Chik Kwai Study Hall, a typical traditional Chinese study hall, was built before 1899 by Lai Kam-tai of the Lai clan in Pat Heung. According to the genealogy of the clan, the 2nd generation ancestor, Lai Chung-hing migrated from Jiangxi to Xinhui, Guangdong in the Song dynasty. The clansmen later settled in the Dongguan and Kam Tin areas. During the Ming dynasty, the 13th generation ancestor, Lai Wui-wun, led his clansmen to settle in the present Sheung Tsuen.
Chik Kwai Study Hall was used for both ancestor worship and young clansmen education. The study hall ceased operation during the Second World War, but was subsequently used as temporary classrooms for Wing Hing School, which offered modern education. The study hall was later used as Chik Kwai Kindergarten, which was closed in the early 1970s.
Chik Kwai Study Hall is a typical example of a traditional two-hall, one-courtyard building in the Qing dynasty. In the main hall is a beautifully crafted wooden altar, which holds the soul tablets of the clan ancestors.
Chik Kwai Study Hall is exceptional because of its well-preserved architectural components. Examples include the ornate woodcarvings throughout the building, the lively decorative plaster mouldings on the roof ridges and gable walls, and the vivid traditional Chinese murals. Such features make it one of the finest examples of traditional Chinese study halls that remain in the Yuen Long area.
Chik Kwai Study Hall was declared a monument in 2007.