Sheung Yiu Folk Museum ( 上窰民俗文物館) is housed in Sheung Yiu Village, a declared monument of Hong Kong, on Pak Tam Chung Nature Trail, Sai Kung, Hong Kong. Sheung Yiu means "above the kiln" in Chinese.
Sheung Yiu Village (上窰 Hong Kong Hakka pronunciation : [sɔŋ53 yau11] ) is a Hakka village situated inside the Sai Kung Country Park. It was built by a Hakka family surnamed Wong late 19th century, approximately 150 years ago. The village became prosperous due to its lime kiln whose produce was much sought-after for use in mortar and fertilizer, as well as lime bricks and tiles for building houses.
It began to decline in prosperity when modern bricks and cement came into use. In the 1950s, the villagers moved away to the urban areas or went overseas to earn their living. The whole village was abandoned by the 1960s.
After the full restoration of the village in 1983, the village was opened as Sheung Yiu Folk Museum in 1984. The museum is open from 9am-4pm, from Wednesday to Sunday each week. Entrance to the museum is free. The restored building contains a number of typical Hakka utensils and farming tools, and also some displays on the history of the inhabitants.
The row of the eight houses constructed on a raised platform with a watch tower at its entrance are preserved and opened to the public. In its 9 galleries, the museum displays various farming implements, village period furniture and other daily objects used by the Hakka people so that the atmosphere and environment of a small Hakka village is recreated.
The lime kiln, where coral and shells were baked to form lime, had been restored for public viewing.
