Jao Tsung-I Academy

Situated on a lush hillside overlooking Mei Foo district, the Jao Tsung-I Academy is a multi-purpose arts and cultural facility. Spread across a 32,000-square-meter plot, the entire site is comprised of 20 single- or two-storey buildings of various shapes and sizes.

First built as a customs station during the Qing dynasty in 1895, the buildings have served in many different capacities over the years. Having outlived their original mission as a customs station, they have also been used as labourers’ quarters, quarantine station, prison, mental asylum, hospital for infectious diseases, and a psychiatric rehabilitation centre.

In 2013, a government scheme aimed at revitalizing historic buildings transformed the Grade III listed compound into an arts and cultural hub. The compound was renamed after famed scholar and sinologist Jao Tsung-I, who contributed heavily to Chinese culture and studies across many fields of humanities, including history, archaeology, epigraphy, folklore, religion, art history, musicology, literature, and Near Eastern Studies.

The entire site is divided into three different zones interconnected by stairs, walkways and elevators. The Low Zone serves as the main exhibition area, housing the heritage hall and gallery, featuring many of Professor Jao's works. The High and Middle Zones feature several arts & cultural facilities, plus a lovely landscaped garden. The main building in the High Zone is the Heritage Lodge, a hotel that fuses together Chinese and Western design elements, reflective of Hong Kong's history.

Mei Foo is a residential district that is rarely a destination for visitors. However, for those interested in Chinese arts and culture, this peaceful exhibition space makes for a wonderfully relaxing and easy-to-reach getaway.