Tsui Sing Lau Pagoda and Ping Shan Heritage Compound
聚星樓、屏山古建築群
1486, Vernacular 民間建築及屋邨
In Ming Dynasty, Ping Shan Tang Clan built Tsui Sing Lau at a river mouth with green bricks and granites as a feng shui pagoda, to ward off evil spirit from the north. Tsui Sing Lau is believed to have had a total of seven floors; upper four floors were believed to be destroyed by wind and only three floors are left now. Tsui Sing Lau is the only remaining ancient pagoda in Hong Kong.
In the 12th century, Tang Clan migrated from Kam Tin to Ping Shan and built Tang ancestral hall of “three chambers with two courtyards”, surrounded by “three Wais (walled villages) and six Tsuens (villages)”. After the completion of Tsui Sing Lau, Tang Clan grew bigger and stronger. They built a couple of two-chamber buildings for teaching and worshipping purposes, such as Kun Ting Study Hall, Shut Hing Study Hall and Hung Shing Temple. Today, the ancient pagoda is no longer towering high; imperial examination has become history. However we are still able to have a glimpse of the traditional landscape and life of the clans in New Territory through Ping Shan Heritage Trail.
屏山鄧族於明太祖洪武年間，以青磚及麻石砌成在當時的河口豎立起這座聚星樓，以作風水塔為村落擋北煞；相傳原高七層，上四層因風災坍塌，現只剩下三層，是香港現存唯一古塔。
鄧族於十二世紀由錦田遷居屏山，建立了「三圍六村」和三進兩院格局的鄧氏宗祠，聚星樓落成後，鄧族人丁亦日益增多，先後建立了多所兩進式建築，如覲廷書室、述卿書室、洪聖宮等，兼具教化與祭祀功能。今天，古塔不再高聳入雲，科舉亦已成明日黃花，但我們仍可從屏山文物徑，窺探過往新界的傳統面貌及宗族生活。
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=28998&page=5
