Lou Wai Ensemble and Earthed Wall , Tang Chung Ling Ancestral Hall
龍躍頭老圍、松嶺鄧公祠
1500, Vernacular 民間建築及屋邨
Tang Clan of the New Territories migrated to Lung Yeuk Tau at the end of the Yuan dynasty. It branched out to the neighbouring area and established the present-day “Five Wais and Six Tsuens”. Lo Wai is the first ‘Wai’ established. Although this Wai has undergone reconstructions, its brick wall structure remains intact. The pair of couplet at the entrance reads, “men gao ying zi qi, weo lao de chun feng (The entrance stands high to receive the prosperous purple aura; the Wai is ancient and enjoys its pureness)”. A watchtower to safeguard the village from thieves was built at the narrow entrance. A well was built to provide the village with its water supply, to sustain lives in the village even during war times.
Situated to the east of Lo Wai is Tang Chung Ling Ancestral Hall, which was established, in the fourth year of Jiajing reign. Named “Sui Wan Tong”, the entrance hall was the place where meetings between clansmen took place. The central chamber houses the soul tablets of the ancestors of the clan, including that of the Song princess and her husband Tang Wai-kap, whose posthumous title was Junma (husband of an imperial relative). Rumour has it that the princess was the daughter of Emperor Gaozong and she married Tang Wai-kap, the second generation of the Tang clan when she escaped to the South.
新界鄧族於元朝末年遷入龍躍頭，發展至今日的五圍六村，老圍是其中最早建立的圍村，雖經改建，但圍牆結構仍保持完好，「門高迎紫氣 圍老得淳風」圍門窄小，其上有高台以作監察防盜，村內有水井，可堅守而仍有足夠食水。
老圍東面是嘉靖四年落成的松嶺鄧公祠，三進二院式建築，中廳名為「萃雲堂」，是族人議事的地方。正廳安放先祖靈位，相傳靖康期間，二世祖鄧惟汲娶了南逃的皇姑，即宋高宗之女為妻，被封為「稅院邵馬」，故正廳內可見他倆的神主牌；「門高迎紫氣」所言非虛，至於「圍老得淳風」，須看今後東北發展如何了。
文及攝影：王樂賢(香港註冊建築師)
http://www.etnet.com.hk/www/tc/diva/art_hkac_detail.php?id=28999&page=5
