Tsui Sing Lau Pagoda
Encyclopedia
The Tsui Sing Lau Pagoda is the only surviving ancient pagoda
in Hong Kong
. It is part of the Ping Shan Heritage Trail
and it is a declared monument
.
Tsui Sing Lau was, according to the Tang Clan
, originally located at a mouth of Deep Bay
. It was built by the seventh-generation ancestor, Tang Yin-tung, to avoid evil spirits from the north, prevent floods and help the Tangs win a title in the imperial examination
. Numerous Tangs have been granted titles. It was declared a monument on 14 December 2001.
According to Tang legend, in 1382, Tang Yin-tung dreamt that a group of stars all gathered together and dropped onto the place where the pagoda now stands. Tang was reminded of the words of a Fung Shui master who had complimented the good fung shui of Ping Shan, but who also gave two comments on its geographical weaknesses. The Tangs had not fully comprehended the second comment, so Tang Yin-tung immediately consulted a Fung Shui master. The master advised him to build a Buddhist pagoda on that spot in order to gather the 'scholarship' for the clan, hence the name. After the building of the pagoda, the Tang clan produced numerous scholars and officials in the Ming and Qing dynasties.
Built on a low foundation, the hexagonal pagoda is believed to have an initial total of 7 floors, but this was reduced to 3 due to erosion
. It is made of mud bricks and granite. Fui Shing is worshipped on the top floor, where the words Over the Milky Way was inscribed. Fui Shing was a god who determined which scholars were to pass examinations and receive titles. The words The Pagoda of Gathering Stars and Light Shines Straight Onto the Dippers and the Enclosures were inscribed on the second and ground floors respectively.
Pagoda
A pagoda is the general term in the English language for a tiered tower with multiple eaves common in Nepal, India, China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and other parts of Asia. Some pagodas are used as Taoist houses of worship. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most commonly Buddhist,...
in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. It is part of the Ping Shan Heritage Trail
Ping Shan Heritage Trail
Ping Shan Heritage Trail is a heritage trail located in the Ping Shan area of Yuen Long District, in Hong Kong. The trail was inaugurated on 12 December 1993 and was the first of its kind in Hong Kong...
and it is a declared monument
Declared monuments of Hong Kong
Declared monuments of Hong Kong are places, structures or buildings legally declared to be "protected". In Hong Kong, declaring a monument requires consulting the Antiquities Advisory Board, the approval of the Chief Executive as well as the publication of the notice in government gazette.As of 12...
.
Tsui Sing Lau was, according to the Tang Clan
Tang Clan
The Tang Clan is one of the Great Five Clans of Hong Kong. The others are Man , Hau , Pang and Liu . The Tangs originated from Jishui of Jiangxi province and are considered to be native Hong Kong people, as they were the first immigrants to settle in what is now Hong Kong from what is now...
, originally located at a mouth of Deep Bay
Deep Bay, Hong Kong
Deep Bay is a bay off the northwest coast of Lau Fau Shan, Hong Kong. It is surrounded to the north by Shenzhen proper and west by the peninsula of Nantau, China. It is also known as Hau Hoi Wan in Hong Kong, and Shenzhen Bay in China.-Name:...
. It was built by the seventh-generation ancestor, Tang Yin-tung, to avoid evil spirits from the north, prevent floods and help the Tangs win a title in the imperial examination
Imperial examination
The Imperial examination was an examination system in Imperial China designed to select the best administrative officials for the state's bureaucracy. This system had a huge influence on both society and culture in Imperial China and was directly responsible for the creation of a class of...
. Numerous Tangs have been granted titles. It was declared a monument on 14 December 2001.
According to Tang legend, in 1382, Tang Yin-tung dreamt that a group of stars all gathered together and dropped onto the place where the pagoda now stands. Tang was reminded of the words of a Fung Shui master who had complimented the good fung shui of Ping Shan, but who also gave two comments on its geographical weaknesses. The Tangs had not fully comprehended the second comment, so Tang Yin-tung immediately consulted a Fung Shui master. The master advised him to build a Buddhist pagoda on that spot in order to gather the 'scholarship' for the clan, hence the name. After the building of the pagoda, the Tang clan produced numerous scholars and officials in the Ming and Qing dynasties.
Built on a low foundation, the hexagonal pagoda is believed to have an initial total of 7 floors, but this was reduced to 3 due to erosion
Erosion
Erosion is when materials are removed from the surface and changed into something else. It only works by hydraulic actions and transport of solids in the natural environment, and leads to the deposition of these materials elsewhere...
. It is made of mud bricks and granite. Fui Shing is worshipped on the top floor, where the words Over the Milky Way was inscribed. Fui Shing was a god who determined which scholars were to pass examinations and receive titles. The words The Pagoda of Gathering Stars and Light Shines Straight Onto the Dippers and the Enclosures were inscribed on the second and ground floors respectively.