Beautiful Sha Tau Kok – Declared Monuments in the Wo Hang Villages
I was looking for easily accessible heritage sites in northern New Territories. Research revealed that there are two Grade 1 Historic Buildings in the villages of Wo Hang in Sha Tau Kok. The first is the Fat Tat Tong of Ha Wo Hang Tsuen Village (the Lower Wo Hang Village). The second one is the Kang Yung Shu Uk in Sheung Wo Hang Village (the Upper Wo Hang Village). Since Grade 1 Historic Buildings are not so common a status, I decided to visit both sites in one afternoon.
The Wo Hang Villages of Sha Tau Kok
In Chinese, “Wo Hang” means “the valley of rice.” Its name speaks to the abundance that the early, land-bound village settlers enjoyed in this remote, rural area of Hong Kong. The founding ancestors were Li Tak-wah and Li Kuen-lam.
The Fat Tat Tong of Ha Wo Hang Village
In Chinese, “fat tat” means “fortune.” This suggests both the wealth and aspiration of Li To-wan. Of Hakka origin, Li To-wan was a descendant of the Li’s, who settled down in Sha Tau Kok from the Boluo County in Guangdong during the 1680s. The Li’s first set up their home village in Sheung Wo Hang. Thereafter in 1730 they set up this village in Ha Wo Hang, and in 1750 another village in Wo Hang Tai Long.
In his early years, Li To-wan went to Vietnam and made his fortune there. He then returned to Ha Wo Hang to live, bringing along with his fortune. His eldest son, Li Kwan-lan, was an influential leader in the local community. He gave advice to the colonial government on rural matters. The Fat Tat Tong was built by the Li family trust, a “tso,” with Li Kwan-lan as the head at that time.
Built in 1933, Fat Tat Tong’s architectural style is one of the Chinese eclectic, a style fusing both Chinese and western elements. Many Chinese businessmen that have spent time abroad build structures exhibiting mixed architectural elements (for more on the Chinese eclectic style, see the entry on Haw Par Mansion). The structure comes with two storeys and five bays. The middle unit served as storage, where farming tools and rice crops were once kept. The rest of the four distinct areas served as the residences for Li To-wan’s four sons and their families.
Perhaps it suffices for me to simply quote the descriptions on-site for the eclectic features:
The residence has a pitched tiled roof and is fronted by a flat-roofed verandah… Traditional grey bricks and timber as well as modern reinforced concrete were used for the construction of the building. The frontage of the residence is composed of colonnaded verandahs at both floor levels. Each of the five units has its own front entrance with a Chinese-style sliding metal gate.
In 2022, the Fat Tat Tong is just eleven years shy of its centennium. Amidst the untouched pastures of Sha Tau Kok, though somewhat aged it still stands proud and imposing with its glorious and continuous history. As a declared monument, Fat Tat Tong is entitled to government funds for restoration. According to Christopher DeWolf, the government has sought the tender to refurbish the roof. Other larger-scale refurbishment may have to be done in order to restore its former glory.
The Kang Yung Study Hall of Sheung Wo Hang Village
After visiting the Fat Tat Tong, I drove over to Sheung Wo Hang Village to see the Kang Yung Study Hall. I made my way into the village, passing by a large banyan tree. The walk took longer than expected, and I even suspected that I was on the wrong way. But at the end of the path, I saw the yard of the study hall and knew that I was about to see a historic gem.
Photo: Li Pui-yuen inscribed the four letter name of the study in the 11th year of the Tongzhi Reign (1872). Li was a famous Wo Hang scholar, taught at this study hall for a long time and raised some successful examinees.
I thought the Kang Yung Study Hall was breathtaking. Even as compared to the other village studies that I have visited in the New Territories, such as the Shin Shut Study Hall in Fanling and the Yi Tai Study Hall in Kam Tin, the Kang Yung Study Hall gives a unique impression that perhaps goes beyond scholarship. The spring drizzle of the day cast upon the front yard with a light mist. Old trees line the manicured garden, enveloping visitors with a sense of classic learnedness from a time long forgotten. The motifs on the two sides of the front gate expresses the appreciation of learning amidst the beauty of nature. The blue brick structure with its arched gateways create an atmosphere that was movingly poetic.
“Kang Yung” literally means “mirror” and “hibiscus.” There are two explanations for its name. First was a reference to a Tang Dynasty short story written by Duan Chengshi. A scholar prophesied to become the prime minister came up top of the civil service examination by writing a poem on a hibiscus-shaped mirror. Another, perhaps more plausible, explanation is that the Li’s wanted to inspire their descendants to emulate the success of Tang Kang-yung. He earned the grade of jinshi in 1871. It was probably a big deal in the New Territories villages then. Therefore the Kang-yung of the Tang’s was the exemplar for this village as well.
The Kang Yung Study Hall was special as a village school, in that it had only served educational purposes for the village. The study halls in other New Territories villages were usually also the venue for ancestral worship and community events. Indeed, this high value placed on education was a tradition of the Li’s in Wo Hang. The study became so successful as an educational institution that the villagers expanded it into two storeys during the Qianlong Reign (1736-1795). At one point, it was a “boarding school” for students from Tai Po, Shatin and Tsuen Wan as well.
Reminder
Currently, there are still residents living in the Fat Tat Tong. Therefore be sure not to disturb them when you go for a tour.
There is a small museum at the Kang Yung Study Hall. Be sure to spend some time reading the exhibits there, they are very interesting.
How to Get There
Bus Route 78K stops both at the Sheung Shui Bus Terminus and the Fanling Station. Get off at the Wo Hang Stop, and both the Fat Tat Tong and Kang Yung Study Hall are in the vicinity. Google Map will be able to direct you the way for both locations.
Sources
Historic Descriptions On-Site.
The Wikipedia on Ha Wo Hang.
Christopher DeWolf, Hong Kong’s Colonial Heritage, Part XII: Fat Tat Tong, A Window into Rural History, September 8, 2021, zolimacitymag.com.