The first of its kind in Hong Kong, the Ping Shan Heritage Trail was inaugurated on 12 December 1993.
The district of Ping Shan is distinguished from many others in Hong Kong by its long history. A line of the Tang clan, one of the "Five Great Clans" in the New Territories, has lived in the area since the 12th century. Numerous elegant structures built since that time still stand today, bearing testimony to the historical and social developments that have taken place over the past centuries.
Stretching about one kilometer in length, the Ping Shan Heritage Trail meanders through Hang Mei Tsuen, Hang Tau Tsuen and Sheung Cheung Wai. It links up a number of traditional Chinese buildings within easy walking distance of each other to provide visitors with an opportunity to learn more about the traditional life in the New Territories in a convenient half-day excursion.
|
|
Unique monuments along the trail include Tsui Sing Lau Pagoda (Hong Kong's only ancient pagoda), Tang Ancestral Hall (one of the largest ancestral halls in the territory), Sheung Cheung Wai (a walled village), Kun Ting Study Hall (built for students preparing for the Imperial Civil Service Examination), Hung Shing Temple and Yeung Hau Temple together with several other Chinese buildings. Signposts can be found along the trail to guide the footsteps of visitors, while information boards have been erected at convenient locations to introduce the history of various monuments.
The idea to set up a heritage trail was first mooted by the Antiquities Advisory Board, and then brought to fruition by the Antiquities and Monuments Office and the Architectural Services Department, with the generous financial support of the Hong Kong Jockey Club and the Lord Wilson Heritage Trust. The trail would not have been possible, however, without the support and co-operation of the Tang clan in Ping Shan, which was a driving force behind the project.
|