Introduction

Jaffa Lam has one-quarter Manchu blood and is originally from Fuding. She relocated to Hong Kong with her parents when she was twelve. This old building fills her with poignancy, as it reminds her of the Hakka people and her own migration stories.

“I want to create an ambiance in this old house that would make the visitor feel welcome as ‘guest’.” –– Jaffa Lam

Founded in 1786 by a Hakka surnamed Chan, Sam Tung Uk is a typical Hakka walled-house. The Chan clan migrated to Hong Kong in the mid-18th century from Guangdong. They chose Tsuen Wan for a settlement and reclaimed land along the coast for cultivation. The village originally comprised only three rows of houses built by the village head, Chan Yam Shing. His descendants later built annexes on both sides of the walled-house and at the back. The clan’s ancestral altar is placed in the main hall along the central axis, facing the main entrance. On the granite lintel above the door frame of the main entrance are engraved four characters: Chan Family Ancestral Hall. Sam Tung Uk underwent a total restoration in 1987 before being converted into the Sam Tung Uk Museum.