Back in 1992, I visited one of the better preserved walled villages in Hong Kong.
Entrance to Kat Hing Wai, 1992
The outer walls of Kat Hing Wai date back to 1650, though they are believed to have been thoroughly repaired in 1725. This entrance and its iron gates form the only way into the well-protected village. It leads onto the main road, with narrower alleyways on both sides, and a small temple at the far end. Back in 1992, it was full of very old, small houses in dreadful condition, relying on plastic and corrugated metal to cover holes and provide shelter.
The village is one of several that were established by the Tang clan who arrived in the Kam Tin area in the mid 11th century. History tells us that one of the clan married a princess from the Sung dynasty in the 12th century, leading to a growth in wealth for the clan and the development of several villages, many of which were walled to protect them against attacks by bandits. Kat Hing Wai is one of the better preserved of these walled villages, and one that accepts visitors.
I was keen to get back on my recent visit to Hong Kong, if I could remember where it was and how to get there!
And I succeeded, with only one wrong bus and the use of my fallback solution – a taxi. The entrance and outer walls have hardly changed in the last 25 years.
Entrance to Kat Hing Wai, 2018
Inside is a different story. The traditional temple still waits for visitors at the end of the main road, and one or two other traditional buildings are still standing. But the housing has been seriously renovated. In fact, replaced is a more accurate term.
There is now air conditioning, solid walls, modern windows, even balconies. Just take a look at the variety of doors, from traditional to shining metal.
And there was even splash of street art.
Copyright Debbie Smyth, 15 November 2018
Posted as part of Norm’s Doors
Travel with Intent 
Wow!
Wonderfully preserved place this is 🙂
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The outer wall was obviously very well built!
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Would you like to see some Kam Tin pictures from 1969? There are similarities and differences to yours, as one would expect. I would need an email address as I don’t do social media ! Regards, Alastair C
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Hello Alastair. Yes, I would love to see them. That is very kind. My email is travelwithintent@gmail.com. Thank you
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Amazing
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That must have been quite interesting. The renovations may have taken away some of the charm, but it’s probably charm that the inhabitants were glad to lose. 🙂 I like the Faux Van Gogh door, too.
janet
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Absolutely. The standards of living are unbelievably different.
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Comparing the two outside shots it’s uncanny how little had changed. By the looks of it the inside I’m sure is a lot more modern now.
That last door takes the prize this week 🙂
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Van Gogh certainly gets around the world 🙂
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Definitely gone up in the world! Looks pretty interesting, Debs. You do find them! (eventually 🙂 )
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I don’t have the best sense of direction, so eventually is often the case!
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Fascinating story and photos. To my suburban eye it all looks so smooshed together, but it is intriguing. And kudos for finding this 25 years later.
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It i every cramped – incredibly narrow alleys, but I think the accommodation may well be more spacious than the typical apartment in a high rise block in Hong Kong.
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What a collection of doors, I love the Van Gogh.
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I liked it too. It is a NaN Gogh picture that seems to have followed me on my travels this year. It’s very popular in street art.
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Amazing and beautiful in its own way.
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Love this! These are some seriously beautiful pictures. I especially love the Starry Night street art.
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Fascinating
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oh wow, I never discovered these on my short visit. If I am ever lucky enough to return I will be delving further into Hong Kong’s history and architecture
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I was there just over a week and still ran out of time to see everything I wanted to – I had planned more villages. I f I go out that way again, I’m keen to have a stopover in Hong Kong.
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What a fabulous week, you must have packed so much in!
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A good piece of history
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