KAT HING WAI WALLED VILLAGE (吉慶圍), Kam Tin (錦田), Hong Kong

The moat, blue brick defense wall and guard towers of the 500-year-old Kat Hing Wai Walled Village (吉慶圍) remind visitors that villagers in the New Territories were once living in the danger of rival clans, bandits and the most important of all, pirates.  For self protection, many villages in the Ming and Qing Dynasties constructed defensive walls around their homes.  Walled villages mushroomed in the New Territories, creating walled compounds for specific family clans.  In the 20th century, many villages demolished their walls or had them partially removed, while most houses have been replaced with modern homes.  With a relatively well preserved moat and wall, Kat Hing Wai is actually quite a rarity.  Measured roughly 100m x 90m, Kat Hing Wai is one of the better preserved walled villages in Hong Kong.  Built during the era of Ming Cheunghua Emperor (1464 – 1487) with the 5m defensive wall constructed in the 17th century, Kat Hing Wai was a close knitted community of the Tang clan.

Outside Kat Hing Wai Walled Village, a small part of the original moat has been preserved.

For security reason, only a small opening serves as the entrance for the walled village.

Most houses in the walled village have been replaced by modern houses.

The central lane leads to the temple hall.

There were a wooden desk and a religious altar in the temple hall.

The altar table contained a built-in incense container.

Antique ritual tools could be found on the altar table.

The temple hall opens directly towards the only entrance of the walled village.

We didn’t see anyone during our brief visit of the walled village.

Almost all buildings have been replaced by modern buildings.  The original character of the walled village has been somewhat diminished in the modern era.

Some older houses still had traditional banners on their outer walls.  These banners usually advocate good fortune for the entire family.

“Kar”, the Chinese character for family, illustrates the importance of family bonding in a traditional walled village.

When looked closely, traditional touches could still be seen at certain houses in Kat Hing Wai.

In the past, the four cannon towers were the tallest structures in the village.

Today, the defensive structures of the walled village have been undermined by modern buildings.  Even the well known Kat Hing Wai Walled Village has no exception.  This is the harsh reality of contemporary Hong Kong.