You may have heard of Hong Kong for its futuristic-looking skyscrapers, luxury hotels, and vibrant nightlife. To me, this amazing city is so much more than that.
The earliest human settlements in the Hong Kong area can be traced back to as far as 30 000 years ago. Hong Kong is a city where not only China and Britain have melded and created something unique, it is also home to a mixture of cultures which makes it a fascinating place to explore.
I invite you to come on an urban adventure with me, not like the ones you are used to, but more of a "past century" urban adventure, where you will find glimpses of the old-world tranquility.
The Ping Shan Heritage Trail is located in Yuen Long district, in Hong Kong, a little further northwest from the business center of the city, in an area called New Territories. It was here that the Tang clan migrated and settled from the late Yuan dynasty (1271–1368) onwards, building villages composed of ancestral halls, temples, study halls, pagodas...
Here is a little tour of what remains of these villages - impressions of past moments in time, through my lens.
Tsui Sing Lau 聚星樓 - Pagoda of Gathering Stars - is Hong Kong's oldest pagoda, built around 1486 by Tang Yin-tung. It is said to have been built to improve the feng shui of the village in order to prevent it from flooding. If you walk to the top floor, you will find a statue of Fui Shing - Champion Star - the deity responsible for success or failure in exams.
Narrow walkway in between buildings. Bricks, bricks, and more bricks.
A classic sight on street walls found in most Asian countries. New and older advertisements blend to create something I've always found quite artistic and pleasing to the eye.
Kun Ting Study Hall - an 1870's edifice - used as an ancestral hall and place of study. Its enclosed courtyard is famous for its finely carved granite columns and block base. The intricate interior designs reflect the impressive skills of the craftsmen of that time.
The sheer elegance with which the buildings were once decorated can be seen within the plaster mouldings, murals, carved panels and brackets.
) Window and doorway dividers |  Painted woodwork on door panel |
|---|
Passage way inside the Kun Ting Study Hall - built for students preparing for the imperial civil service examination. A creepy place to study....
Midday light piercing through one of the many rooms in the temples of Ping Shan
Light designs made by the sun shining through the window panels. I like to imagine the ancestors of the Tang clan looking at these patterns just the way I do today - What were they doing? What were they thinking?
Entrance way to temples and halls viewed from the streets
Typical Chinese ceramic window tiles - used as breezeway dividers between the outdoor and indoor areas
Entrance to a temple
Door-knockers representing lions (shí shī or 石獅 in Chinese). Often positioned on doors or near entryways, these guardians prevent people of evil intentions from entering houses and ward off shar chi (killing energy). The lion is often used as a symbol to represent strength and protection - two important components for most homes. It also helps to bring in better business as it is considered to be the king of all animals, ready to "swallow" anything that comes its way, with its big mouth and sharp teeth. The lion also signifies the glory and grandeur of the patriarch of the family.
And last but not least, a photo of me running around a circular passageway in Ching Shu Hin- Sonic the Hedgehog style :)
All photos taken with my old Samsung Galaxy S3.
Have you ever been to Hong Kong and explored some of its more "hidden treasures"?
Don't hesitate to leave comments, share ideas, and send some of those lovely upvotes/resteems if you enjoyed this post.
To check out some of my previous posts, click on the links below:
 Pashupatinath Temple |  Nepali school girl |
|---|---|
) Bhaktapur lady |  Nepal earthquake 2015 |
“Learning is not a race for information, it is a walk of discovery” - Jane Healy