Tuen Tsz Wai

Tuen Tsz Wai is a village of Hong Kong, located in the Lam Tei area, in the northern part of Tuen Mun District. Part of the village is a historic Punti walled village.

Administration
Tuen Tsz Wai is a recognized village under the New Territories Small House Policy. It is one of the 36 villages represented within the Tuen Mun Rural Committee. For electoral purposes, Tuen Tsz Wai is part of the Tuen Mun Rural constituency.

History
The village was built by the Siu Clan. It was later settled by the To Clan, after the Siu moved to other places. Originally from Poyang, Jiangxi (other sources mention Watlam in Guangxi), the To Clan moved to Ngau Tam Mei and then to Tuen Mun Tai Tsuen, which they built as their family estate during the Ming Dynasty. Following the increase of the clan population, the To Clan dispersed and developed into five villages in the Lam Tei area during the Qing Dynasty: Nai Wai, Tsing Chuen Wai, Tuen Tsz Wai, Lam Tei Tsuen and Tuen Mun San Tsuen , which were all fortified.

Walled village
The wall of Tuen Tsz Wai was rebuilt in 1978. The entrance gate of the walled village, originally at the southern end of the central axis, was demolished and a new one was built further east, at the location of a former watchtower. A new permanently closed gate was rebuilt on the site of the former entrance gate as a memorial. The move and reconstruction of the entrance gate are the consequence of the establishment of the Miu Fat Monastery: having a monastery face directly the entrance of a village is considered to have a negative influence on its feng shui. The former name of the village, "Tin Tsz Wai" is still inscribed on the former gate. A shrine is located at the northern end of the central axis. It was rebuilt in 1983.

To Ancestral Halls
There are three To Ancestral Halls in Tuen Tsz Wai. All are located outside of the walled village. The oldest To Ancestral Hall was completed in 1718, during the reign of Kangxi Emperor, as a three-hall-two-courtyard structure. It was abandoned in 1971 due to feng shui concerns and was subsequently used as rattan and fiber factories until 1998. Vacated since 1998, it is now closed and in dilapidated condition. It is listed as a Grade I historic building.

The second one is the Ting Shan Ancestral Hall, which commemorates To Ting Shan , the sixth generation ancestor. Built during the reign of Kangxi Emperor, as a three-hall-two-courtyard structure, it was rebuilt in 1972 and is now abandoned.

A third To Ancestral Hall was built in 1971, replacing the one abandoned for feng shui reasons. It has a two-hall-style architecture and features abundant decorations. The main hall enshrines the To Clan ancestors' memorial tablets. The Ancestral Hall is also named "Ng Lau Tong" to commemorate Tao Yuanming, also known as Mr. Ng Lau, a Chinese poet who lived during the Eastern Jin (317-420) and Liu Song (420-479) dynasties. The road nearby is also named Ng Lau Road.

Sam Shing Temple
The Sam Shing Temple is dedicated to the Marshal Yuen Tan Fuk Fu, Hung Shing  and Hau Wong. It was built by the To (陶) clan of the area, whose old ancestral hall is on its left, during the reigns of Yongzheng Emperor (1722-1735) and Qianlong Emperor (1735-1796). It was rebuilt in 1993, using modern materials including concrete and steel bars, while maintaining the shape of the original building.