Tai Fu Tai Mansion
An 1865 scholar-official's house at San Tin, with Qing carving and imported stained glass.
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Tai Fu Tai was built in 1865 at San Tin for a member of the Man clan who had gained a scholar-official rank, and it is the best preserved house of its type in Hong Kong: a compact two-hall residence in grey brick with a decorated ridge, granite columns, plaster mouldings, carved wooden screens and gilded panels recording the family's examination successes and honours. What surprises visitors is the glass. Coloured and etched panes imported from Europe were set into the windows of the side chambers, mixing Rococo-influenced plasterwork with a strictly Chinese plan. It was restored in the 1980s, declared a monument, and is open free, standing among fish ponds and village housing.
What you actually see
- European stained glass in a Qing house - imported panes in the side chambers.
- Carved screens and gilded panels - the interior decoration of a scholar's home.
- Honour boards for examination success - the family record on the walls.
- The decorated roof ridge - moulded figures along the top.
When to go
October to April. One hour. Closed Tuesdays. Buses out are infrequent, so check return times. Combine with the Lung Yeuk Tau trail or Mai Po.
Honest expectations
It is a single small house and the visit is short. The surroundings are fish ponds and ordinary village building. Interpretation is limited. Bus connections are slow and infrequent.
Nearby
Mai Po is south-west; Lung Yeuk Tau lies east.
What to pack for Tai Fu Tai Mansion
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.