Walled villages of Hong Kong

Main entrance of Tai Wai Village

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

History

During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the shore of Guangdong suffered from pirates. The area of Hong Kong was particular 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 pirates. Some villages even protected themselves by cannon guns.

Famous walled villages

Kat Hing Wai

Former plan of Kat Hing Wai in Kam Tin.

Main article: Kat Hing Wai

Kat Hing Wai (吉慶圍) is a famous Punti walled village in Yuen Long District of Hong Kong.^{[citation needed]} It often mistakenly believed to be Hakka, whose people have similar traditions.^{[citation needed]} 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.^{[citation needed]} 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,^{[citation needed]} 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

Tsang Tai Uk: external view

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 close to the south of the Pok Hong Estate, not far from the Lion Rock Tunnel Road. Built in the 1840s, it was constructed in 1848 as a stronghold for the Tsang Clan. It is a preserved Hakka fortified village in Sha Tin. It is said to have taken 20 years to build the village. 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

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. On 18 July 2007, the government announced its plans to redevelop Nga Tsin Wai Tsuen.

List of walled villages

A village name ending in "Wai" usually indicates a walled village, but in some cases the walls have been partly or totally demolished. Remaining fully or partially walled villages in Hong Kong include:

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

North District

• Fanling Wai (see above)
• Muk Wu Wai (木湖圍), in Ta Kwu Ling
• Ping Kong (丙崗)
• Sheung Shui Wai (see above)
• Hakka Wai (客家圍), in Tsung Pak Long Tsuen (松柏塱村), Sheung Shui
• The "Five Wais" of Lung Yeuk Tau:
  • Lo Wai (老圍)
  • Ma Wat Wai (麻笏圍)
  • Wing Ning Wai (永寧圍)
  • Tung Kok Wai (東閣圍, also known as Ling Kok Wai)
  • San Wai (新圍, also called Kun Lung Wai 覲龍圍)

Sha Tin District

• Tsang Tai Uk (see also above)
• Chik Chuen Wai (積存圍), commonly known as "Tai Wai" (大圍), and located in Tai Wai
• Tin Sam Wai (田心圍), in Tai Wai

Tai Po District

• Chung Sum Wai (中心圍), Tai Hang
• Pan Chung (泮涌), Tai Po
• Fui Sha Wai (灰沙圍), Tai Hang
• Kei Ling Ha San Wai (企嶺下新圍) 22°24′58″N 114°16′13″E

Tsuen Wan District

• Sam Tung Uk (三棟屋), a former Hakka walled village in Tsuen Wan, which has been converted into the Sam Tung Uk Museum, and is now a declared monument.

Tuen Mun District

• Nai Wai (泥圍) (屯門), in Lam Tei
• Sun Fung Wai (順風圍), in Lam Tei
• Tsing Chuen Wai (青磚圍), or Mak Yuen Wai (麥園圍), in Lam Tei

Wong Tai Sin District

• Nga Tsin Wai Tsuen (衙前圍村, see above)

Yuen Long District

• The "Three Wais" of Ping Shan:
  • Sheung Cheung Wai (上璋圍), part of the Ping Shan Heritage Trail
  • Kiu Tau Wai (橋頭圍)
  • Fui Sha Wai (灰沙圍)
• Shan Ha Tsuen (山下村), in Ping Shan
• In Ha Tsuen area:
  • Sha Kong Wai (沙江圍)
  • Sik Kong Wai (錫降圍)
  • Shek Po Wai (石步圍), in Shek Po Tsuen (石步村)
• In Kam Tin area:
  • Kat Hing Wai (see above)
  • Tai Hong Wai (泰康圍)
  • Kam Hing Wai (錦慶圍)
  • Wing Lung Wai (永隆圍)
• In Shap Pat Heung:
  • Ma Tin Tsuen (馬田村)
  • Pak Sha Tsuen (白沙村)
• In Yuen Long Kau Hui area: (the area is part of Shap Pat Heung)
  • Nam Pin Wai (南邊圍)
  • Sai Pin Wai (西邊圍)
  • Tai Wai Tsuen (大圍村)
  • Ying Lung Wai (英龍圍)
• In Pat Heung area:
  • Wang Toi Shan Wing Ning Lei (橫台山永寧里)

See also

• List of buildings and structures in Hong Kong
• Housing in Hong Kong
• History of Hong Kong
• List of areas 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

• The Transformation of the Spatial Structure and its Ritual Axis in Hong Kong's Walled Villages