600-Year-Old Star Tower in Yuen Long Offers Scholarly Blessings as New School Year Begins
AM730 · 1 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
As families across Hong Kong prepare for the new school year, many are visiting Juxing Lou (Assembly of Stars Tower) in Yuen Long's Ping Shan to offer prayers for academic success. This 600-year-old hexagonal tower represents Hong Kong's only surviving ancient structure of its kind, having endured since the Ming Dynasty despite the loss of its upper four stories to powerful typhoons. The tower holds deep significance for the Teng clan of Ping Shan, one of the Five Major Clans of the New Territories, as it enshrines deities believed to govern literary achievement and examination success. With its recent inclusion in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Heritage Theme Trail, Juxing Lou continues to serve as both a cultural landmark and spiritual destination for students and families.
Key Points
- Juxing Lou is a three-story hexagonal tower approximately 13 meters tall, constructed from grey bricks with decorative diamond-shaped eaves on each level
- According to the Teng clan genealogy, the tower was built during the Ming Dynasty's Hongwu reign (1368-1398) by clan ancestor Deng Yantong, making it over 600 years old
- The structure originally stood seven stories tall, but the upper four levels collapsed under the force of typhoons, leaving only the current three stories standing
- The tower enshrines Wenchang and Kuixing, the divine patrons of literature and examination success, with inscriptions reading "Beyond the Milky Way," "Assembly of Stars Tower," and "Light Shining Upon the Stars"
- Historical records indicate that Ping Shan's Teng clan produced five juren (successful examination candidates) and eight gongsheng (recommended scholars) during the Qing Dynasty alone
Why It Matters
Juxing Lou's inclusion in the Greater Bay Area's "Imperial Examination Success" heritage trail underscores how Hong Kong's historical sites remain connected to the broader cultural landscape of the Pearl River Delta region. For contemporary families, the tradition of visiting such sites before the academic year reflects the enduring importance placed on education within Cantonese culture, blending ancestral heritage with modern aspirations for scholarly achievement.
Juxing Lou's inclusion in the Greater Bay Area's "Imperial Examination Success" heritage trail underscores how Hong Kong's historical sites remain connected to the broader cultural landscape of the Pearl River Delta region. For contemporary families, the tradition of visiting such sites before the academic year reflects the enduring importance placed on education within Cantonese culture, blending ancestral heritage with modern aspirations for scholarly achievement.