Tsang Tai Uk 曾大屋
Hong Kong is an ethnically diverse city, where many Hakkas are living. Tsang Tai Uk, located in Sha Tin, provides a unique insight for us to understand the Hakka culture and their ways of living in the past.
Tsang Tai Uk
The Structure of Tsang Tai Uk
Tsang Tai Uk was built by a stonemason called Tsang Koon Man in 1847 where the Tsang clan lived in the compound. Tsang Tai Uk is a rectangular fortress-style building with an area of 65,000 square feet. Its exterior walls are made of granite, green bricks, and wood. It is also fascinating to note that there are 99 houses in total, which represents long-term auspiciousness.
The Inherited Hakka Culture
The cultural customs and traditions of Hakka are still practised by the residents of Tsang Tai Uk. For instance, they continue to make homemade preserved meat sausages, Chinese bacon, and pickled vegetables, which are the essential elements of Hakka cuisine. The unique and meaningful tradition of celebrating the birth of a baby boy by lighting the giant lanterns at the ancestral hall, holding the annual Chinese New Year Poon Choi Feast, and worshipping “Taigong” are also examples of how the residents in the Hakka community preserve their culture.
Nowadays as a Grade 1 Historic Building
In 2009, the well-preserved Hakka Walled villages, Tsang Tai Uk has been recognized as a grade 1 historic building. Despite the existing residents living there, visitors can explore the courtyard and ancestral hall, which provides an excellent opportunity to learn about the history and culture of the Hakka people in Hong Kong.
Tsang Tai Uk
傳承的客家文化
曾大屋
香港是一個民族多元化的城市，香港居住了不少的客家人。位於沙田的曾大屋可以讓我們更了解客家文化和昔日的生活。
曾大屋的結構
曾大屋於1847年由石匠曾冠文所建，曾氏族人居住於此 。曾大屋是一個面積達65,000平方尺的長方形保疊式建築。外牆使用花崗岩、青磚和木料砌成。值得一提的是其房屋共有99間，有吉祥長久之意。
Ancestral Hall of Tsang Tai Uk
曾大屋祠堂
傳承的客家文化
至今，曾大屋居民仍保留著不少客家生活文化習俗。例如，他們會繼續自製臘腸、臘肉、醃製咸菜等這些客家飲食中的重要元素。那些獨特且具意義的傳統習俗，如每當有男嬰出生時到祠堂點亮巨型花燈慶祝，每年舉辦盛大的新春盆菜宴，還有「拜太公」 也是曾大屋居民，在客家社群中保育其文化的例子。
現為一級歷史建築
在2009年，保存完好的客家圍村——曾大屋，被列為一級歷史建築。 儘管仍有居民住在那裏，遊客仍可探索庭院和祠堂，這提供了了解香港客家人歷史和文化的絕佳機會。
Photos of Tsang Tai Uk 曾大屋照片
