Tsuen Wan Sam Tung Uk Village 荃灣三棟屋

In the sun tree shadows reflected
On the land high-rises erected
Roof ridge white and the wall is bright
Root top grey and the eaves-tiles laid
A new look behind the ancient door
The sky looked half through the rafts
In the front the half sky looked blue
Beside me the eaves moss is green
To the blue sky glazed eaves fly
And the painted wall goes high
                                    --------- My impression of Sam Tung Uk

"The history of the Hakka walled village dates back to the latter half of the eighteenth century, when the Chan clan moved from Guangdong and settled in Tsuen Wan.  The clansmen acquired land along the seashore for cultivation on which the village was built in 1786.

Originally, there were only three rows of houses.  By the end of the nineteenth century, a fourth row was built enclosing both sides and the rear of the village.

As part of the development of Tsuen Wan New Town, Sam Tung Uk Village was vacated in early 1980.  A new village was provided for the indigenous inhabitants, and other residents were rehoused in public housing estates.  After a full restoration carried out by the Government in 1986 and 1987, the village was refurbished in traditional style and opened to the public as the Sam Tung Uk Museum.

Sam Tung Uk Village was declared a monument on 13th March 1981, and is protected under the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance."

(Adopted from the Declared Monument Sam Tung Uk Village)

On 3 December 2011, I was lucky to visit Sam Tung Uk Museum, which was located beside Tsuen Wan Subway Station.  I was residing in the same type of old village in my early childhood.  My village had more than 20 families living together.  I still remember that our ancestral hall was in the center of the village with courtyards and front yard.  My visit to Sam Tung Uk brought me back to the livelihood of my early childhood in Hong Kong.

Nikon D200, AF-DX 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6, Ricoh Digital GR3

Courtesy:  Antiquities Authority

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荃灣三棟屋

          斜陽樹影照    高樓平地起
          粉牆屋脊白    青泥瓦當長
          簷上半邊天    門後又一村  
          正看半天碧    側見簷苔綠
          飛簷向藍天    走壁過粉牆
                           ----- 我對三棟屋的印像

三棟屋客家圍村的歷史始源，可追溯至十八世紀下半葉，當時陳氏家族從廣東遷居本香港荃灣，利用沿海的土地耕種，並於一七八六年建立三棟屋村。

三棟屋村原先只有三列房舍，其後子孫繁衍，及至十九世紀末，再圍繞村後及兩旁增建第四排房舎。

一九八零年初，為配合荃灣新市鎮的發展，政府須遷徙三棟屋村居民。當局為原居民另建新村安居，其他居民則安置於公共屋邨。一九八六至八七年間，政府對三棟屋村進行全面修復，房舍的內部亦依照傳統的風格修飾。竣工後成為三棟屋博物館，開放予市民參觀。

三棟屋村於一九八一年三月十三日列為法定古蹟，受《古物及古蹟條例》保護。

(取材自古物事務處)

我有幸於2011年12月3日參觀三棟屋博物館。它位處荃灣地鐵站旁。我在孩童時也住在這種古老村屋。住有20多戶。仍記得宗祠位在中間﹐有天井和禾堂等設施。訪三棟屋如同返會童年時的家居生活。

Nikon D200, AF-DX 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6, Ricoh Digital GR3

鳴謝﹕  古物事務處

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