Visit: Sam Tung Uk - Culture in Chinese Walled Village [Teacher Notes]

Liberal Studies Teaching Kit for Senior Secondary Curriculum Modern China Visit: Sam Tung Uk - Culture in Chinese Walled Village [Teacher notes]

©Hong Kong Heritage Museum

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Preamble

Teaching plan i Liberal Studies | Visit: Sam Tung Uk - Culture in Chinese Walled Village

Visit: Sam Tung Uk - Culture in Chinese Walled Village

1.1 Planned itinerary for the visit 01 1.2 Background information 02 1.3 Features along the route 04 1.4 Check points 1 Entrance Hall 05 2 Assembly Hall 07 3 Ancestral Hall 07 4 Period House 08 5 Side House 09 6 Museum Office 10 7 Backyard 10 1.5 On-site exercise: traditional and modern Chinese society 11

Summary, Key words and Further reading 15

Disclaimer Create Hong Kong of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region provides funding support to the project only, and does not otherwise take part in the project. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in these materials/events (or by members of the project team) do not reflect the views of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. © 2012 Hong Kong Institute of Architects Topic 04 Visit: Sam Tung Uk - Culture in Chinese Walled Village

Major teaching areas Interdisciplinary teaching areas Liberal Studies: Module 3 Modern China Visual Arts

• Theme 2: Chinese culture and modern life • Visual Arts Appreciation and Criticism in context

Design and Applied Technology

Related teaching areas • Strand 2 Technological Principles Liberal Studies | Visit: Sam Tung Uk - Culture in Chinese Walled Village Liberal Studies: Module 2 Hong Kong Today • Strand 3 Value and Impact • Theme 1: Quality of life • Theme 2: Rule of law and socio -political participation • Theme 3: Identity

Learning objectives • To understand the lifestyle of a traditional Chinese society • To learn about Chinese traditional architecture styles in a Chinese walled village • To study how Chinese traditional customs and beliefs are reflected in the architectural setting • To compare traditional and modern ways of living in Chinese society

Teaching plan Lesson Contents Visit • 1.1 Itinerary • Brief introduction to Sam Tung Uk Sam Tung Uk - Chinese • 1.2 Layout of a traditional Chinese walled village Walled Village in Hong • Introduce notable architectural features that are adapted to the local climate Kong and building techniques

On-site exercise • Compare the architectural setting of Sam Tung Uk and the city of Hong Kong

i 1.1 Planned itinerary for the visit

3 4 5 Liberal Studies | Visit: Sam Tung Uk - Culture in Chinese Walled Village

Pre-Trip Introduction (20 min) • Background information on Sam Tung Uk • Objectives and on-site exercise introduction • Planned route • Materials: camera, pencil and notebook

Field Trip (approximately 90 minutes)

20 min 10 min 10 min 10 min 10 min 20 min 10 min 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Entrance Hall Assembly Hall Ancestral Hall Period House Side House Museum Backyard

Directions How to get there: Sam Tung Uk website http://www.heritagemuseum.gov.hk/eng/museums/samtunguk.aspx 01 1.2 Background information

Since the Chan’s clan was a subgroup of Han that migrated from the mainland, they were a Hakka clan. Hakka literally means ‘guest people’, and it usually refers to clans that moved from central China and settled in the south. Most Hakka people moved to Hong Kong during Qing Dynasty.

Hakka people share the culture Liberal Studies | Visit: Sam Tung Uk - Culture in Chinese Walled Village and traditions of the Han, yet they have their own language and customs.

©Wiki Lo

Background of Sam Tung Uk Founded during the Qing Dynasty (1786), Sam Tung Uk was a Hakka walled village built by the Chans (陳氏) who came to Tsuen Wan from Guangdong, South China. Due to their different culture, language and customs, they built walls to protect the village against rival clans. Architectural Merit Throughout its history of over 200 years, the village had always managed to retain its original architectural features, and, on the recommendation of the Antiquities Advisory Board, it was declared a monument in 1981 in recognition of its historical significance. Urban sprawl began to encroach on rural Tsuen Wan in the 1970s and 80s. After the last villager moved out in 1980, Sam Tung Uk was restored and converted p Bird’s-eye view of the village into a museum. ©Hong Kong Heritage Museum The original village consisted of three horizontal rows of building blocks, a typical mode of Chinese architecture (三進式). Hence the name ‘Sam Tung Uk’ (literally ‘three-row houses’). Functions of the walled village Since Hakka people were immigrants having a different culture, they had to unite and defend themselves against pirates and other possible assaults. Families under the same clan would therefore live together, protected by the village wall. The Ancestral Hall was placed at the most central, prominent location, indicating a strong respect for family tradition. As the Chans were farmers, the architecture was more functional. Rooms were spared for storage of farming tools and crops. The two rooms next to the Entrance Hall were p Floor plan of Sam Tung Uk. All entrances into the storerooms while side buildings were for living as well as units are accessible from internal footpaths. The storage. village plan looks inward, with gates to secure entry points. 02 1

©Wiki Lo ©Wiki Lo 2 Liberal Studies | Visit: Sam Tung Uk - Culture in Chinese Walled Village Building Design All buildings sat on a raised platform of stone that protected the timber interior from rain and flooding.

Mezzanines were built in some of the houses. The family lived and ate on the lower floor while the mezzanine, which was less affected by moisture, was used for storage of crops and farming tools.

Use of locally available techniques and materials Stone tread Sam Tung Uk had a simple design and the buildings use traditional 石砛 materials such as bricks, timber and tiles. ©Wiki Lo 3 Adaptation to local climate Between the houses were courtyards and lanes that permitted 1. Simple eaves design of Sam Tung Uk pedestrian circulation and also facilitated natural ventilation and 2. Courtyard with stone platform illumination by natural light. This was particularly important in the hot, 3. Granite floor and tread (石砛) humid subtropical climate of Hong Kong. 4. One of the lanes in the village 5. A side house with mezzanine Function vs. Decoration The roof was not adorned with the typical ornamented tile ends or drip tiles of other traditional buildings; this village was the dwelling place of Hakka farmers and functionality was more important than decoration. The floors were made of granite, a locally available material.

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©Wiki Lo ©Wiki Lo 03 1.3 Features along the route

Proposed Liberal Studies Route Quality of life Traditional Chinese family Related Values and attitudes 1. • Life of the villagers — • Security • Traditional Chinese culture Entrance Hall combination of working • Collectivism of traditional and living Chinese family 2. • Collectivism of traditional • Socio-political participation Assembly Hall Chinese family • Function of socialization in traditional Chinese family 3. • Paying attention to the • Socio-political participation Ancestral Hall dignity and prestige of lineage and clan

• The advocacy of ancestor Liberal Studies | Visit: Sam Tung Uk - Culture in Chinese Walled Village worship • Authoritarianism 4. • Life of the villagers — • Inheritance of status • Respect of equal Period House family hierarchy • Male dominance opportunities in modern • Allocation in the family society 5. • Life of the villagers — • Allocation in the family • Respect of equal Side House combination of working opportunities in modern and living, and line of society family defence 6. • Life of the villagers — • History of Sam Tung Uk Museum Working and living as • Heritage and identity farmers • Redevelopment and conservation of historic building groups 7. • Redevelopment and • Respect for nature Backyard conservation of historic building groups

[Media Corner]

To learn more about how Chinese architecture reflects the traditions and customs of Chinese society, please visit:

http://rthk.hk/elearning/architecturetour/china_archi. htm#1a

Teaching Tips For further information on local architecture, please refer to Arts Topic 02: ‘Chinese Calligraphy, Painting and Architecture ’.

©Wiki Lo 04 1.4 Check points

1 Entrance Hall The Entrance Hall has multiple functions: 1. to control access to the group of buildings, 2. to provide storage for common-use farm tools, and 3. to celebrate the family’s reputation.

Access to the village • As the main entrance to the village, the entrance hall is equipped with thick wooden doors for security.

Storage

• In the past, there was a piece of agricultural land in front of the Liberal Studies | Visit: Sam Tung Uk - Culture in Chinese Walled Village entrance hall. The farmers of the Chan’s clan put their farming tools and crops in the two storerooms next to the Entrance Hall. • Two big vases are placed in front of the Entrance Hall. They store water for fire or other emergency use.

Celebrate the family’s reputation • In a traditional family’s ancestral house, all guests of the family are welcomed at the Entrance Hall. Therefore, it is decorated with plaques and god shrines. p Decorated entrance hall • During the preservation of Sam Tung Uk, the roof of the Entrance ©Wiki Lo Hall was reconstructed with reinforced concrete and covered by a layer of clay tiles on top and wooden battens on the bottom.

©Wiki Lo

p Section of Entrance Hall ©Department of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong 05 Central axis of the walled village The Entrance Hall was the first hall along the central axis. The 3 halls - the Entrance Hall, the Assembly Hall and the Ancestral Hall - form the central axis, separated by 2 courtyards. As the clan prospered, side and back houses were added but the symmetrical layout was retained. Between the houses were courtyards and lanes for circulation and ventilation. Side houses were used for utilities and servants.

Symmetry and the central axis in Chinese Culture

Symmetry is an order existing in nature. The central axis is the main guideline for the overall layout of this village. Without the central axis, a building or a master plan might be considered ‘irregular’ (不正).

Regularity, a ritual (禮) in Chinese culture, is a significant meaning of a proper-being of a person. The central axis therefore represents the integrity of the village. It has also the symbolic implication of authoritarianism, in which it sets up a ‘role model’ for the rest to follow. Parallel axes gives harmony to the overall planning.

Central axis Liberal Studies | Visit: Sam Tung Uk - Culture in Chinese Walled Village

Ancestral Hall

Assembly Hall

Entrance Hall

p Regular planning of Sam Tung Uk p Spatial sequence along the ©Department of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong central axis

p Village overall planning drawings ©Department of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong 06 2 Assembly Hall The Assembly Hall is situated in the middle of Sam Tung Uk. It was 1. the main venue to accommodate guests, and 2. a place for holding family meetings and activities.

The big lantern hung in the middle of the Assembly Hall was lighted only when a boy was born, reflecting the family preference for boys over girls in the feudal age.

Section across the courtyard of the Assembly Hall, with the Assembly Hall at the back. The layout of Sam Tung Uk is highly symmetrical. p Lantern hung at the Assembly Hall ©Wiki Lo Liberal Studies | Visit: Sam Tung Uk - Culture in Chinese Walled Village 3 Ancestral Hall Features of the Ancestral Hall: • The most important building in Sam Tung Uk walled village • It was the altar of the Chan clan’s ancestors. Family members gave offerings to their ancestors daily • It also served as the study room for boys of the Chan’s clan • It holds the records of family history, as the genealogy register was kept there

In the village, no building unit could be higher than the Ancestral Hall.

p Elevation of the Ancestral Hall, showing the height limit of the p Altar at the Ancestral Hall whole village ©Department of Architecture, The University of Hong ©Wiki Lo Kong [Discussion] 1 How does the architecture of the Ancestral Hall reflect its authority in the walled village?

Suggested Answers 1. The Ancestral Hall was placed along the central axis in the walled village. The spatial sequence of the walled village is like the rhythm of music. The Entrance Hall and the Assembly Hall are acting as a prologue before entering the Ancestral Hall - the climax in the walled village. 2. The Ancestral Hall is the tallest building in the walled village. It overlooks every house in the walled village. 3. The Ancestral Hall was decorated with wooden screens and lanterns to show its prominence. 07 4 Period House Period houses were the first residential buildings in Sam Tung Uk, built on two sides of the three halls and parallel to the central axis. The Period House on the right was assigned to the family of the eldest son, while the left one was for the second son. The eldest son was considered the most important inheritor of the family. He had the prestige to live right next to the Ancestral Hall.

Features of Period Houses: • Five subdivisions (see fig. 1 & 2) • Mezzanines at the rear subdivision (The family lived and ate on the lower floor while the mezzanine was used for storage of crops and farming tools as it was less affected by moisture.) • Lightwells for natural lighting and ventilation (see fig. 2) Liberal Studies | Visit: Sam Tung Uk - Culture in Chinese Walled Village

p Ground floor plan of Period House p Mezzanines of the Period House ©Wiki Lo Sleeping Area

Living Area

Sleeping Area p Lightwell of the Period House Living Area ©Wiki Lo

Lightwell Living Area p Axonometric drawing of Period House

p Natural lighting (left) and ventilation (right) of residential units in Sam Tung Uk, tailored for the hot and humid climate of Hong Kong ©Department of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong 08 5 Side House Features of Side Houses: • Arranged in the outer ring of Sam Tung Uk to create a district for siblings and servants of the family • Smaller than the Period House • No windows face outward in the side house; it relied on the courtyard for ventilation and lighting Typical Side House of Sam Tung Uk. There were several adaptations of Side Houses, with enclosed courtyards and bigger window openings. They were demolished during the preservation work of 1990. Liberal Studies | Visit: Sam Tung Uk - Culture in Chinese Walled Village

p Floor plan of the mezzanine floor: rooms for storage

Enclosed courtyard

p Section of Side House. A roof was constructed on top of the p Floor plan of the ground floor courtyard to increase the indoor area. ©Department of Architecture, The ©Department of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong University of Hong Kong

Teaching Tips More information on Chinese cultural influence on the form of space can be found in Arts Topic 02: ‘ Chinese Calligraphy, Painting and Architecture’.

t Pieces of roof tile were replaced by glass to increase the lighting of the Side Houses.©Wiki Lo 09 6 Museum Office The exhibition area of Sam Tung Uk showcases the history and preservation project of Sam Tung Uk. The area was converted from the back row of Side Houses. Teaching Tips More information on conservation of historic buildings can be found in Liberal Studies Topic 08: ‘Conservation and Revitalization of Historic Buildings’. 1

7 Backyard When Sam Tung Uk was turned into a folk museum in 1987, some of the village houses were torn down to make room for a garden at the

back. The landscape designer aimed to design a pleasure garden that Liberal Studies | Visit: Sam Tung Uk - Culture in Chinese Walled Village fit into the environment of Sam Tung Uk.

Irregularities and asymmetries are arranged with subtle details to 2 imitate natural vistas. The line of vision along the meandering paths is an important aspect of the design.

Landscape was incorporated into the overall architecture. For example, the major feature of the backyard is a pond with a base made of bentonite lining. An artificial stream course leads water into the pond, with boulders added for a natural appearance.

q A scene of the backyard ©WSW p Exhibition room ©Wiki Lo

©WSW 10 4 1.5 On-site exercise: traditional and modern chinese society

Students shall walk along the route and define which building is serving the same function as the following places in modern society.

Students should fill in the below worksheet, share their findings on-site and hand in the report after the field trip. (Suggested location: backyard of Sam Tung Uk)

Equipment needed: Camera, pencil and notebook

Teaching Tips Teachers are advised to review students’ findings and give supplementary information. Liberal Studies | Visit: Sam Tung Uk - Culture in Chinese Walled Village

A Comparison on Administrative Space in the Modern City and Traditional Chinese Village Modern City Sam Tung Uk

Central Government Complex Ancestral Hall

1. Location : Tamar, Admiralty 1. Location: Along central axis of Sam Tung Uk

2. Role in society: Centre of legislation in Hong Kong 2. Role in the village: Centre of decision and rule- making,ancestor worship 3. How is its role demonstrated in the architecture: The Central Government Complex is located at the 3. How is its role demonstrated in the architecture: major business and administrative centre of Hong The Ancestral Hall is where plaques of ancestors of Kong. It houses offices of government officials and the clan were placed. Important documents of regularly holds meetings for discussion on the village was kept there and sometimes critical government policy. Its concept, ‘Door Always village issues were discussed in the presence of Open’, gives the idea of public engagement and ancestors. It is enclosed, highly decorated and mission. solemn to show its authority over the village.

Teaching Tips Visit to Central Government Complex is included in Liberal Studies Topic 06: ‘Visit: Central — Cental Business District’.

11 A Comparison on Public Space in the Modern City and Traditional Chinese Village Modern City Sam Tung Uk Liberal Studies | Visit: Sam Tung Uk - Culture in Chinese Walled Village

Cultural Centre Assembly Hall 1. Location: Tsim Sha Tsui 1. Location: Along central axis of Sam Tung Uk

2. Role in society: Cultural activities, place of 2. Role in the village: Family meeting place, social gathering activities

3. How is its role demonstrated in the architecture: 3. How is its role demonstrated in the architecture: The Cultural Centre is located in one of the major The Assembly Hall was placed in the centre of Sam urban centres of Hong Kong. It has an open design Tung Uk as a place for social gathering. Lanterns with a plaza for the public. The architecture is were hung when a boy was born, a custom that was very distinctive. The clock tower next to it becomes a display of the village’s pride. the landmark of the place.

12 A Comparison on Living Space in the Modern City and Traditional Chinese Village Modern City Sam Tung Uk Liberal Studies | Visit: Sam Tung Uk - Culture in Chinese Walled Village

©Wiki Lo

Public Housing Period House/ Side House

1. Location: Urban and suburban areas 1. Location: Parallel to the central axis of the village

2. Role in society: Living 2. Role in the village: Living and storage of farming tools and harvest 3. How is its role demonstrated in the architecture: Residential blocks are very cramped. They are 3. How is its role demonstrated in the architecture: arranged according to the urban planning of Residential units in Sam Tung Uk were placed in the city. There is no hierarchy of units and each relation to the central axis and main halls in the unit is more or less standardized. The building walled village. The units were sub-divided into accommodates different families that may not two levels for living and storage of farm tools and know each other. harvest. These units accommodated family members of the same clan.

Teaching Tips More information about public housing can be found in Liberal Studies Topic 02: ‘History of Public Housing in Hong Kong’.

13 [Discussion] 1 Can you imagine the quality of life of the occupants of Period House and Side House?

Suggested Answers • Period Houses were built right next to the central axis. Space was bigger than that in Side Houses. This represents occupants there had a higher status than those living in the periphery of the village.

• Side Houses were equipped with embrasures, indicating that these people were not only farmers, but were also responsible for defending the village from enemies.

• Houses in Sam Tung Uk are arranged in accordance with the family hierarchy.

Important people, such as the family of the eldest son, lived next to the Ancestral Liberal Studies | Visit: Sam Tung Uk - Culture in Chinese Walled Village Hall, while the less important family members lived at the periphery of the village.

2 What traditional customs and concepts of Chinese family can you find in the setting of Sam Tung Uk?

Possible perspectives

• Paying attention to dignity and prestige of lineage and clan - protective layout of the village. • Advocacy of ancestor worship - Ancestral Hall, central axis of Sam tung Uk • Male domination - Ancestral Hall as study room for boys only, allocation of Period House. • Collectivism - Whole clan living in the enclosed building group, protected from enemies. • Authoritarianism - Important rooms and place of gathering placed along the central axis.

3 What changes in the traditional customs of a Chinese family in modern society can you see?

Possible perspectives

• Individualism - Family members of the clan no longer have to live together. • Egalitarianism - Living quality is not determined by one’s status in the family. • Shifting functions of socialization - Family-oriented society is replaced by non- family agent, e.g. Government. Important places of the society are spread out, instead of aligning to each other in a collective manner. • Separation of living and working place - People are not storing their work materials in their houses. Society has shifted from primary industry to tertiary industry. • Decline of ancestor worship - No ancestral halls in every urban dwellings. Urban alignment is not designed in correspondence with an ancestral hall. • Decline in attention to the dignity and prestige of a clan - Social identity and national identity are more important in modern society.

14 Summary A Hakka clan lived together and constructed this walled village in the New Territories during the Qing Dynasty (1786) to protect themselves from other clans and pirates. Sam Tung Uk was a typical Chinese walled village in Hong Kong that showed the traditional customs and concepts of Chinese family.

Important buildings, such as the Entrance Hall, Assembly Hall and Ancestral Hall, were placed along the central axis. The original Sam Tung Uk had no windows facing out for security reasons. Ventilation depended on open lanes and courtyards that divide the village into three bays and three rows.

The walled village was an organisation with strong integrity. The clan sustained itself by farming. Families of the clan were settled in Period Houses or Side Houses according to their place in the family hierarchy. They participated in traditional family events in the Ancestral Hall and the Assembly Hall. Liberal Studies | Visit: Sam Tung Uk - Culture in Chinese Walled Village Key words Courtyard Mezzanines Three hall style Walled village Entrance hall Assembly hall Ancestral hall