Castle Peak Road / Ching Cheung Road Rest Garden

Tucked away behind a seemingly ordinary wall on Castle Peak Road lies a true Hong Kong gem: the Castle Peak Road / Ching Cheung Road Rest Garden. But just a stone’s throw away, another hidden treasure awaits. It’s a place called Dragon Garden. It cascades over eight hectares of hilly terrain, boasting views of the shimmering sea and hazy mountains. This mid-century paradise, filled with the songs of birds and the flutter of butterflies, almost met the wrecking ball. Dragon Garden, nestled near the Castle Peak Road / Ching Cheung Road Rest Garden, was the brainchild of Lee Iu-cheng. His family, originally scaffolding tycoons from Zhongshan, Guangdong, fled to Hong Kong after an uprising against the Qing Dynasty. Lee was born in Hong Kong in 1896. His family continued their construction business, helping to transform Yau Ma Tei into a bustling commercial hub. Educated in Hong Kong’s finest schools, Lee developed a deep compassion for the less fortunate. He saw the poverty around him. This compassion shaped his life and character. At 14, he joined a successful rebellion against the Qing rulers in Zhaoqing. His father persuaded him to return to Hong Kong to complete his education. He graduated with an engineering degree from the University of Hong Kong. He later married Chan Yuet-king. She had ties to the prominent Tung Wah Hospital. He furthered his studies at Cornell University in the United States. Family matters brought him back to Hong Kong. He dedicated himself to philanthropy, serving on the board of Tung Wah Hospital and numerous other charities. He also taught engineering at the University of Hong Kong. Lee became a symbol of a new Hong Kong identity, blending Chinese and European influences. Dragon Garden, near Castle Peak Road / Ching Cheung Road Rest Garden, was designed to embody this identity. He bought the land in 1949. It became his passion project. One of its earliest features was a swimming pool, a rarity in Hong Kong at the time. He even opened it to the public for a small fee, donated to charity. Roger Moore, as James Bond, even took a dip in the pool during the filming of “The Man With the Golden Gun” in 1973. In 1958, architect Chu Pin designed an ancestral hall for the family. Its foundations were built with granite salvaged from demolished historic buildings in Central. Lee’s eclectic tastes shaped the garden, fusing art, culture, and religion from all over the world. An English-style rose garden was built with pathways edged with recycled ginger beer bottles. A magnificent dragon fountain was crafted from glass tiles. Ponds, waterfalls, and caverns dot the landscape. Religious elements abound, from Buddhist figurines to a mosaic of the Virgin Mary, reflecting Lee’s wide-ranging spiritual curiosity. Lee Iu-cheng died in 1976 and was buried in a tomb overlooking his beloved garden. The garden fell into disrepair. In the late 1990s, part of the land was expropriated to widen Castle Peak Road, and the wall was built. The family faced a difficult decision when a developer offered a substantial sum to build apartments on the site. Some family members favored the sale. Others, led by Lee’s granddaughter Cynthia, fought to preserve the garden. Their efforts succeeded, but the question of the garden’s future remained. After various attempts to find a solution, including offering it to the government, Lumina College now cares for Dragon Garden. It serves as a rural campus. They maintain Lee’s vision. They conduct tours. They keep the spirit of Dragon Garden alive, not far from the Castle Peak Road / Ching Cheung Road Rest Garden.