Located in the Hakka Tsuen of Sheung Wo Hang, Sha Tau Kok, Kang Yung Study Hall was built by the Lee clan in the mid to late Qing dynasty. While traditional study halls in the New Territories often served simultaneously as ancestral halls, Kang Yung Study Hall was one of few study halls in Hong Kong served solely for educational purpose.

In the eighteenth year of Shunzhi reign of Qing dynasty (1661), the Qing court imposed the Coastal Evacuation Edict, ordering coastal residents to move inland, leaving the coastal areas deserted. The ban was lifted only in the eighth year of Kangxi reign of Qing dynasty (1669), and people were allowed to return to their homes. After the ban was lifted, the Qing court encouraged Hakka people to move to the coastal areas left deserted owing to the coastal evacuation. But Hakka migrants were required to return to their native hometown to take the Imperial Civil Service Examinations. After repeated appeals by Hakka migrants in Xin’an county, the Qing court finally established a Hakka shengyuan quota in the academy of Guangzhou prefecture in the seventh year of Jiaqing reign of Qing dynasty (1802), which also benefited the Hakka candidates in Hong Kong.

The study hall is a two-storey building with a courtyard. Its overall design is simple and functional. While the façade has more elaborate embellishments, the interiors are adorned only with mural paintings and carvings. But the building still exemplifies the characteristics and aesthetics of Lingnan traditional architecture. The decorations of the study hall feature mostly traditional auspicious patterns, such as the brackets embellished with bats to symbolise abundant blessings and reflect clansmen’s longing for happiness.

Kang Yung Study Hall began as a small private school for five to ten young clansmen, but since it was extremely successful in nurturing xiucai of the Imperial Civil Service Examinations, it gradually developed into a renowned study hall, attracting students from Tai Po, Sha Tin and Tsuen Wan. As time progressed, society's need for education changed. Kang Yung Study Hall stayed abreast of the times and transformed into a rural primary school offering modern education. It was closed in 1986 after the last group of students graduated.

Opening Hours:
Monday and Wednesday to Sunday: 9am - 1pm and 2pm - 5pm
Closed on Tuesdays (except public holidays), Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day and the first three days of Chinese New Year

Address:
Sheung Wo Hang, Sha Tau Kok, New Territories.

Enquiry Hotline:
(852) 2208 4488