Vignettes of the World
The trail of today is a two-looped walk from the Lions Nature Education Centre in Tsiu Hang, then Ma Lam Wat Village, and return via Tai Ngam Hau, then back to Tsiu Hang. I have previously written on the Lions Nature Education Centre. Because I …
The fish intestines! You know the cost of the water that goes into cleaning them would end up more than that of the intestines themselves! The owner of Yixin Restaurant jested about this traditional Cantonese dish on the radio food show, The Golden Plaque. A …
On this final day in Hue, I decided to take a look at some special sites in the city. An easy stroll around the city would do for me.
You can’t miss the luxury and the preoccupation with all things western at the An Dinh Palace, for Emperor Khai Dinh had his hand on it.
The complex was first built in 1902 at the present location. Originally it was a wooden structure with three compartments, two wings and auxiliary buildings. It served as the private residence of Khai Dinh, the oldest son of Emperor Dong Khanh. An Dinh Palace was then known also as the Mansion of the Eldest Prince.
In 1917, Khai Dinh ascended to the throne. He rebuilt and expanded An Dinh Palace into a more spacious European style. Construction completed in 1918. An Dinh was Khai Dinh’s palace away from the imperial palace. In 1919, Khai Dinh granted the mansion to his son Prince Vinh Thuy, who later became Emperor Bao Dai, and also the very last of both the Nguyen Dynasty and Vietnam. During both of Khai Dinh and Bao Dai’s reigns, the An Dinh Palace hosted banquets and events to entertain foreign guests.
Eventually, Emperor Bao Dai and his royal family lived in An Ding Palace after his abdication in 1945, until later they settled down abroad.
A quick walk outside the building reveals the ample glory that once adorned this mansion. The Trung Lap Pavilion, golden with eclectic architecture, stands in the front yard. Inside the pavilion a bronze statue bearing the image of Khai Dinh poses with flair.
The golden facades of the building with their embossed stucco are in the Vietnamese neoclassical style, with Romanesque columns on the sides of the wooden windows, which adds a classy touch and texture to the mansion. The painted interior shows a fusion of European and Vietnamese motifs, consistent with Khai Dinh’s penchant for all things western. For the small exhibition that it hosted, the An Dinh Palace did tell the story of the last emperor of Vietnam.
Although the building does look in need of restoration at the time that I visited, it still gleamed an aged glory under the generous sunshine of the day. Lying on the main axis to the mansion’s front and the Trung Lap Pavilion is the main gate to An Dinh Palace. Its elaborate sculptures of dragons and phoenixes, and the porcelain embossment of all things auspicious, represent the very best of Vietnam’s traditions and craftsmanship. The main gate was built in the same vein as the beautiful and elaborate gates of the Imperial Enclosure.
I was quite curious to learn about what happened to Vietnam’s disfavored royalty. After a tumultuous, disruptive reign, Bao Dai settled down abroad. I thought the last queen, Marie-Thérèse Nguyễn Hữu Thị Lan, was beautiful. Emperor Bao Dai died in 1997 in France.
For some time the An Dinh Palace was the premise of a restaurant. It then closed until 2008 when the German Conservation Restoration and Education Project began to restore the complex. In 2012, it reopened its doors with antique furniture and restored interiors.
Our lady of Perpetual Help Church was in the vicinity. It was designed by Vietnamese architect Nguyen My Loc, who received his education in France. Construction began in 1959 and completed in 1962.
The architecture is a fusion of Vietnamese and western styles. Made of concrete and stones, the entire cathedral is in the shape of a cross. The tiled roofs are in a bright orange colour, perhaps along with the curviness they soften the sharpness of the steeple and the protruding spires of the stained glass throughout the structure. There is a three-storey bell tower. Like the frontal façade that leads to the nave, the bell tower has assumed the shape of a pagoda.
Outside of the cathedral, there is a notable statue of Jesus Christ, perhaps it is a much smaller version of the Jesus the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro of Brazil. There is a grotto with Santa Maria as well.
Despite its grand posture, this cathedral was perhaps representative of a history of great religious strife in Vietnam. It was constructed at the behest of the Archbishop of Hue, Ngo Dinh Thuc, who was the brother of President Diem. As such, it does speak to the influence of religion in Vietnam’s national politics. Needless to say, Catholicism came to Vietnam via French colonialism. After the final removal of Bao Dai from power in the 1950s, President Ngo Dinh Diem, originally with backing from the United States as a catholic statesman, served as the President of the Republic of Vietnam. His discriminatory policies against the Buddhists in particular have caused great animosities that were religion-based. The Buddhists responded with extreme acts of protests. One of the most infamous incident of which was monk Thic Quang Duc’s self-immolation in 1963.
I then realized that the Banh Beo Ba Cu was right across the street, but it closed on the day that I visited. That was too bad. The Banh Beo is a gluey rice cake wrapped in lotus leaves and dipped in fish sauce. It is a very popular street food in Hue.
I decided to visit the Vinh Loi Cao Dai Temple as the last site to see in Hue. That was closed too, so I say “I been there” with a picture.
As compared to Cao Dai’s Holy See in Tay Ninh, where the religion was born and rose to a national scale, the Vinh Loi Cao Dai Temple in Hue was of a much smaller scale. When I visited the Cao Dai Temple in Tay Ninh, I observed a session of worship there and it was eye-opening. Let me try to explain this (in my opinion, odd) religion here.
I guess from the standard Christian point of view Caodaism is a new age cult. It is a fusion of all sorts, including Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Taoism, Confucianism and ancestral worship. It was born in the 1920s, after three principal members of the religion (mediums) claimed to have received visions from God. New-age as it is, Caodaism has exited for a century now. In this time the followers of Cao Dai have made their mark in Vietnamese history. Perhaps I can quote the Wikipedia here for a brief introduction:
Officially called the “Great Way of the Third Time of Redemption” (Đại Đạo Tam Kỳ Phổ Độ), it became popular in its first few decades, gathering over a million members and converting a fifth to a fourth of the population of Cochinchina by 1940.
During the First and Second Indochina Wars, members of Cao Đài were active in political and military struggles against both French colonial forces and South Vietnamese Prime Minister Ngô Đình Diệm.
Their criticism of the communist forces until 1975 was a factor in their repression after the fall of Saigon in 1975, when the incoming communist government banned the practice of Caodaism. In 1997, Caodaism was granted legal recognition and unrestricted practice once again. (Wikipedia)
The Indochine Palace next door could have stolen the shine with its grand, modern style, but the colors of the Cao Dai Temple easily drew the first attention of the tourist. I was happy that Hue left me with a memory of colors, the sight of this temple brought me back to the memories of Tay Ninh and southern Vietnam.
After an uneventful train ride, I found my way back to Danang. I did some shopping in the morning before my afternoon flight. I had an interesting conversation with the grab driver.
Even by just riding in the back of his motorbike I could sense the bright and cheerful spirit in this man. He asked me where I was from, and I said, Hong Kong, China.
No, no, Hong Kong no China! Hong Kong friend, China no friend.
Why don’t you like China?
China “cong can” Vietnam, China “cong san” Vietnam!
Judging from the context of this conversation, the way that he used “cong san” in his sentence, and the way it sounded, I suspected that what he literally said was China “communism” Vietnam. When I went home, I searched for the Vietnamese word for communism. That confirmed my suspicion, the Vietnamese word for communism was “cong san.” I think he meant that China wants to take over Vietnam. In Chinese, “communism” is composed of the two words together meaning “communal property.”
Before I left, he showed me a photo of his young son, while smiling ear to ear. He places all his hope in his son. Before I left, I shoved all my small change into his hands.
The Rough Guide to Vietnam, Rough Guides (2015)
Vietnam, Marco Polo (2019)
The Wikipedia on Caodaism.
Erin R. McCoy, A War Tour of Viet Nam: A Cultural History (2022) at 56.
The Wikipedia on Bao Dai.
In a Hue Palace, European Style Meets Asian Traditions, Nhandan online.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church (Redemptorist Church), Thua Thien Hue Portal.
Orchards, farming fields, outdoor education areas, air-conditioned exhibition centres, a lotus pad, short hiking trails and a nice café – what location offers better summer outing options than Tsiu Hang? The 24-acre Tsiu Hang Special Area is a designated area of environmental conservation. It received …
“So what’s the plan for our walk in Peng Chau?” My besties finally had a chance to get together for a day trip to Peng Chau. “No plan, let’s just walk around aimlessly.” Sounds like a plan, and it turned out to be a good …
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb Museum is a small exhibition of an excavated ancient tomb dated to the Han Dynasty. It stands as testament to the presence of China’s ancient civilization in Hong Kong. Indeed, it was rather surprising for me to learn that …
It is approaching summertime now, but the spring of 2022 was a heavenly time for the photographers of Hong Kong. Fellow bloggers have taken wonderful photos of the spring blossom all over Hong Kong. In late April, my friend and I visited the Cherry Street …
Po Kwu Wan is a small bay west of the neighboring High Island Reservoir in Sai Kung. The ruins of a concrete enclosure of a former fishing farm turns it into a moon-shape bay. It is quite an experience to “walk on the ocean” on the semi-circle concrete ruins.
It takes an easy walk of about an hour to arrive at Po Kwu Wan. We began by first having lunch in Sai Kung Town. After lunch, we took green top minibus Route 7 at the minibus station. Getting off at the Sheung Yiu stop, watch out for the signs pointing to the Pak Tam Chung Nature Trail. That is the entrance to the trail.
At this crossroads, take the direction to Hei Tsz Wan Village, on the left.
At this crossroads, take the path on the left.
If you choose to digress by going right and down the stairs, you will come to a little pier (photo below). It is a good spot for pictures. Now go back to the crossroads and head to the path on the left as shown on the photograph above.
But going left at the crossroads above, you will reach Po Kwu Wan. On this section, watch out for the hiking ribbons on your right. This will lead you to Po Kwu Wan. You will soon come across a T section, it does not matter whether you take the path on your right or your left. You will loop on the concrete enclosure at the former fish farm and back to the same point for exit.
To return, go back the same way.
Photos above: Views on the Trail.
Unfortunately, the Sheung Yiu Folk Museum is currently undergoing renovation. It should remain closed for most of this year. I will therefore just refer to the website of Hong Kong Heritage Museum for a brief introduction.
Located inside the scenic Sai Kung Country Park and occupying an area of 500 square metres, the Sheung Yiu Folk Museum was originally a Hakka village built in the late 19th century. The village and its neighbouring lime kiln were gazetted as monuments in 1981. After it was restored, the village was opened as a museum in 1984.
The Sheung Yiu villages were of Hakka origin, with the surname Wong. They have settled down in this area of Sai Kung since the 19th century, but deserted their village homes around 1965 or so. Perhaps a decade ago I have visited this museum on a hike. I remember just a bit of information. The villagers have mostly gone abroad and they donated the village homes for preservation by the government. I look forward to it reopening so that I can revisit it to revive my memories.
Very close to the museum lies the ruins of the lime kiln. Both the village homes and this lime kiln are Grade 1 historic buildings.
The Wong’s of Sheung Yiu built this lime kiln with bricks and rubble stones. The kiln was fired with straw and wood. Corals and shells yielded lime after several days of burning. Lime was a common material in those days for agricultural-use fertilizers and mortar. Lime-making was once a prosperous industry in the villages of Sai Kung. However, with the advance of modern-day brick and cement making, trade and production of lime declined.
Besides the graded historic buildings, this trail will also lead you to some pretty interesting ruins along the way. The only indication of the history of this village is the signage of “Pang Shing Tong” (Pang Shing Hall) on one of the structures.
It is natural for anyone to assume that the villagers must have been of the Pang lineage. However, a quick search online yielded an alternative hypothesis, although for which I am not able to fact-check.
Pang Shing, in ancient Chinese history, refers to the Liu descendants from the ancestor Liu Ren. (In Cantonese, the surname Liu is pronounced as Lau). During the late Warring States period, Liu Ren moved to Fengyi, at the time belonging to the Wei Kingdom. He founded his family there. His grandson, Liu Bang, would become one of the best known statesmen in Chinese history. Liu Bang was the founding emperor of the glorious Han Dynasty.
Fengyi was also known as Peng Cheng (in Cantonese, Pang Shing). Originally this became the Tang Hao, a way of address to a direct lineage within a clan, for the descendants of Liu Bang. In more modern times, those of the Lau surname liked to take on “Pang Shing” as a way to share in the proud heritage of Liu Bang.
Perhaps this then indicates that the village in ruins on the Pak Tam Chung Nature Trail was rather of the surname Lau.
Once you are at Po Kwu Wan, head on over to walk the concrete enclosure. You will enjoy 360 views of Po Kwu Wan Bay and the mountainous views afar.
Photos above: A Panorama of the Concrete Enclosure of the Former Fish Farm
The concrete enclosure of the former fishing farm is in ruins. There are three sections of the ruins that are somewhat broken, and requires extra care for one to walk through. I “sat and slid” through two of them. They are certainly wide enough for one to walk upon, but it seemed dangerous to me. My advice is perhaps to go with someone, just to watch out for each other.
There is also a chance that, at high tide, the water will submerge part of the concrete enclosure, therefore blocking the way. My suggestion is to visit the site in the afternoon, when the tides are low.
Throughout this part of the walk, there is no climbing involved at all, if Po Kwu Wan is your only destination. There are branching trails in the area, but beware that they are not as clear as the Pak Tam Chung Nature Trail, which is a standard trail. Therefore, if you plan on taking detours from the Pak Tam Chung Nature Trail, be sure to look up the map on your hiking app.
Historic descriptions on-site.
The Hong Kong Heritage Museum on Sheung Yiu Folk Museum.
Baidu Hong Kong on Pang Shing Tong (Chin).
From Sai Kung town, take green top minibuses Routes 7 or 9, or bus Routes 94,96R, 289R. Get off at the Sheung Yiu Stop. To leave, perhaps 289R is the best choice as it takes you directly back to Shatin.
By private car, park at the car park at Sai Kung Country Park Visitor Centre. If you are to go on the weekend or a public holiday, it may fill up quite early. Then walk about five, eight minutes on Tai Mong Tsai Road (the area past the gate is restricted, you may not drive on that section), and arrive at Fat Kee Store, with signs pointing you to the Pak Tam Chung Nature Trail.
The Asia Society holds an exhibition Recovery, Resilience, Resurgence at the Chantal Miller Gallery of Asia Society. My friends and I paid a visit on a leisurely Friday afternoon. The Exhibition Recovery, Resilience, Resurgence is currently open until 31st July, 2022. Recovery, Resilience, Resurgence features the …