Hong Kong Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb Museum

Hong Kong Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb Museum

The Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb Museum is located at 41 Tonkin Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon. In addition to displaying the Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb, the site also features two exhibition halls that introduce the history of the tomb and showcase its unearthed artifacts. The tomb was discovered in 1955 when the Hong Kong government was constructing the Lei Cheng Uk Estate, and a total of 58 artifacts were excavated from it. Based on the font and content of the inscriptions on the tomb bricks, as well as the unearthed relics, it is inferred that the tomb was built during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25–220 AD), and the person buried is believed to have been of royal or noble status. The Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb was listed as a protected statutory monument in 1988.

In addition to exhibiting pottery and bronze ware unearthed from the Han Tomb, the Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb Museum also hosts two exhibitions: “Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb” and “Han Culture in South China.” Through supporting exhibits such as texts, images, photos, maps, videos, and models, these exhibitions introduce the geographical environment, discovery process, and tomb structure of the Han Tomb. The Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb was discovered in 1955 when the government flattened a hillside in Lei Cheng Uk Village to build resettlement blocks. Based on the tomb’s structure, brick inscriptions, and unearthed artifacts, it is inferred that the tomb was built during the Eastern Han Dynasty, from 25 to 220 AD. In 1988, the Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb was designated as a statutory monument for permanent preservation. To stabilize the humidity and temperature inside the tomb and slow down its deterioration, the tomb chamber is not open to the public. However, visitors can catch a glimpse of the ancient tomb through the glass installed at the entrance of the corridor.

History

The Han Tomb discovered in Lei Cheng Uk Estate in 1955. In August 1955, the Hong Kong government planned to build resettlement blocks in Lei Cheng Uk Village to address the public housing demand. While workers were levelling the hillside, they accidentally discovered an Eastern Han Dynasty tomb. Professor Frederick Sequier Drake (1892–1974), then head of the Chinese Department at the University of Hong Kong, led students to study and excavate the site. According to memories of old residents, before the official excavation, some construction workers were seen wrapping artifacts in their coats and taking them away from the site. After consulting assessments by archaeologists including Professor Drake, the Urban Council reinforced the tomb with a concrete shell to protect it from weathering. The tomb was taken over by the Urban Council in 1957 and opened to the public, with the unearthed artifacts displayed in the exhibition hall next to the tomb. In December 1988, the Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb was listed as a statutory monument in Hong Kong.

Starting in January 2005, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the tomb’s discovery, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department carried out a series of restoration projects. These included installing a teflon-made canopy over the top of the tomb chamber to prevent rainwater leakage and reduce erosion, at a cost of HK$1 million. Previously, no protective measures had been taken for the tomb chamber. In 1970s Hong Kong textbooks, the tomb was shown as just a grassy hillside. It was not until the late 1990s that the former Urban Council added protective facilities outside and installed humidity control devices inside the tomb. Today, the tomb chamber is not open to the public, but visitors can view this Eastern Han Dynasty tomb through the glass at the corridor entrance.

Architectural Features

According to archaeologists, the tomb was built during the Eastern Han Dynasty. A total of 67 artifacts were unearthed from the tomb, including at least 33 intact items such as house models, various pottery, and bronze ware. However, no human remains were found in the tomb.

The layout of the tomb is cross-shaped, consisting of four chambers. The tomb is a brick-chambered structure, built with bricks that are 40 cm long, 20 cm wide, and 5 cm thick. The bricks feature more than 10 types of patterns and the inscription “Great Fortune, Panyu.” The entrance passage was damaged before the official excavation. The bricks used in the tomb are mostly plain, but some sides of the bricks are inscribed with over 10 types of patterns and texts, including “Great Fortune, Panyu,” “Panyu Prosperity,” and “Xue the Craftsman.”

Exhibition Introduction

The Han Tomb has now become a museum under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. To maintain stable temperature and humidity inside the tomb, the chamber is not open to the public. However, visitors can peer into the interior through the glass wall at the corridor entrance. They can also visit the exhibition hall next to the tomb to learn about the geographical environment, tomb structure, discovery process, and the Lingnan culture of the Han Dynasty.

Transportation Guide

Location: 41 Tonkin Street, Sham Shui Po District, Hong Kong

Transportation: Take KMB Bus 2A or NWFB Bus 702S to get there.