Tsang Tai UK
曾大屋
1867, Vernacular 民間建築及屋邨
Grade 1 historic building Tsang Tai Uk was built by Tsang Koon-man, originally from a poor family in Wuhua GUangdong, Tsang came to Hong Kong with his brother in search for a living. As Wuhua was famous for masonry, the quarry that Tsang operated made huge profit during the days when Hong Kong was first developed as a city with great demand for building stones. Tsang started to build a Hakka village at the foothill of Lion Rock in 1848. The construction took 20 years to complete and the site was referred to as Shan Ha Wai. It is a three-hall compound with over one hundred residential units. Four corner towers with wok yee at the walled village strengthened the defence of the site. The green-brick walls remained the same for a century, witnessing the changes of the village. Today, most of the residents in the village are no longer Tsang’s descendants. Many of them have left the village or even the city.
說到香港的發跡故事，曾大屋這座一級歷史建築的主人可謂先驅。曾貫萬原籍廣東五華，自幼家貧，隨兄來港謀生，五華人精於石工，香港開埠初期又是採石業的黃金時代，他開設的石廠獲利甚豐。於是，他在1848年開始在獅子山下興建客家大宅，工程歷時二十年，時稱山下圍；曾大屋為三進式，有近百間樓房，圍村四角設有茶桶耳型的更樓，易守難攻；青磚牆體，歷百年而不衰。百年過去，曾大屋現居民多為外姓，不少曾家後人離開，甚至移居到外國，這又是否香港發跡故事的另一面？
文：王樂賢(香港註冊建築師)
攝影：吳日輝 (香港建築文物保護師學會會員)
http://www.etnet.com.hk/www/tc/diva/art_hkac_detail.php?id=29055&page=3
