Vignettes of the World
A leisurely walk within the ancient town of Huangyao will take some three hours or so. I began walking into the ancient town from Qianxing Square and came across the main street with all kinds of vendors and restaurants. The storefronts were all well-kept and …
At the Qianxing Square drop-off point I first came across the Ancient Stage. Built in the third year of the Jiaqing reign in Ming dynasty (1524), the Ancient Stage was the only building in Huangyao that served the purpose of cultural performances. When it was …
I have long wanted to visit the Liu Man Shek Tong Ancestral Hall in Sheung Shui because it is quite close to home. On this sunny spring day I finally went to learn about the Lius and their history at the beautiful, near-majestic Liu Man Shek Tong.
Along with the Tangs, Pangs, Mans, and the Haus, the Lius are considered one of the “five great clans of the New Territories.” These five great clans are considered indigenous inhabitants, and at law the male descendants have the right to land provision. The Tangs and the Mans have mostly settled down in the Yuen Long and Tai Po areas, the Pangs in Fanling, and the Lius have a prominent presence in Sheung Shui along with the Haus. In Sheung Shui Heung, where the Liu Man Shek Tong is, the Lius are particularly populous and influential.
During the Song dynasty, the Lius lived in Fujian. In the middle of the Yuan dynasty (13th to 14th centuries), the ancestor Liu Chung-kit moved southward and settled down in this part of southern China. The Lius eventually founded their first village, Wai Loi Village. Then they took over the surrounding areas of Po Sheung Tsuen, and Mun Hau Tsuen as the clan grew in numbers. This area of Sheung Shui became known as Sheung Shui Heung.
As the largest ancestral hall of all the Lius in Sheung Shui, the Liu Man Shek Tong Ancestral Hall celebrates a lineage that had exceptional beginnings. Many of the Liu ancestors were government officials and their learnedness is celebrated in the Liu Man Shek Tong Ancestral Hall.
The Liu Man Shek Tong Ancestral Hall was built in the 16th year of the Qianlong Reign during the Qing dynasty (1751). Unlike most other ancestral halls in the New Territories, where they bear the name of a certain accomplished ancestor, the name Man Shek in this ancestral hall has a special story. According to the description on site,
Literally meaning 10,000 shi (“shek” a unit of measure for grain), the name “Man Shek” dates back to the Song dynasty… a distant ancestor of the clan, Liu Kong, and his four sons were all high government officials who each earned an annual salary of 2,000 shi of cereal, thus 10,000 shi in total. Their descendants named the ancestral hall “Liu Man Shek Tong” in their honour.
When the Lius have well-settled in Sheung Shui Heung for centuries, they began the construction of the Liu Man Shek Tong Ancestral Hall during the 18th century. Besides the five original ancestors that inspired the name of this first ancestral hall for the Lius in Hong Kong, there were some 47 members who have made notable achievements in the imperial examinations in the clan’s history. As will be discussed below, one can tell that the Lius are very proud of their scholarly achievements as learnedness is celebrated in the Liu Man Shek Tong Ancestral Hall.
In 1932, the Liu Man Shek Tong Ancestral Hall was turned into a kindergarten in an effort to promote modern education. This kindergarten would eventually develop into the Fung Kai Liu Man Shek Tong Secondary School.
To this day, the Liu Man Shek Tong Ancestral Hall is still the venue for holding the Lius’ spring and autumn ancestral rites.
Photo: A time capsule is laid at the Liu Man Shek Tong Ancestral Hall.
At the grand entrance to the Liu Man Shek Tong Ancestral Hall is hung two large red lanterns with the character of the surname “Liu” on them. This feature is unusually grand even for all the ancestral halls of the New Territories.
As such, with just a cursory look at the building, I could observe that the Liu Man Shek Tong Ancestral Hall is very special. There are many, many ancestral halls in the New Territories villages, and most of them come with a two-hall one-courtyard layout. The Liu Man Shek Tong Ancestral Hall is a three-court two-courtyard structure. That means it is bigger.
I said earlier that it is near-majestic because the experience of walking through two courtyards and three halls itself is unusual. As I did walk through the three halls, it reminded me of my previous visits of former palaces in Asia, where halls stand after halls seeming innumerable in an endless series of structures.
At a previous visit in the Mei Fung Hau Ancestral Hall in Kam Tsin Village, I learned that the two red sandstone pillars were the most expensive material used in the ancestral hall. The red sandstone is also featured at the Liu Man Shek Tong Ancestral Hall, but as the material that was laid on the groundwork in the rear hall, where the ancestral altar is located. This also shows the wealth of the Lius in Sheung Shui.
In terms of other architectural features, the Liu Man Shek Tong “is richly embellished with plaster mouldings, wood carvings and murals of auspicious motifs. The tiled roofs are supported on stone and wooden columns and an intricate system of carved wooden trusses and brackets.”
In the rear hall, many wooden plaques featuring different levels of scholarly accomplishments are hung on the wall. They are grand testaments to the scholarly accomplishments of the Liu ancestors.
A major restoration of the Liu Man Shek Tong Ancestral Hall took place in 1985 with the advice of the government.
A visit at the Liu Man Shek Ancestral Hall will take at least half an hour if you read through the exhibits showing the story of the Lius in the rear hall.
From the Sheung Shui MTR station, it takes about 15-20 minutes to get to the Liu Man Shek Tong Ancestral Hall. Google Map should be able to take you there, but from Shek Wu Hui (the old market area of Sheung Shui), make it out to San Fung Road.
Photo: On San Fung Road, make a left here onto Po Wan Road (see also photographs below).
Make a left onto Po Wan Road, then cross the street.
Next, cross the street on Po Shek Wu Road. After crossing Po Shek Wu Road, make a right. Keep on going. You will come across this large traffic signage.
Afar you will see the Fung Kai Liu Man Shek Tong Secondary School.
Make a left here and enter into the village.
Keep on going. You will see some other antique monuments on the way, such as the Old Sheung Shui Police Station (now the site for Junior Police Call, JPC).
You will then come across the trash collection point. Keep on going to your left.
You will walk by a village park.
Then you will come across the signs for Liu Man Shek Tong Ancestral Hall inside the village.
Descriptions on site at the Liu Man Shek Tong Ancestral Hall
The History of Liu Man Shek Tong at the Fung Kai Liu Man Shek Tong Secondary School (Chin).
The day was bright with a perfect azure sky. I wanted to do an interesting but easy walk so I visited the Old Quarry of Lei Yue Mun. The History of Lei Yue Mun as a Strategic Location Photo: A Panorama of the Lei Yue …
I love visiting ancient towns in China. In this blog I have covered the Gankeng Ancient Hakka Townlet and the Dapeng Fortress in Shenzhen. Apparently, many tourists find ancient towns to be very attractive tourist sites, and China’s local governments and cultural heritage developers have …
Guilin was my first trip in 2024. The trip lasted four days and three nights, and I visited the ancient towns of Huangyao, Yangshuo and Xingping.
Perhaps at a long-forgotten time I have visited Guilin proper with my parents. When I was growing up, Guilin was featured in one of the articles in my Chinese textbook as a place of iconic scenic beauty. As such, in those days of humble means, most Hong Kong people thought of Guilin as a wonderful travel destination. Most of the children in my generation would have visited Guilin before we turned teenage.
I retained no memory of that first trip in Guilin, however, and so I decided to see the magnificent landscapes of the surrounding areas of Guilin this time. There is an adventure element in this trip, as Huangyao was not a kind of place that common tourists go. I would certainly be seeing a face of Guilin that was not featured on my primary school textbook.
My itinerary was first day in Huangyao, then second day in Yangshuo, then finally the last day in Xingping. I returned to Hong Kong on the fourth day.
I would be taking the High Speed Rail (HSR) from Shenzhen North. I live in the North District in Hong Kong and so Shenzhen North is a much more convenient location for me. The ticket is also cheaper with a departure from Shenzhen (versus that of the West Kowloon Station in Hong Kong).
If you are travelling by HSR, be sure to book tickets at least a month in advance. While the tickets are open for booking only two weeks prior to the travel date, Trip.com allows you to book a little earlier (it puts you in a queue, so to speak). And even though I booked the tickets in December for the January trip, I had not managed to book the return trip from Guilin direct to Shenzhen North. Instead I had to stop by Guangzhou South before heading back to Shenzhen North.
I do believe that ticketing for the HSR is a hassle at any time of the year, therefore plan early.
In terms of how HSR works, there is no issued ticket now. What you do is to arrive at the station early for electronic check-in (please do remember that the auto check-in queue in the West Kowloon Station will not admit you if you try to get through less than 20 minutes before your departure time). At the machine, simply place your ID (either your Return Home Permit or your passport, whatever document you used to book your ticket), and the scanner should recognize you and admit you.
However, it has been very annoying that the ticket scanners at many of the mainland HSR stations did not recognize my Home Return Permit as Hong Kong resident. Please be prepared that this will happen when scanner fails, and what you do is simply approach the staff, who usually stand on the sides of the ticket scanners, for manual check-in.
As I have discussed before, China is rapidly proceeding to a cashless society. E-payment has become a near-irreplaceable means in any kind of transaction. Some tourist venues no longer accept cash payments.
This trip was my first trip outside of the Greater Bay Area. Although my Alipay and WeChat Pay worked without issues in Shenzhen and Guangzhou, I did have to go through more confirmation procedures when I tried to use my payment apps in Guilin. The hiccups usually happen when I tried to pay individuals, and you most likely would run into that situation when you take a taxi or when you eat at very small restaurants or purchase at small vendors.
I guess my only advice for tourists looking to visit China is to do all confirmation and linking of these apps with your bank account and credit card before you go on the trip. You may still run into hiccups, and in that case you would just have to follow the instructions on the payment apps as they come. There was one occasion in this trip where I really had to use my cash. Be sure to prepare cash with you, and smaller bills would be more handy because usually it is with small vendors that glitches happen.
I also think that one must have both WeChat Pay and Alipay set up when they travel in China. WeChat Pay is generally more popular. Also, there are times when one does not work, but the other does. Therefore both e-payment apps are necessary.
I do not have a China mobile phone number and at many points in my travel it was quite an inconvenience. For example, for all kinds of private car calling apps, you would not be able to even sign in without a China phone number. Also in many museums and ticketing sites, for pre-booking they only allow a China phone number for registration.
In my travels to Shenzhen, Guangzhou and this trip to Guilin, I did manage to survive without having a China phone number, but if I were to go farther still for longer trips (which I am planning), then acquiring a China phone number is necessary, both for the sake of convenience and safety.
For Hong Kong residents, the easiest way to go about getting a China phone number is by topping up your current mobile phone plan with your carrier.
Whenever I travel in China I simply purchase roaming plans with my existing carrier in Hong Kong. The data from my roaming plan works well but it is limited.
The problem with China networks is that VPN is necessary, especially with your phone. Without VPN, you would not be able to access the internet with the hotel wifi with your phone. For my laptop, however, there is no connectivity issue with hotel wifi.
My bestie and I had a full day of fun with yummy food and interesting sightseeing in Shenzhen. We started the day at Fascino Bakery in CoCo Park in Futian, then visited Shui Wei 1368, then the Ancient Art Museum of the Shenzhen Museum. We …
Yuen Chau Kok’s Old House of Wong Uk stands in an area of Shatin that has but long-retired from significance. I lived in Shatin some thirty-five years ago and even then, Yuen Chau Kok was not anything that was talked about even amongst the residents …
The Béthanie is an antique building in Pok Fu Lam with beautiful 19th century neo-Gothic architecture. Built in 1875 by the Paris Foreign Missions Society (Missions Estrangères de Paris), its long history came with surprising turns that enabled the ultimate preservation and recognition of it as a heritage site. Right next door to the Béthanie is another heritage site, the Pokfulam Farm.
On most days, it requires one joining a guided tour in order to visit the heritage buildings in the Béthanie. As the heritage campus for the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts (HKAPA) now, the Béthanie offers guided tours led by HKAPA staff, lasting 45 minutes to one hour. Tickets can be purchased at the HK Ticketing website for a total of $40, processing fee included. It is recommended that you book your ticket and tour session in advance.
Photo: The Dorm Rooms are Closed from Public View, But They Come with Fireplaces Inside
The Béthanie is also open to the public on HKAPA open days, during which entrance is free. You must however check the HKAPA website for the announcement of this event. For 2024, the HKAPA Open Day took place on 3 March, 2024.
Both the Béthanie and the cowsheds of the Pokfulam Farm are now within the heritage campus of the HKAPA’s School of Film and Television. They are Declared Monuments.
The Béthanie is consisted of a few key sections. There is the dormitory for the missionaries, a chapel and a kitchen / wine cellar area in the basement, which now houses the museum. In the guided tour, we walked through the former Cowsheds, the chapel and the basement. The dormitories now serve as the storage and rooms for the HKAPA students’ props and equipment. Even on a tour, the dorm rooms remain closed, but they are open for public viewing during the HKAPA Open Day.
Do note that, on HKAPA’s Open Day, you may tour the site freely on your own but no guided tour will be provided.
As we began the tour at the now-HKAPA theatre, the guide told us first about the former Cowsheds of the Pokfulam Farm.
The former Cowsheds of the Pokfulam Farm now serve as the theatre for the HKAPA. The structure has stood the test of time since 1886. Originally, there were four octagonal cowsheds, two of which were demolished during 1940s.
Built in grey and blue bricks, the octagonal cowsheds had stucco exteriors and plastered interiors. The roof was built with reinforced concrete, with air turrets at the top.
Photo: The Former Air Turret of the Cowshed is Now Fitted with Modern Features as the Theater for the HKAPA
The most unique feature of the former Cowsheds is their octagonal shape. As opposed to rectangular shaped cowsheds, the octagonal layout introduces greater air flow within the enclosure. At the time, milk cows from Europe needed the wind to survive the humidity and heat of Hong Kong. All the windows were bare and without glass fitting at first.
A metal rack, which is the original, has been preserved to show visitors what it was like to milk those European milk cows. The metal bar was a place to hold the one-legged stool, with which the workers milked the cow. The stool was tied to the bottom of the worker.
The Béthanie was built by the Missions Estrangères de Paris (ME) as a sanatorium for the missionaries in the French mission society’s Southeast Asian outposts. Between 1875 and 1974, missionaries of the ME came to Béthanie from all over Asia to recover from tropical diseases.
The priests put significant effort into creating an environment of healing. It was the fathers of the ME at the Béthanie that discovered the bauhinia in 1880 and transplanted them to the garden here. They also gave away some of the saplings to the Hong Kong Botanical Gardens. In 1908, the bauhinia was officially identified as a new species.
For almost a century, the Béthanie had nursed many missionaries and priests back to health, and there were times when the dormitories became overcrowded. As such, the fathers had expanded the sanatorium to accommodate the missionaries in need.
The early missionaries also used this site to develop a successful printing press as part of their work. The Nazareth was established at another ME building across Pok Fu Lam Road in 1894. This building would eventually become the University House of the University of Hong Kong, also a Declared Monument now.
In 1974, the ME sold the land to Hongkong Land, but in 1975, the property developer sought a land exchange agreement with the Hong Kong Government because this land would have been too difficult to redevelop. The Hong Kong Government took over the land and the heritage building, which was subject to a demolition order. The Béthanie was saved when in 1981 it was declared a Grade 2 Historic Building.
Between 1978 and 1997, the University of Hong Kong used the Béthanie for various purposes, including storage and temporary housing for students, but due to neglect, the building became dilapidated. Eventually, the Hong Kong Government commissioned an architectural study in restoring the Béthanie. It was only in 2003 that the Legislative Council approved funds for the HKAPA to restore the Béthanie, which would become a heritage campus of the HKAPA.
Even with just a cursory look at the Béthanie on Pok Fu Lam Road, one will be in awe of the unique architecture and the history that breathes through it. It was built in the neo-Gothic architectural style. The most expressive features of neo-Gothic architecture at the Béthanie are the many vaulted arches throughout the building’s veranda and interiors. The lancet windows of the chapel are also typical of neo-Gothic architecture.
I daresay most visitors would find the chapel to be the most breathtaking part of the Béthanie. The proper name for the chapel of the Béthanie is George C. Tso Memorial Chapel.
When EM sold the land to Hongkong Land, the fathers decided to give away anything removable and valuable at the building. The Catholics came and took away with them many significant artworks, including the stained glass windows, the altar, large wooden panel doors, the pews and the statues of the 12 Apostles behind the altar.
In restoring the chapel, the HKAPA had to extend significant effort to find the pieces. It engaged a history professor to locate all the sources that contained descriptions of the Béthanie’s original appearance and blueprints.
A few of the recipients of the original Béthanie’s artworks were known, including the original altar that was found in the Annunciation Church in Tsuen Wan and the wooden panel doors that were moved to the French Mission House on Mount Kellet Road. The rest was not so easy to find.
The stained glass windows are themselves works of art. The original windows were specially made in France with exceptional craftsmanship. It is indeed God’s blessing that, by tapping its extensive network, the Hong Kong Catholic Diocese was able to locate nine out of the nineteen the original stained glass windows. As such, enormous replacements costs were saved. In the current chapel, all of the windows that show figures of Jesus Christ and the saints were originals.
The ones that show only patterns were mostly replicas. The HKAPA contacted craftsmen in the Philippines to replicate the stained glass windows, and each cost $100,000 to $200,000 to make (in 2005 terms).
It is through the dedicated efforts of many people that the heritage could regain its original glory.
The Béthanie’s beautiful chapel and surrounding makes it a perfect venue for weddings. From its architecture to its historical stature, every aspect of the Béthanie meets a young woman’s dream of a classic storybook wedding.
It should be noted that, beyond the initial approval of funding, the Hong Kong Government does not provide the HKAPA with any regular funding for the continuous maintenance of the heritage site. Besides the enormous costs involved with the initial restoration, the ongoing maintenance of a heritage site is also very costly. The HKAPA supports this expense by renting out the venue to the public, mostly as a venue for weddings.
Because the HKAPA has an agreement with the Hong Kong Government that it must maintain a principle of non-discrimination when it rents out the venue to the public, there is no requirement that those who decide to wed in the George C. Tso Memorial Chapel to be Christians. Very few churches in Hong Kong open their doors for weddings between non-Christians.
The chapel does also host Sunday services currently by the Emmanuel Church – Pok Fu Lam. It is a daughter church of the St. John’s Anglican Cathedral, of the Anglican denomination as a Protestant church.
For more, the Emannuel Church – Pok Fu Lam contains detailed descriptions on the restoration of the Béthanie. Please visit its website for more.
A number of buses and minibuses run on this section of Pok Fu Lam Road, including Bus Routes 7, 71, 90B, 91, 973, 4, 4X, 33X, 37A, 40, 970, 970X. The bus stop to get off at is Pok Fu Lam Reservoir Road. The gateway that is right by Pok Fu Lam Road is closed to visitors, therefore you have to follow instructions on site to find the visitor entrance to the west. It is right next to the International Culinary Institute.
The Guided Tour of HKAPA on the Béthanie.
Descriptions on site at the HKAPA Béthanie campus.
Hong Kong Tourism Board on the Béthanie.
Emannuel Church – Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong on the Béthanie Restoration.
The Wikipedia on Gothic Revival architecture.
A First Visit at Mak Kee Yummy Food I was looking for simple food in North Point and saw a few favorable online reviews of Mak Kee. The fact that it has earned Michelin recommendation for a consecutive seven years was assuring. I love dumplings, …