Haw Par Mansion

Hi, everybody!

Haw Par Mansion have been organized Open Days before which was held on 30 & 31 October, 5 to 7 November and 13 & 14 November.

Have anyone visited there? If no, let me introduce to you!:)

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

The Haw Par Mansion together with its private garden was built by Aw Boon Haw, who was known as "The King of Tiger Balm". The Mansion was the Aw's family mansion and was restricted to private use, while the Tiger Balm Garden constructed adjoining the mansion was used to be open to the public for enjoyment.

The Tiger Balm Garden has been demolished. The Mansion together with its private garden has been preserved and passed to Government since 2001.

ARCHITECTURAL MERITS

Architecturally, the Mansion was built in the Chinese Renaissance style with a blend of Western and Chinese construction methods and architectural theory. The plan is, however, more Western being roughly symmetrical with the adoption of porches, bay windows and fireplaces. Internally, there are beautiful painted glass windows from Italy, carvings and mouldings, gilded with gold and murals showing Indian and Burmese influence. Over the years there have not been many changes to the Mansion, and its authentic appearance is retained.

The Mansion is a reinforced concrete construction. Floor plates of G/F and 1/F are around 600 m² each. Penthouse on the roof is around 80 m² and the Lower G/F is around 380 m². There is a private garden in front of the Mansion which could be restored to an attractive ornamental garden. The social value and local interest of the Mansion lie in its representation of a residence of a rich and powerful merchant family in the 1930s and a focal point of Chinese culture in Hong Kong.

OVERALL

The accessibility of the Mansion is good with several bus and minibus routes passing by Tai Hang Road. It is some 5-10 minutes driving distance away from Causeway Bay city hub. The existing access to the Mansion is a ramp branching off from Tai Hang Road.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

PHOTOS

Source:

http://www.heritage.gov.hk/en/hpm/background.htm

BY ANTHEA



Western Market

Hi everyone, today I would like to introduce one of the special heritage--- Western Market to you. Can you imagine that this magnificent building actually is the market in the past? Let me tell you the history about Western Market .

Actually Western Market is not a market at first , it is the site of harbour office . After that the harbour office move to a reclamation area in Central District for a larger space to cope with increasing workload. Then, it becomes the market until the new building come into service in 1989. In 1990, it declares a monument and redeveloped by the Land Development Corporation in 1991.

Today’s Western Market

The market now houses shops formerly located in old alleys in the heart of Central , which sold all manner of cloth. The building is also home to traditional handicraft stalls and a number of cafe. The top floor is home to Grand Stage shere dance lovers can rendezvous and enjoy a romantic dinner

After visiting the Western Market, I think I am back to the past of Hong Kong because of the Edwardian-style building. This architecture can represent the Hong Kong Colonial times.

Entrance of Western Market

Inside the Western Market

The  Grand Stage

How to get there?

323 Des Voeux Road

Central, Sheung Wan

Sheung Wan MTR Station Exit B or C

Opening Hours

10:00am – 12:00m.n. Daily

Sauce :
http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Monument/en/monuments_42.php

BY IRINA

Tai Po Heritage again...

Last week, I saw a television and the program have introduced some Hong Kong Heritage for us. I feel the TV program can attract different to signsee, also one of the heritage you must travel. This attraction also locate in Tai Po, also near the Tai Po Market MTR station.

This Heritage is --- Old Tai Po Police Station

     

The Old Tai Po Police Station was built in 1899. It was the first police station and Police Headquarters in the New Territories. The Old Tai Po Police Station Complex is made up mainly of a one-storey Utilitarian building.

Its simple, yet traditional form, coupled with the former verandahs of the south and east elevations, is exemplary of the classic colonial architectural style. Inside the buildings are a canteen and a kitchen, detention cells, reporting rooms, loading area and office area.

Some Chinese architectural influence is in place, notably the roofs. But the original truss system had been replaced with metal trusses. The Old Tai Po Police Station is about 1,300 sq m in size and is a Grade II historical building.
   

The Old Tai Po Police Station is one of the Hong Kong Heritage anticipated in the Revitalisation Scheme in mid-2009, Revitalising Historic Buildings Through Partnership Scheme aim to balance Conservation And Development, to preserve and put historic buildings into good and innovative use, to promote active public participation in the conservation of historic buildings and to transform historic buildings into unique cultural landmarks.

Here have some references:
http://www.heritage.gov.hk/en/rhbtp/about.htm
http://www.fso-createhk.gov.hk/lib/locations_search_details.cfm?type=1&File_No=01476


檢視較大的地圖

BY TOMMY

Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb

A few years ago, my mother was lived in Sham Shui Po and after she married with my father, they moved to the our existing home.

I discovered that there was a place that had declared monument which is called "Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb", it located in Lei Cheng Uk Estate, Sham Shui Po. So we went there for site visit.

A total of 58 pottery and bronze objects were found inside the tomb. Available evidence based on the design of the tomb and the forms of burial objects suggests that it was built during the Eastern Han Dynasty.
In November 1988, the Han Tomb was declared as a gazetted monument by the Hong Kong Government, and it is now protected and preserved permanently under the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance.

Discovery of the tomb in 1955.

Tomb is not open now, but visitors can through the window to see inside.

 

There is a Exhibition Hall  next to the tomb. The first section is about food and drink in Han as it seems because most of what was found in the Han tomb is related to food. The display of this section begins with the old Chinese adage, 'food is the first necessity of the people'.

Transportation method:
Cheung Sha Wan MTR Station (Exit A3)
Opening Hours:
Mon to Wed, Fri to Sat: 10 am - 6 pm
Sun & public holidays: 1 pm - 6 pm

By Heidi

Pottery Kilns at Wun Yiu Village in Tai Po [大埔碗村碗]

Today I would like to introduce a special heritage in Tai Po which is Wun Yiu Village.

The Wun Yiu Village was once a center of porcelain industry in Hong Kong. As early as the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), clans of Man and Tse had started manufacturing the blue and white porcelain. But this industry declined in the early 20th century The kilns at Wun Yiu finally ceased to operate in 1932.

The Wun Yiu Village is divided into 2 parts which are Fan Sin Temple and Kiln Site.

Fan Sin Temple

Fan Sin Temple was declared a monument on 30 December 1999 and scientific renovation work was conducted in 2000.

The temple which located at Sheung Wun Yiu, is the only temple in Hong Kong dedicated to Fan Sin. According to the legend Fan Sin refers to threes brothers Fan Yat-long, Fan Yi-long, and Fan San-long who invented the use of clay to make earthen wares. Consequently, Fan Sin is mostly worshipped by potters.

The construction date of the temple is uncertain but a wooden plaque hanging at the main hall of the temple was carved in the Gengxu year of the Qianlong reign (AD 1790), indicating that the temple has a history of over 200 years.

  

Opening Hours:

9:00am – 1:00pm & 2:00pm – 5:00pm daily.

Closed on Tuesdays, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day and the first 3 days of the Lunar New Year.

Get there:

–       For visitors going to the Temple, they may walk for 15 minutes from Tai Po Market Railway Station

–       Maxi cab (Green) no. 23K from

Po Heung Street

Kiln Site

Kiln Site is located at the south-west of Tai Po Market. Since its surrounding hills are densely wooded with abundant water resources and, most importantly, rich in kaolin deposits, it is an ideal site for manufacturing porcelain wares. Historic documents recorded that during the Ming dynasty, some members of the Man and Tse clans had already started the blue-and white porcelain manufacturing industry in Wun Yiu.

Quarrying pits on the hill at the back of the village

The view of the Kiln Site

Clay-soaking tanks near the stream at the village

Dragon Kiln

Remains of an animal-driven grinder

Water-mills on the slope

Get there:

Maxi cab (Green) no.23K Tai Po Market Station - San Uk Ka

By Cherry^^

Reference:

http://www.amo.gov.hk/en/monuments_69.php

http://www.amo.gov.hk/en/monuments_20.php

Clock Tower- Declared Monument in Hong Kong

Yesterday, I went to Tsim Sha Tsui to have dinner and walking along the Tsim Sha Tsui Harbour.

Many people especially foreigners don't know the history of the clock tower, ther just knew there is a building that have a clock on it.

Have you ever been to the Clock Tower?? If not, let me introduce to you all.

Clock Tower (尖沙咀鐘樓) which is the Former Kowloon-Canton Railway, located in Tsim Sha Tsui. It was opened for traffic on 1 October 1910. The construction of a terminus in Tsim Sha Tsui started in 1913 and the clock tower was completed in 1915 to form part of the complex. 

They began operation in the afternoon of 22 March 1921, and have run ever since except during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong during World War II.

The main terminus building was demolished in 1978 leaving only the clock tower which has become a landmark of Hong Kong. However, there were  protest and petitioning from the Heritage Society and other pressure groups. As a compromise it was decided that the Clock Tower was to be preserved, and is now accompanied by the Hong Kong Space Museum, Hong Kong Museum of Art and Hong Kong Cultural Centre, all built on former station grounds.

The clock tower is 44m high surmounted by a 7m lightning rod.
The clock tower is located near Victoria Harbour at the foot of Salisbury Road. The Tsim Sha Tsui Ferry Pier,which is another landmark, located nearby.

Opening Hour: Only closed in repairing period

Transportation: Tsim Cha Tsui and East Tsim Cha Tsui Station

By Heidi