Tsui Sing Lau Pagoda

Tsui Sing Lau, which translates to 'pagoda of the gathering stars', is a 13-meter tall, three storey, hexagonally shaped grey brick pagoda. Erected during the Hongwu period of the Ming dynasty (between 1368 - 1398), it was ordained as a monument in 2001, and is the only remaining ancient pagoda in Hong Kong.

Located in the modern day satellite town of Tin Shui Wai in northwestern Hong Kong, Tsui Sing Lau was built as a feng shui structure by a family surnamed Tang, to deter flooding and evil spirits from the north. This location was once next to an estuary, but extensive land reclamation for Tin Shui Wai's construction in the 1980s, means that the pagoda is now situated almost 3km away from Deep Bay. 

According to the Tang clan's genealogy, the pagoda originally stood seven storeys tall, but was scaled down to five, then three storeys, after sustaining heavy damage during two strong typhoons. Housed on the top floor is a statue of Fui Sing, a deity believed to be in control of success or failure in examinations. While on the ground floor, Kwan Tai, the Martial God, and Man Cheong, the God of Literature, are revered.

Chinese inscriptions are visible on all three levels of the pagoda's facade, Tsui Sing Lau is inscribed on the second level. The characters on the ground and top levels translate to 'light shines straight onto the dippers and enclosures' and 'over the milky way'.