SPD 3159 / SPD3159 Hong Kong Key Heritage: C@Lung Yeuk Tau Heritage Trail

2010年10月13日星期三

C@Lung Yeuk Tau Heritage Trail

Hey... Do you remember what my last blog was? This is about the Lo Wai Wall and at the end of my blog was introduced you a heritage trail. Now I would like to introduce the trail for you -- Lung Yeuk Tau Heritage Trail (1.8km).

Located just outside Fanling in the North East New Territories, the Lung Yeuk Tau Heritage Trail was opened in 1999. The name Lung Yeuk Tau was derived from the nearby mountain range Lung Yeuk Ling (Mountain of the Leaping Dragon) whose name came from the legendary saying that there was once a dragon leaping in the area.

I would like to introduce some of the major sights on the Heritage Trail.

TSUNG KYAM CHURCH - built 1926 is a church of the Basel Mission and was extended in 1951. A village gradually developed around the church and two old houses named “Kin Tak Lau” still survive today. The church is a private property and not open to the public.

Many traditional Chinese buildings and structures such as temples and ancestral halls, walls and entrance gates of walled villages and residences still retain their original appearance and can be visited along the trail.

TANG CHUNG LING ANCESTRAL HALL – the main ancestral hall of the Tang Clan of Lung Yeuk Tau was built in the early 16th century in memory of Tang Chung Ling, the founding ancestor. It is a three-hall building exquisitely decorated with fine wood carvings, polychrome plaster moldings and murals of auspicious motifs fully reflecting the superb craftsmanship of the old days. Open daily 9am to 5pm (closed 1pm to 2pm for lunch), except Tuesdays, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day and the first three days of Lunar New Year.

TIN HAU TEMPLE – adjacent to the Tang Ling Ancestral Hall and devoted to the worship of Tin Hau and her guards Chin Lei Ngan and Shun Fung Yi. There are two bronze bells, cast in 1695 and 1700, placed on the floor of the chamber alongside the main hall. The date of construction of the temple is unknown but it was restored in 1913 and again in 1981.