Address | Tuen Tsz Wai, Tuen Mun.
Year Built | Old To Ancestral Hall-1718
Monument Rating | Grade I Historic Building
Photo ｜Wong Wai Kit, Chan Tin Kuen
In the Ming Dynasty, the To clan ancestors came south to Hong Kong and settled in Tuen Mun. During the Qing Dynasty in the reign of Emperor Qianlong, Nai Wai, Tsing Chuen Wai, Tuen Tsz Wai, Lam Tei Tsuen and Tuen Mun San Tsuen were built successively. During the reign of Emperor Qianlong and Jiaqing, Tuen Mun was often harassed by bandits. The To clan then decided to establish a guards training centre with the nearby villages called "Chung Yee Tong", for the sake of protecting the community. Until today, Chung Yee Tong still organizes the Tai Ping Qing Jiao Festival in Tuen Mun Township once every ten years.
The entrance gate of Tuen Tsz Wai was originally in the centre. Due to fung shui concerns, it was closed and has moved to the left side. "Tin Tsz Wai" was inscribed on the old gate, as it was the former name of the village. There is a lane stretching from the closed old gate all the way to a shrine at the other end, where Tin Hau and other deities are worshipped. The shrine was rebuilt in 1983 and no longer keeps its former appearance.
The village right next to Tuen Tsz Wai is Tsing Chuen Wai. It was formerly known as "Mak Yuen Wai" because it used to be a wheat field when the village was established. The words "Mak Yuen” (Wheat Garden) on the stone plaque of the gate can still be read. The main entrance of Tsing Chuen Wai is in the centre, with a gatehouse built on top. There are watchtowers on the four corners of the walled village which still retain their former appearances. The houses are constructed orderly, with a shrine built at the end of the main pathway.
There are three To Ancestral Halls around Tuen Tsz Wai. The oldest one was completed in the WuXu year of Kangxi Reign (1718) of the Qing Dynasty, with the architectural format of “three-hall structure with two internal courtyards”. It was abandoned in 1971 due to fung shui concerns and had later been used as a factory. In 1991, it was again abandoned. It is closed now due to its dilapidated conditions. The second one is the Ding Shan Ancestral Hall, which commemorates the sixth generation ancestor To Ding Shan. It is also the ancestral hall of the eldest son and his family of To Clan. It was built in the reign of Emperor Kangxi, with the architectural format of “three-hall structure with two internal courtyards”. It was rebuilt in 1972 and is now abandoned.
Another To Ancestral Hall was built in 1971 replacing the abandoned one with fung shui problems. It is a two-hall-style architecture with abundant decorations. The main hall enshrines To clan ancestors’ memorial tablets. The ancestral hall is also named "Ng Lau Tong" to commemorate the Eastern Jin Dynasty poet Tao Yuan-ming (also known as Mr. Ng Lau), and the road nearby is named Ng Lau Road.
Next to the old To Ancestral Hall there is a temple called Sam Shing Kung. It was built in the Kangxi Final Year and has undergone several renovations. It is now a two-hall-style architecture, with the main hall dedicated to Hung Shing Tai Wong of South Sea Kwong Lee, Sacred Altar Tiger Tamer Chiu Kung Ming the Great Marshal and Yeung Hau Tai Wong. In the side hall, Lady Kam Fa (Golden Flower) and the Earth God Fook Tak are enshrined. During Tai Ping Qing Jiao Festival, many traditional rituals are carried out here.
