The yellow thunderstorm warning last Sunday didn't deter my family from our trip to King Yin Lei, a Chinese temple looking mansion on Stubbs Road. The complex was vastly damaged a while back, and after years of restoration, it is now hosting an Open Day for the public. After the end of the exhibition on 25 April 2011, a suitable owner will be found for the Declared Monument through the Revitalisation Scheme, turning it into rather different use than before, like the North Kowloon Magistrate, which is now the SCAD Hong Kong Campus.
The mansion was commissioned in 1937 by famous businessman, Mr. Shum Yat-chor, as the major residence of him and his wife. Unlike the notorious monster houses Chinese are famous for constructing around North America nowadays, King Yin Lei had lots of open areas, a sizeable garden, and a rather Chinese-themed swimming pool.
The tour starts at the Subsidiary Building, which displayed exhibits on the building's history and the techniques employed in restoration. Then it moves towards the Garage, which continuously played a video on the history of the mansion, and its restoration process.
The Main Building was much smaller than we anticipated, and was rather stuffy, probably because there were more people in each room than originally intended when it was designed. There were lots of emblems throughout the building, representing various traditional Chinese values and Buddhist theology. The view from the verandah was breathtaking even with some skyscrapers in front, so I could imagine it must have been magnificent in the thirties.
At the Annex Block it was their version of modern bathroom facilities and kitchen area. It was interesting to see that the second and most recent residents of the complex, Mr. Yeo Chie-man and Son, have furnished both the master bedroom and the bathroom in pink and purple during their purchase in 1978. I guess they were rather in touch with their feminine side? The end of the tour took us back to the Pavillion, and since the weather looked miserable, we quickly headed to Cova for tea.
If you are interested in King Yin Lei, click here for further details, or pay them a visit during Easter.