Kat Hing Wai Walled Village

Kat Hing Wai (CN:吉慶圍) is an ancient village that dates back 500 years to the Ming Dynasty. Three other walled villages, Wing Lung Wai, Tai Hong Wai (泰康圍), and Kam Hing Wai (錦慶圍). What’s even more fascinating is that many are still lived by original descendants. The city features a seven-meter high brick wall and moat to protect the residents from bandits of the day.

Kat Hing Wai can be visited anytime and you can simply make a 3HKD donation at the gate to enter.

Nearby Kat Hing Wai

• Red Brick House Garden Market (錦田紅磚屋)
• Kam Sheung Road Flea Market (錦上路跳蚤市場)

Wikipedia Says

History

Kat Hing Wai was established during the reign of the Ming Chenghua Emperor (r. 1464–1487). The walls enclosing Kat Hing Wai were built by Tang Chue-yin (鄧珠彥) and Tang Chik-kin (鄧直見) in the early years of the Kangxi reign (1661–1722) of the Qing dynasty.

In April 1899, the residents of Kam Tin rebelled against British Colonial rule. They defended themselves in Kat Hing Wai. After several unsuccessful attacks by British troops, the iron gates were blasted open. The gates were then shipped to London for exhibition. Following demands from the Tang Clan in 1924, the gate was eventually returned in 1925 by the 16th governor, as a celebration, people in Kat Hing Wai hanged a tablet as an account of this incident. Because of this, Kat Hing Wai became a very unique place where have a strong icon in both architectural and historical background to be studied.

Features

Kat Hing Wai is a quasi-rectangular (100 by 90 metres (330 by 300 ft)) walled village. As a family stronghold, Kat Hing Wai has served the Tangs well through the centuries, protecting the residents against bandits, rival clans, and wild tigers. During the Qing dynasty, a five-metre high blue brick wall and four cannon towers were added to defend against bandits. Today, the village is still completely surrounded by 18-inch-thick walls, outside which are the remains of a moat. However, most houses within the walls have been rebuilt in recent years. There is only one narrow entrance, with a pair of iron gates that were once removed to Britain when the villagers rebelled against British colonial rule and of which only one was eventually returned. The current standing gates are a mismatched pair, the left hand side originally belongs to Tai Hong Wai and was given to Kat Hing Wai as a gift upon the gates return.

Conservation

Kat Hing Wai is a private property and the Government has not yet obtained the consent of its owners to declare it as a monument.

Access

Route: West Rail line Kam Sheung Road Station or Kowloon Motor Bus bus routes 51, 54, 64K and 251M.

Source: Wikipedia

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