Ping Shan Heritage trail passes through three villages that was once populated by the Tang’s since the late Yuan Dynasty. The starting point of the trail is the Tsui Shing Lau Pagoda. The pagoda was built in 1486. It is said that “Fui Shing”, who is in charge of successes and failures in exams lives in the top floor of the pagoda. After the pagoda, the trail begins. There will be 8 main stops during the trail, including ancestral halls, walled houses and shrine that showcases the different aspects of the lives of those who lived in New Territories centuries ago.
First Stop: Shrine of the Earth God The Earth God is said to protect the villagers and their home. The shrine is built with simple materials like bricks while the god is represented by pieces of stones. There are still burning incenses by the shrine, this shows that villagers still worship the Earth God nowadays. |
Second Stop: Sheung Cheng Wai Sheung Cheng Wai is a 200 year-old walled village. The village is wrapped and covered by a green brick wall. The houses inside the village are symmetrical and built in rows. Shrine, gates and some of the houses are still standing after 200 years. The interesting part of this stop is that you can still see people living inside the houses! |
Third Stop: Yeung Hau Temple The Yeung Hau Temple is a temple that is dedicated to Hau Wong. There were minor fixes and renovations that happened in 1963 and 1991 but the date that it was built remained unknown. The temple is separated into three parts, in the middle is the statue of Hau Wong, while the statues of other gods like Kam Da and Earth God are at the side. |
Fourth Stop: Tang Ancestral Hall The Tang Ancestral Hall is built and constructed in 1273. It is a three hall structure will two courtyards inside. The pathway to the courtyard is elevated, reflecting that the Tang’s had a high social status and position inside the Imperial government. Courtyards act as a divider between entrance and the living area. It is common in Chinese architecture for people to pass through the courtyard before they entering the living area and shrines. |
Fifth Stop: Yu Kiu Ancestral Hall The Yu Kiu Ancestral Hall is next to the Tang Ancestral Hall and is built in the 16th century. The hall is built by the 11th generation of the Tangs and it served mainly as a school for children that lived in the village. The layout of the hall is identical to the Tang Ancestral Hall. |
Sixth Stop: Kun Ting Study Hall The Kun Ting study Hall serves both as an Ancestral hall and as a place for children to study. The hall is built in 1870. The interior of the hall has a courtyard, study rooms and a washroom. The study hall, unlike the previous halls is a two hall building. The hall is made from carved granite and the interior design are delicate, showing the admirable craftsmanship at that time. |
Eighth Stop: Hung Shing Temple The Hung Shing Temple is dedicated to Hung Shing. Hung Shing is widely worshipped by fishermen and those who live by the sea. The temple is built in 1767 and it has a similar structure to the Kun Ting Study Hall as they are both two hall buildings. However, the design of the Hung Shing Temple are more simple and minimal. |
The endpoint of the trail would be the Ping Shan Tang Clan Museum. It showcases items that were left by the Tangs. It includes beds, clothing, pens and etc. There are also some information on how the Tang’s dealt with the Japanese occupation. The site of the museum was previously a police station, which was then renovated to become a museum and visitor centre. |