Historic Hong Kong mansion handed over to pro-Beijing think tank to transform into healthy living centre
- Tianda Institute selected from 18 applicants to revitalise King Yin Lei, with think tank to build new annex for tea studio and offer health-focused classes, seminars
- Built in 1937, mansion is considered rare surviving example of Chinese Renaissance-style architecture, reflecting both Eastern and Western design in Hong Kong
A historic Chinese-style mansion in Hong Kong will be handed over to a pro-Beijing think tank focused on national security issues which plans to turn it into a healthy living centre promoting tea and herbal medicine, after two failed government attempts to find an operator for the site in the past decade.
Officials on Tuesday announced that Tianda Institute, which was chosen out of 18 applicants, would revitalise King Yin Lei, a site that was saved from the wrecking ball in 2007 and declared a monument.
The project is part of the latest round of a government-sponsored revitalisation scheme for public heritage, under which three other non-profit organisations were also selected to operate historic sites.
The think tank says on its website that it focuses on geopolitical, security and socio-economic issues, holding seminars and publishing articles on matters such as national security threats under mainland China’s real-name registration system for internet users and Hong Kong’s electoral system.
“The plan is all about promoting healthy living with Pu’er tea, Chinese medicine and mindfulness,” said Pauline Ng Man-wah, director of the institute’s Hong Kong policy research centre.
As part of the conservation project, the institute has partnered up with the International Pu’er Tea Association and the Chinese Medicine (Global) Promotion Association. All three are non-profit organisations under the Tianda Group, which is an investment holding company founded by Fang Wenquan.