1. The History
Yu Yuen villa is located in Tung Tau Wai, between the Tin Shui Wai and Long Ping stations on Hong Kong’s Mass Transit Railway (MTR). It was built by leader of the Tsoi clan, Tsoi Po-tin (1872-1944), in 1927 as a summer villa. He was a prominent figure in Hong Kong and wished to build a summer villa in his birthplace (Tung Tau Wai) so that his family (including four wives and many children!) could enjoy the ripe litchi fruit provided by the area all summer long. Tsoi was a leader of the charity “Po Leung Kuk” and was behind many well-known projects in Hong Kong and Guangzhou, including the Oi Kwan building, the first high-rise in Guangzhou.
In the mid-1940s, six burglars snuck into Yu Yuen through the skylights, stealing thousands of dollars in cash and jewellery. Tsoi died in 1949 but the villa remained in the family. The house became a local attraction and was opened to the public in 1950. In 1984 the house featured in the locally produced Hong Kong movie “1941” (click HERE for info). Set in war-time Hong Kong during the occupation by the Japanese, it stared a pre-global fame Chow Yun-Fat (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) along with Alex Man and Cecilia Yip.
The villa continued to be the private residence of the Tsoi family up until 1990. A partnership, including New Territories leader Lau Wong-fat (a billionaire rural strongman who led the Heung Yee Kuk), then bought the villa in 1991. A plan by the consortium to build village houses on the site was blocked in 2002 when the Antiquities and Monuments Office (AMO) declared Yu Yuen a Grade I Listed historic site, due to it being “a rare example of Western classical architecture in a rural village setting”. In something of a reverse, in May 2010, instead of ordering the owners to repair and restore the building, the AMO downgraded the villa to a Grade II listing because of its poor condition, meaning it requires only 'selective preservation' and much greater modification is allowed. On Wong-fat’s death in 2015, Yu Yuen went from summer estate to storage facility. Its garden was paved over and used to park cars.
Today, it’s beautiful woodland no longer exists and the fountain is all that remains of the former garden at front of the house, which has become a car park. Banyan trees now grow on the side of the building and dead branches are tied in bundles, filling the drawing room. Some people even say it is haunted and is a ‘ghost house’.
2. The Explore
I originally visited this place back in 2017. In the six years that have passed, not too much has changed. The villa is still just sitting there and a complete walk-in. And the place is still worth an hour of your time. The hope is that it eventually gets saved. Sadly, though, the land prices in HK mean that places like this are left to rot and fall down, despite their listed status.
3. The Pictures
Front elevation including the golden fountain:
Full frontal elevation:
Front rooms full of junk:
The kitchen area at the back:
Window grill detail:
Equally messy in here:
Up the stairs:
Main room:
Mirror Mirror:
An old cello:
Old tricycle:
Balcony:
A wicker basket:
And the house’s former safe:
Rear balcony:
With major vine encroachment:
Up the stairs we go again:
It’s getting pretty overgrown now:
Up on the roof:
And its delightful cupola:
Goodbye Yu Yuen for now!
Yu Yuen villa is located in Tung Tau Wai, between the Tin Shui Wai and Long Ping stations on Hong Kong’s Mass Transit Railway (MTR). It was built by leader of the Tsoi clan, Tsoi Po-tin (1872-1944), in 1927 as a summer villa. He was a prominent figure in Hong Kong and wished to build a summer villa in his birthplace (Tung Tau Wai) so that his family (including four wives and many children!) could enjoy the ripe litchi fruit provided by the area all summer long. Tsoi was a leader of the charity “Po Leung Kuk” and was behind many well-known projects in Hong Kong and Guangzhou, including the Oi Kwan building, the first high-rise in Guangzhou.
In the mid-1940s, six burglars snuck into Yu Yuen through the skylights, stealing thousands of dollars in cash and jewellery. Tsoi died in 1949 but the villa remained in the family. The house became a local attraction and was opened to the public in 1950. In 1984 the house featured in the locally produced Hong Kong movie “1941” (click HERE for info). Set in war-time Hong Kong during the occupation by the Japanese, it stared a pre-global fame Chow Yun-Fat (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) along with Alex Man and Cecilia Yip.
The villa continued to be the private residence of the Tsoi family up until 1990. A partnership, including New Territories leader Lau Wong-fat (a billionaire rural strongman who led the Heung Yee Kuk), then bought the villa in 1991. A plan by the consortium to build village houses on the site was blocked in 2002 when the Antiquities and Monuments Office (AMO) declared Yu Yuen a Grade I Listed historic site, due to it being “a rare example of Western classical architecture in a rural village setting”. In something of a reverse, in May 2010, instead of ordering the owners to repair and restore the building, the AMO downgraded the villa to a Grade II listing because of its poor condition, meaning it requires only 'selective preservation' and much greater modification is allowed. On Wong-fat’s death in 2015, Yu Yuen went from summer estate to storage facility. Its garden was paved over and used to park cars.
Today, it’s beautiful woodland no longer exists and the fountain is all that remains of the former garden at front of the house, which has become a car park. Banyan trees now grow on the side of the building and dead branches are tied in bundles, filling the drawing room. Some people even say it is haunted and is a ‘ghost house’.
2. The Explore
I originally visited this place back in 2017. In the six years that have passed, not too much has changed. The villa is still just sitting there and a complete walk-in. And the place is still worth an hour of your time. The hope is that it eventually gets saved. Sadly, though, the land prices in HK mean that places like this are left to rot and fall down, despite their listed status.
3. The Pictures
Front elevation including the golden fountain:
Full frontal elevation:
Front rooms full of junk:
The kitchen area at the back:
Window grill detail:
Equally messy in here:
Up the stairs:
Main room:
Mirror Mirror:
An old cello:
Old tricycle:
Balcony:
A wicker basket:
And the house’s former safe:
Rear balcony:
With major vine encroachment:
Up the stairs we go again:
It’s getting pretty overgrown now:
Up on the roof:
And its delightful cupola:
Goodbye Yu Yuen for now!
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