Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb Museum

Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb Museum (CN: 李鄭屋古墓) is an ancient burial tomb that was discovered in 1955. According to inscriptions at the site, it dates back to the Eastern Han dynasty (25–220). There is an exhibition hall beside the tomb containing some relics, a 3D animation, and information. Unfortunately, you cannot enter the actual tomb but there is a window. Note: there is also a replica of the tomb at the Museum of History in Tsim Sha Tsui.

The site is open Monday to Wednesday, Friday to Sunday: 10am – 6pm and Christmas Eve and Chinese New Year’s Eve: 10am – 5pm. Admission is free.

Nearby

• Han Garden (漢花園) – nice Han Dynasty style garden
• Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre (賽馬會創意藝術中心) – more than walking distance but in the area
• Savannah College of Art and Design Hong Kong (薩凡納藝術設計大學 (香港)) – heritage site and school with small gallery

Nearby Hotel Pick

YHA Mei Ho House Youth Hostel – Features modern and comfortable accommodations offering twin rooms, double rooms, family rooms and dormitory rooms. A 5 mins walk from MTR Sham Shui Po Station and 3 mins walk from SCAD.

Wikipedia Says

History

According to the structure, calligraphy and content of the inscriptions on tomb bricks and to the tomb finds, the tomb is commonly believed to have been built during the Eastern Han dynasty (AD 25 – 220) although the Southern Dynasties period was also suggested. It was probably built for a Chinese officer attached to the local garrison.

The tomb is constructed of bricks (average size 40x20x5cm) and consists of four chambers set in the form of a cross. The dome vault at the center was constructed by laying bricks in a spiral, while the other chambers are barrel-vaulted. Some bricks are stamped or carved with inscriptions or patterns on the exposed sides. It is believed that the rear chamber is the coffin chamber, that side chambers were used for storage, while ritual ceremonies were performed in the front chamber under the domed roof.

The tomb’s cross-shaped structure and the burial objects found inside show great similarities as compared to other Han tombs found in South China, which prove that early Chinese civilisation had spread to Hong Kong 2,000 years ago. The inscription Panyu (Chinese: 番禺; Cantonese Yale: Pūnyùh) on tomb bricks further confirms the dating, since, according to historical records, Panyu was the name of the county to which the present territory of Hong Kong belonged during the Han dynasty. Also, the style of the calligraphy used in the inscriptions was an angular version of lishu (clerical script) which was generally used in inscriptions on bronze wares and stones during the Han dynasty. There were no bodies found in the tomb.

The museum

The tomb and gallery came under the management of the former Urban Council in 1969. The museum later became a branch of the Hong Kong Museum of History in 1975. As such, it is managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department of the Hong Kong Government. A newly built exhibition hall opened in 1988, when the tomb was declared a gazetted monument. The hall was refurbished in 2005. Details on the discovery and characteristics of the tomb, as well as bronze and pottery artefacts found in the tomb are on permanent display in the exhibition hall.

A 3D digital animation in the exhibition hall provides a detailed view of the interior of the tomb. Moreover, a 1:1 replica of the inside of the Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb is displayed at the Hong Kong Museum of History.

Exhibition Hall

The Exhibition Hall is located next to the tomb. The first section is about food and drink in Han as it seems because most of what was found in the Han tomb is related to food. The display of this section begins with the old Chinese adage, ‘food is the first necessity of the people’. There is a map depicting food distribution, a pictogram of rice distribution and a table of the major food groups. There are also three replicas of figurines. Two of the figurines are cooks, and another one is a farmer.

The second section is about the excavation of the Han tomb. The excavation process, the inside of the tomb and the archaeologists at work are shown with several photographs. The tomb’s structure and layout are shown with the models and plans. This displays also how the professionals dated the tomb by using the inscriptions on the bricks.

The third part of the gallery shows the artefacts found in the tomb. As the only Eastern Han dynasty brick tomb ever found in Hong Kong, the Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb has invaluable historic value containing 58 items found on site. Objects include cooking utensils, food containers, storage jars and models (a house, a granary, a well and a stove) made of pottery (50), as well as bowls, basins, mirrors, and bells made of bronze (8). No human skeletal remains were found.

Source: Wikipedia

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