SHEUNG SHUI

Just one stop away from mainland China along the MTR East Rail Line, Sheung Shui is often overlooked as the masses madly dash across the border into Shenzhen. Once a marketplace town known for its supply of fresh goods from neighboring farms, today Sheung Shui is a sprawling suburb overrun with large commercial buildings and malls. China’s influence is evident in this border town, with all road signs pointing towards Shenzhen’s skyline looming in the distance and Putonghua widely heard in the streets. But those willing to venture beyond the city limits are bound to unlock a door to Hong Kong’s ancient past. Within a short distance by foot, or a bus ride away, are picturesque ancestral halls, charming villages and Hong Kong’s only surviving Mandarin mansion.

Blast from the Past

History buffs should make a beeline to San Tin, a treasure trove of historic ruins from as early as the 12th century. A half-hour ride away from Sheung Shui Station, board KMB bus 76K traveling in the direction of Yuen Long to San Tin, or for a speedier (albeit more dangerous) route, hop on green minibus 17 heading in the same direction. In San Tin lies Tai Fu Tai Mansion, which was built during the Qing Dynasty in 1865 and is the only remaining Mandarin mansion in Hong Kong. Originally commissioned by Man Chung-luen, successive generations from the Man clan inhabited the mansion until as recently as 1980. The site was finally deemed a historical building in 1983 and has since been restored to its original splendor.

Protective stone walls complete with a guarded checkpoint surround a large landscaped yard leading up to the cavernous house. Inside the residence are three private courtyards, a grandiose main foyer with four reception rooms, a large kitchen and indoor bathrooms. On the second floor are private bedrooms where the unwed ladies of the home were locked away, veiled from the public eye. Interior woodcarvings along the moldings blend Western motifs with Chinese auspicious symbols, such as the Art Nouveau-inspired painted glass pane with floral plaster embellishments near the entrance and the European-style brass fish fountain in the eastern courtyard.

Follow the red tiled path outside Tai Fu Tai Mansion past the town meeting area, a small circular gazebo, and you’ll find the Man Lun Fung Ancestral Hall. Built in the 17th century, eight generations of Man forefathers are commemorated in the great hall, which was restored in 1987 through funds donated by the Hong Kong Jockey Club. Praised as scholars, a red plaque hanging proudly above the entrance reads: “speaking with scholarship,” celebrating the clan's scholastic achievements. During the Chinese New Year holidays, both Tai Fu Tai and Man Lun Fung Ancestral Hall are decorated and open to the public for visits and worship.
For more information about Tai Fu Tai Mansion and Man Lun Fung Ancestral Hall, log on to www.amo.gov.hk.

Village Charms
From Sheung Shui MTR station, walk down San Fung Avenue until you reach Jockey Club Road. Pass through the green pedestrian subterranean walkway and find yourself in Sheung Shui Heung, a quaint village ideal for aimless wandering. A mere 15 minutes by foot from the bustling network of buildings connecting the train station, Sheung Shui Heung seems worlds away. Its lush green courtyards, smaller ancestral halls, stone homes and old ruins all call to a lost era when life was simpler. Young couples zip down narrow alleyways on bicycles; children skip rope in the streets; grannies play mahjong and chitchat in grocery shops while grandpas meet nearby for checkers. It’s odd to be an outsider in a place where all 6,000 inhabitants seem to know one another, but locals are welcoming once you take interest in their humble surroundings.

Close by lies the Liu Ancestral Hall, smack dab in the middle of the main street. Built in 1751, conservative architecture of strong grey bricks supporting a thatched roof makes it seem like a simple, sturdy structure. But once inside, the demure exterior transforms into a colorfully ornate interior—flourished cornices, ceiling beams decorated with lotuses and delicately painted relief sculptures that dance across the moldings all breathe life into the solemn space of veneration.