The Hong Kong Dragon Garden is an private heritage garden located at No. 32-42

Castle Peak Road Castle Peak Road is the longest road in Hong Kong. Completed in 1920, it runs in the approximate shape of an arc of a semi-circle. It runs West from Tai Po Road in Sham Shui Po, New Kowloon, to Tuen Mun, then north to Yuen Long then east to Sh ...

Tsing Lung Tau Tsing Lung Tau () is a coastal residential area in the southwest coast of the New Territories in Hong Kong. Geography Tsing Lung Tau is located on the southwest coast of the New Territories in Hong Kong, between Sham Tseng and Tai Lam; west fro ...

, in the backdrop of

Sham Tseng Sham Tseng is a coastal area in Tsuen Wan District, Hong Kong, between Ting Kau and Tsing Lung Tau. History At the time of the 1911 census, the population of Sham Tseng was 72. The number of males was 32. In 1982, the Government launched ...

in the west of the

Tsuen Wan District Tsuen Wan District is one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong. It is located in the New Territories and is served by the Tsuen Wan line of the MTR metro system. Its area is 60,7 km². Its residents, who mostly live in Tsuen Wan Town, enj ...

in the

New Territories The New Territories is one of the three main regions of Hong Kong, alongside Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula. It makes up 86.2% of Hong Kong's territory, and contains around half of the population of Hong Kong. Historically, it ...

of Hong Kong, founded by Lee Iu-cheung. It is the biggest existing private park in Hong Kong. This modern-day

Chinese garden The Chinese garden is a landscape garden style which has evolved over three thousand years. It includes both the vast gardens of the Chinese emperors and members of the imperial family, built for pleasure and to impress, and the more intimate ...

features architectural design from the

Song A song is a musical composition intended to be performed by the human voice. This is often done at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs contain various forms, such as those including the repetitio ...

Ming The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last ort ...

and

Qing The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speaki ...

dynasties and is intricately tinted with touches of

Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

Taoist Taoism (, ) or Daoism () refers to either a school of philosophical thought (道家; ''daojia'') or to a religion (道教; ''daojiao''), both of which share ideas and concepts of Chinese origin and emphasize living in harmony with the ''Tao'' ...

and

Confucian Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China. Variously described as tradition, a philosophy, a Religious Confucianism, religion, a humanistic or rationalistic religion, ...

elements. There are over 100 plant species in the garden, and it is home to more than 30 of likely the largest Buddhist pines in the city. It is also open to the public for guided tours.

History

In 1949, Lee Iu Cheung purchased a barren hill in the New Territories from the

Hong Kong Government The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, commonly known as the Hong Kong Government or HKSAR Government, refers to the Executive (government), executive authorities of Hong Kong Special administrative regions of China, ...

. He spent the next 20 years planning, designing and landscaping the garden. In July 2006, news surfaced that Dragon Garden was to be sold to developers after 60 years of private maintenance. Hong Kong's

Conservancy Association The Conservancy Association () is a Hong Kong non-governmental organisation founded in 1968. The organisation focuses on the protection of the environment and the conservation of natural and cultural heritage. It also seeks to enhance the qu ...

appealed to the Town Planning Board against its demolition, claiming that the mansion ought to be kept as an edifice of heritage. On 25 September 2006, the garden was recognized as a Grade II Heritage Site by the Hong Kong

Antiquities and Monuments Office The Antiquities and Monuments Office (AMO) was established in 1976 under the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance to protect and preserve Hong Kong's historic monuments. Housed in the Former Kowloon British School, the AMO is responsible for iden ...

. In January 2008, Lee Shiu, youngest son of Lee Iu Cheung, expressed frustration towards the Hong Kong Government because it was stalling the finalization of its official agreement with him. Lee planned to present Dragon Garden to Hong Kong as a public park. However, the stalemate resulted from the government's reluctance to shoulder the cost of the garden's maintenance, which included restoring the garden's structures and installing visitor facilities to allow public touring. The

Development Bureau The Development Bureau (DEVB; ) is an agency of the Government of Hong Kong responsible for urban planning and renewal, land administration, infrastructure development, building safety, landscape, greening & tree development, water supplies, f ...

said that the government welcomed the proposal of the Dragon Garden's donation to the public, but still needed more time to further negotiate with Lee on the best way to revitalize the garden.

Description

The Dragon Garden integrates architectural features of both the East and the West. Apart from the characteristics of Sung,

and

dynasties and the influences from

Confucianism Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China. Variously described as tradition, a philosophy, a religion, a humanistic or rationalistic religion, a way of governing, or ...

Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...

and

Taoism Taoism (, ) or Daoism () refers to either a school of Philosophy, philosophical thought (道家; ''daojia'') or to a religion (道教; ''daojiao''), both of which share ideas and concepts of China, Chinese origin and emphasize living in harmo ...

, it also incorporates some Western elements into the architecture. For example, the two colorful glass windows in the ancestral hall resemble a Catholic church. However, the clouds, birds and rectangular patterns on the windows are in Chinese style. Yet, the oil paintings are also Western-influenced. Like other traditional Chinese gardens, the architecture of the Dragon Garden symbolizes the unity of man and nature. Following Chinese feng shui tradition, the order of nature is maintained in the garden so that it does not look wild or chaotic. The landscape is a miniature of the natural landscape with hills and valleys, bridges and rivers, winding paths, rock gardens and plants. The roofs of the ancestral hall and the pavilion are curved with the four corners pointing upward, which imitates the contour of nature. The wide and flat architectural design contrasts with the tall and slender buildings of the West. The preservation of the garden's natural environment is inspired by the Chinese value of living in nature with fear and respect, never trying to intimidate it or challenge its power. The design of the Dragon Garden also follows the concept of harmony and balance. If divided into two equal halves, the ancestral hall and the pavilion appear identical from the inside and outside. The animals on the four corners of the pavilion are mascots of luck and intend to protect people in the house against evil spirits. Technically, however, the little animals are used to cover the nail holes that secure the half-cylinder shaped tiles to the eaves. This prevents the wood structure from rotting. In many ways, the architecture of the Garden is a reflection of Dr. Lee's life and the influences he received. The balanced blend of Chinese and Western influences reveal Dr. Lee's cultural upbringing as a Chinese as well as the time he spent studying in the United States and interacting with British officials in Hong Kong.

Ownership

Founder – Dr. Lee Iu Cheung

Born in Hong Kong to a migrant family from

Guangdong Guangdong (, ), alternatively romanized as Canton or Kwangtung, is a coastal province in South China on the north shore of the South China Sea. The capital of the province is Guangzhou. With a population of 126.01 million (as of 2020) ...

Province, China, Lee Iu-cheung (1896–1976) spent his childhood in the

Sheung Wan Sheung Wan is an area in Hong Kong, located in the north-west of Hong Kong Island, between Central and Sai Ying Pun. Administratively, it is part of the Central and Western District. The name can be variously interpreted as ''Upper Dist ...

district. Lee was awarded the Lugard Scholarship upon passing all his Cambridge University local examinations held in Hong Kong. He then joined the Faculty of Engineering at the

University of Hong Kong The University of Hong Kong (HKU) (Chinese: 香港大學) is a public research university in Hong Kong. Founded in 1887 as the Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese, it is the oldest tertiary institution in Hong Kong. HKU was also the fi ...

(HKU) in 1913. Lee left for

Cornell University Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to teach an ...

, where he enrolled in a special study on River Conservancy and Sanitary engineering in 1919. However, upon the death of his father, he abandoned his studies and returned to Hong Kong, where Lee became a part-time lecturer in

Hydraulic Engineering Hydraulic engineering as a sub-discipline of civil engineering is concerned with the flow and conveyance of fluids, principally water and sewage. One feature of these systems is the extensive use of gravity as the motive force to cause the mov ...

at his alma mater. Dr. Lee served as a permanent advisor of the

Tung Wah Group of Hospitals The Tung Wah Group of Hospitals (), with a history dating back to 1870, is the oldest and largest charitable organisation in Hong Kong. It provides extensive education and community services through 194 service centres spread across Hong Kong. ...

for 29 years. He received a

Member of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

) from

King George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of Ind ...

in 1949. He was awarded an O.B.E (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in 1952 and a C.B.E (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in 1958 by Queen

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...

. He was also conferred a

LL.D. Legum Doctor (Latin: “teacher of the laws”) (LL.D.) or, in English, Doctor of Laws, is a doctorate-level academic degree in law or an honorary degree, depending on the jurisdiction. The double “L” in the abbreviation refers to the early ...

(''honoris causa'') by HKU in 1969.Brief Information 1444 Historic Buildings
(pg 226).

Dragon Garden Charitable Trust

In July 2006, Dr. Lee Iu Cheung's granddaughter, Cynthia Lee Hong Yee founded the Dragon Garden Charitable Trust after the garden was saved from being bought over by developers. Instigated by the preservation of the garden, the Trust aims to "preserve cultural and heritage property in Hong Kong, for public benefit." The Trust holds a number of activities, including guided walks, thematic talks, heritage exhibitions and sponsorships of student conservation projects. The Trust actively seeks to re-examine Hong Kong's outdated

Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance The Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance, in Hong Kong Law (Cap. 53), was enacted in 1976 to preserve the objects of historical, archaeological and palaeontological interest and for matters ancillary thereto or connected therewith. It is admini ...

in order to protect and preserve Hong Kong's cultural assets.

Trust sponsored events

Bi-city Biennale of Urbanism \ Architecture 2009

The Trust was an Events Partner of the Hong Kong & Shenzhen Bi-city Biennale of Urbanism \ Architecture 2009, which was held in

West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade () is a promenade running alongside Victoria Harbour on reclaimed land in Tsim Sha Tsui on the Kowloon peninsula of Hong Kong. It opened to the public on 17September 2005. The promenade starts at the junction ...

from December 2009 to February 2010. Its sponsorship to the biennale followed its motto of elevating public concern on heritage preservation.

Dragon Garden Art Exhibition 2010

In March 2010, the Dragon Garden Charitable Trust organised a fund-raising Art Exhibition at the Cat Gallery in

, where featured artists were commissioned to draw their inspiration from and present their vision of the Dragon Garden. All of the artworks were sold at the exhibition in aid of the conservation of the Dragon Garden heritage.

Kay Tse Kay Tse On-kay (; born 13 March 1977) is a Hong Kong Cantopop singer. She is a prominent figure in Hong Kong music and popular culture and was once frequently referred to in the media as a "grass-roots diva" and "goddess". She is known for song ...

, a famous local singer, helped the charity gain publicity as she worked with Olaf Mueller, one of the featured artists in his photo shoots and attended the opening of the Art Exhibition.

Outlook

Meanwhile, the

Leisure and Cultural Services Department The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), is a department in the Government of Hong Kong. It reports to the Culture, Sports & Tourism Bureau, headed by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism. It provides leisure and cultural ...

has also expressed concern over the Trust's proposal as it involves not only the restoration of existing buildings as a heritage site but also the construction of new facilities for exhibition, organic farming, wedding and educational purposes. The fixed costs of implementing this proposal approximate HK$30 million, as evaluated by Wai-hung Cheng, surveyor and member of the Advisory Committee on Revitalisation of Historic Buildings.

Movies

The Dragon Garden was featured in '' The Man with the Golden Gun'', a

James Bond The ''James Bond'' series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming's death in 1964, eight other authors have ...

movie released in 1974, starring

Roger Moore Sir Roger George Moore (14 October 192723 May 2017) was an English actor. He was the third actor to portray fictional British secret agent James Bond in the Eon Productions film series, playing the character in seven feature films between 19 ...

. There are about 20 minutes of scenes with Dragon Garden as a backdrop.
movie clip
. And was featured in '' Noble House''

Access

Dragon Garden is located along

, not near any

MTR The Mass Transit Railway (MTR) is a major public transport network serving :Hong Kong. Operated by the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL), it consists of heavy rail, light rail, and feeder bus service centred on a 10-line rapid transit network ...

station. The closest is

Tsuen Wan station Tsuen Wan () is the northern terminus of the MTR in Hong Kong. It is the only station on the Tsuen Wan line at ground level. It is located in the northern central part of Tsuen Wan New Town, New Territories West. The preceding station is . ...

on the

Tsuen Wan line The Tsuen Wan line is one of the eleven lines of the metro network in Hong Kong's MTR. It is indicated in red on the MTR map. There are 16 stations on the line. The southern terminus is Central station on Hong Kong Island and the nor ...

. At the station, the road is situated at the southern exit.

References

* Chinese houses and gardens by Juan, Mien-chu'u. * ''The living Building: vernacular environments of South China'' by Ho, Puay Yang.

External links

Hong Kong Dragon Garden2006 News Articles2007 News Articles2008 News ArticlesTung Wah Group of HospitalsConservancy Association Centre for Heritage
{{Coord, 22.3634, 114.0510, display=title Gardens in Hong Kong Sham Tseng Tsing Lung Tau Grade II historic buildings in Hong Kong