall: The establishment of Sheung Shui Heung
• East Rail Extension Project: Test Pits Results and Cross-Section Drawings. Items #219, 220, 221 on map: [14]
• Antiquities and Monuments Office: Ho Sheung Heung: History
• Lonely Planet: Ping Kong
• Tin Sam Wai on MTR website (archive)
• SCL - NEX/2206 EIA Study for Tai Wai to Hung Hom Section. Environmental Impact Assessment Report. Appendix 4.3. Built Heritage Survey. October 2011
• East Rail Extensions - Tai Wai to Ma On Shan. Environmental Impact Assessment Report. Archaeological and Cultural Resources, 1999
• SCL - NEX/2206 EIA Study for Tai Wai to Hung Hom Section, Final Environmental Impact Assessment Report, Figure 4.2.1. Locations of Known Built Heritages (Sheet 1 of 8), October 2011. Shows the location of the historic buildings of Tin Sam Village.
• Antiquities and Monuments Office: Brief Information on No Grade Items. Items #1176, 1256.
• Brief Information_ on proposed Grade III Items. Item #689
• Antiquities and Monuments Office: Tsing Chuen Wai: History
• Brief Information on proposed Grade III Items. Item #875
• Antiquities and Monuments Office:Tang Ancestral Hall
• Antiquities and Monuments Office: Sheung Cheung Wai
• Brief history of Shan Ha Tsuen
• zh:沙江圍
• Introduction to 1444 Historic Buildings, p.913
• Brief Information on Proposed Grade III Items. Item #906
• Introduction to 1444 Historic Buildings. Item #505