While dazzling modern towers define the contemporary Hong Kong skyline, pockets of deep history endure, offering profound glimpses into the territory’s past. Beyond the steel and glass of Central and Kowloon lie irreplaceable historical treasures, including a two-millennia-old tomb, a treasured Ming Dynasty pagoda, and a preserved Hakka village house. These ancient sites provide a tangible connection to the cultural and architectural foundations of this dynamic global city.
Unearthing the Eastern Han Dynasty
The oldest known standing structure in Hong Kong is the Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb, an accidental discovery that sheds light on the region’s links to Imperial China. Unearthed in 1955 near modern-day Cheung Sha Wan, workmen leveling a hillside were stunned to uncover a brick tomb dating back approximately 2,000 years, to the Eastern Han Dynasty (A.D. 25–220).
An archaeological team from the University of Hong Kong quickly excavated the site. Although no human remains were found, artifacts—including bronze and pottery vessels like a mirror, basin, and bell—allowed historians to accurately date the chamber. Constructed of intricately laid bricks, the impressive tomb consists of four chambers surrounding an entranceway. Inscriptions found on the bricks bear messages of good fortune for Panyu County, suggesting administrative or cultural ties to the broader Pearl River Delta region.
Recognized as a gazetted monument, the sensitive nature of the interior atmosphere necessitated sealing the tomb in the mid-1980s. While physical entry is restricted today, visitors can view the burial site through a protective glass panel. Adjacent to the tomb, the purpose-built Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb Museum offers extensive context through maps, models, photographs, and video presentations, ensuring this vital piece of heritage remains accessible and understood.
The Last Surviving Ancient Pagoda
A testament to traditional Chinese architecture and belief systems, the Tsui Sing Lau Pagoda is Hong Kong’s sole remaining ancient pagoda. Located near Tin Shui Wai MTR station in Ping Shan, this impressive six-sided tower dates back approximately 650 years to the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644).
Built from a combination of mud bricks and granite, the pagoda stands three stories high, though historians conjecture it may have once stretched up to seven stories. Historically, pagodas served multiple functions, often encompassing religious significance while also acting as navigational aids or symbolic markers of local prominence.
Visitors can combine a trip to the pagoda with a stroll along the Ping Shan Heritage Trail. This 1.6-kilometer route is a treasure trove of regional history and leads past other centuries-old sites, including the 700-year-old Tang Ancestral Hall and several ancient study halls where aspiring local scholars prepared for imperial civil service examinations.
Preserving Hakka Village Life
Representing more recent—yet still vital—history is the Law Uk Folk Museum in Chai Wan. Dating to the mid-18th century (approximately 270 years old), this structure is one of the few surviving examples of a traditional Hakka village house.
The house, consisting of five rooms, served as the dwelling for the Law family. Although it suffered partial damage during the Battle of Hong Kong in 1941, it remained standing. However, it later fell into dereliction, serving as a furniture workshop before its historical value was rediscovered and recognized in the mid-1970s.
Today, the meticulously restored Law Uk Folk Museum showcases the simple, functional architecture and daily life of the Hakka people in Hong Kong centuries ago. Guests can tour the physical museum to see the preserved interior and artifacts, or take advantage of modern technology through a high-quality virtual tour accessible online.
These three sites—the Han Tomb, the Tsui Sing Lau Pagoda, and the Law Uk Folk Museum—offer crucial anchor points to understanding the layered history of Hong Kong, reminding residents and visitors alike that beneath the veneer of hyper-modernity lies a profound and ancient past.