5th June 2023 – (Hong Kong) Haw Par Mansion in Hong Kong’s Wan Chai District will reopen for public tours on 9th June the Development Bureau’s Antiquities and Monuments Office announced on June 5th. Visitors can reserve a spot on a guided tour through the office’s website starting at 10am on June 6th.
The guided tours, conducted in Cantonese, will be available on Fridays through Sundays and public holidays, with four sessions per day and a maximum of 24 participants per session. The tour guide will lead visitors through the mansion’s private gardens and most of its interior spaces, offering insight into the building’s history, architectural features, and cultural value.
Guided tours, in Cantonese, will be held from Fridays to Sundays and on public holidays (except for the first three days of Lunar New Year). There will be four sessions per day and each session will accommodate 24 participants. Docents will guide participants to tour the private garden and most of the Mansion’s interior. They will also introduce its history, architectural features and heritage value. The public can make appointments through the AMO website (www.amo.gov.hk/en/visitor-centre/docent-services/public/haw-par-mansion/index.html) starting from 10am, June 6 (Tuesday). For enquiries, please call the AMO on 2208 4406 or 2208 4407.
Haw Par Mansion, also known as Tiger Balm Garden or Aw Boon Haw Garden, was a historic mansion and garden located at 15 Tai Hang Road in Tai Hang, Wan Chai District. The Tiger Balm Garden was demolished for redevelopment in 2004, but the Haw Par Mansion and its private garden have been preserved.
The Hong Kong Haw Par Mansion and its formerly adjoining Tiger Balm Garden were part of a trio of Tiger Balm mansions and gardens. The others are located in Singapore (now known as Haw Par Villa) and Fujian province, where the gardens remain. The landscape garden was built by Aw Boon Haw and his family in 1935 at a cost of HK$16 million. It was opened to the public in the early 1950s.
The three-story Haw Par Mansion served as the Aw family’s residence in Hong Kong. It was constructed in 1935 in the Chinese Renaissance style. The mansion contains over 500 relics, which underwent restoration and repair at some point. The building was designated as a Grade II historic building in 2000 and was granted Grade I status on December 18, 2009.
Haw Par Mansion has a rich history that is deeply intertwined with Hong Kong’s cultural identity. The mansion was built by Aw Boon Haw and his brother Aw Boon Par, who gained fame and fortune by producing and selling Tiger Balm, a popular medicinal ointment. The brothers were also known for their philanthropy and played an important role in the development of Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia.