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Vivian Au

Heritage advisers have given the green light for Hong Kong’s first maternity hospital for Chinese residents and a 130-year-old temple to be declared monuments.
The Antiquities Advisory Board discussed on Thursday the Antiquities and Monuments Office’s proposal to upgrade the heritage status of the Old Tsan Yuk Maternity Hospital’s main building in Sai Ying Pun and Sheung Wan’s Kwong Fook Tsz temple.
The city’s heritage grading system has three tiers, with grade one sitting just under monument status, which affords legal protection once approved by the board and the government.
The old hospital’s main building, which is now the Western District Community Centre, and the temple are currently grade one sites.
Grade one to three buildings can still be demolished by property owners.
The old hospital’s main building was established by the Chinese Public Dispensaries Committee and opened in 1922 to offer Western medical services to the community.
It provided maternity services to Chinese women and modern training to local midwives until its relocation in 1955 because of rapidly increasing demand during the post-war period. The main building became a community centre in 1961.
Professor Frankie Yeung Wai-shing, a board member, said he “strongly supported” the upgrade.
“This building, along with other historic structures, is enough to attract people for in-depth travel for a whole day,” he said.

The surrounding area is also home to several other monuments, including King’s College and the Old Pathological Institute.
The office also sought to declare Kwong Fook Tsz temple, the name of which means “common benevolence”, as a monument given its “exceptional historical significance”.
The office said the temple was built in 1856 on Tai Ping Shan Street to house “ancestral tablets” of deceased Chinese labourers.
Ancestral tablets are placards inscribed with the names of deities or family ancestors and can be commonly found in temples, shrines and household altars in Hong Kong and on mainland China.
The site later became a Chinese medicine hospital caring for the sick, the homeless and the elderly.
Board member Amy Cheung Yi-mei said she supported upgrading the temple to a monument, adding that the site reflected Hong Kong’s inclusive nature and its status as a city of immigrants.
Cheung also asked the office whether extra resources could be set aside to showcase the temple’s original appearance if its status was upgraded.
The office replied that it would share such information online if the status upgrade was finalised.
But the government body stressed that restoring the temple to its original state was not essential, and maintaining the building was more important.
The nearby area is also home to monuments such as the Tung Wah Coffin Home.


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Hong Kong heritage advisers back listing of temple, former hospital as monuments

Kwong Fook Tsz temple in Sheung Wan previously served as a refuge for sick and impoverished residents. Photo: Jonathan Wong

The main building of the Old Tsan Yuk Maternity Hospital in Sai Ying Pun, which could soon be upgraded to a monument. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Historic maternity hospital, 130-year-old temple may become Hong Kong monuments

The Old Tsan Yuk Maternity Hospital in Sai Ying Pun. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Kwong Fook Tsz in Sheung Wan. The antiquities office has highlighted the worship site’s value in revealing the inhumane living conditions of the 19th century. Photo: Jonathan Wong

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Antiquities Advisory Board discusses proposal to upgrade status of Old Tsan Yuk Maternity Hospital’s main building and Kwong Fook Tsz temple


Antiquities Advisory Board discusses proposal to upgrade status of Old Tsan Yuk Maternity Hospital’s main building and Kwong Fook Tsz temple.


Living heritage of Hong Kong

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Hong Kong heritage advisers back listing of temple, former hospital as monuments

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Antiquities Advisory Board discusses proposal to upgrade status of Old Tsan Yuk Maternity Hospital’s main building and Kwong Fook Tsz temple

Antiquities Advisory Board discusses proposal to upgrade status of Old Tsan Yuk Maternity Hospital’s main building and Kwong Fook Tsz temple