Located at Tai Hang Road in Hong Kong, the Haw Par Mansion and its private garden were built by entrepreneur Aw Boon Haw (who was known as “The King of Tiger Balm" in 1936, and named after him and his younger brother Aw Boon Par. The Aw brothers inherited their father’s small herbal shop and founded the Tiger Balm enterprise in Southeast Asia. Although the younger brother’s name appears on the mansion, ownership of Hong Kong’s Haw Par Mansion belonged only to the older brother, Aw Boon Haw. Adjoining the Mansion once stood the famed Tiger Balm Garden which was also completed in 1936 and opened for public enjoyment. The Garden was demolished to make way for luxury residences in 2004. Now, what is still standing in the heritage site is half of what it was – the four-storey Haw Paw Mansion is publicly accessible, where one can admire its unusual Chinese Renaissance style with ornate porches, windows made from Italian stained glass, and murals gilded with gold. The red brick facade, green tiled roof and grand circular ‘moon gates’ which greets visitors are reminiscent of traditional Chinese architecture. 位于香港大坑道,有一栋与附近豪宅私楼格格不入的建筑—--虎豹别墅,是香港现存20世纪30年代折中主义建筑风格的代表性建筑之一。虎豹别墅建于1936年,是由当年的万金油大王胡文虎设计,并以胡文虎、胡文豹的名字命名。提起万金油,现时大家都会知道是居家旅行的良药,而在1932年,虎标万金油就已在东南亚地区享负盛名,香港更是万金油其中一个重要的产地,亦因如此,令到胡文虎先生决定在香港兴建一所住宅,落地生根。 原来的虎豹别墅旁本建有万金油花园,当年亦是少数向华人开放的花园,只是在1990年代因住宅发展而被拆除,原来极具标志性的七层六角塔“虎塔”以及“十八层地狱”的浮雕,亦不复存在。既然万金油花园早已消失在大家眼前,那么虎豹别墅还有什么好看?答案就在别墅的内部。虎豹别墅装潢精美华丽,楼高四层,糅合了多种风格。建筑属中国式折衷主义,以西式建筑兴建,结构大致均等对称,门前建有弧形楼梯和门廊,室内设有窗台及壁炉,天花以金箔点缀。 The Corner Tower on Tai Hang Road. The residential development behind it was where the Tiger Balm Garden used to be. 时代变迁,虎豹别墅后面现在已是一栋栋高楼大厦,幸得花园绿草分隔一线,在这里仍可彷如隔世远离烦嚣。 Despite the demolition of the public garden, the Haw Par Mansion and its private courtyards were preserved. On the ground floor entrance, a few signature items are on display. These were all original items at the Tiger Balm Garden. 被豪宅重重包围的别墅的外墙与内装都已经被重新粉刷完成,私人花园仍然绿草如茵。如细心游走花园,可以发现一些小型的动物雕塑摆设。它们融入园景之中,犹如大自然赋予了一股生命力。最顶的牌匾由右至左的方向,则写上“虎豹别墅”四字。 来到别墅正面,不难发现中西合壁的例子。在红砖墙之间,却开辟了四扇带样式的玻璃窗。客厅入口的彩绘玻璃门仍然健在,圆拱门的设计采用了大量透明玻璃,令客厅的采光度大大提升。 The building, in its exterior and interior, shows the distinct influence of the Chinese eclectic style. This means that the design has fused prominent elements of eastern and western traditions—and not only Chinese and western, but Chinese, Burmese, Indian, Italian and other western themes that Aw Boon Haw himself had appreciated in his life. Of the beautiful mansion, I liked the Moon Gate the most. The Moon Gate is the circular main gate in the front and back of the mansion. In Chinese culture, the full moon represents unity. Although the front moon gate faces the garden, the back moon gate was actually where the Aw’s entered their home. Both feature beautiful stained glass. The Haw Par Mansion is open daily for visitations and guided tours with free admission. While Haw Par Mansion no longer possesses its original charisma, visitors can roam freely inside the mansion. Memories of this iconic complex are carved into the minds of countless visitors who once had the chance to take a glimpse inside the gates of hell in Hong Kong.
香港特区政府古物古迹办事处目前已经开放虎豹别墅参观预约。导览团在星期五至星期日及公众假期进行,导赏员会带领市民和游客参观别墅的私人花园及大部分室内空间,并介绍别墅历史、建筑特色和文物价值。虽然现今所保留下来的万金油花园已经不是大家记忆中的那个地方,但大宅的内部仍是值得我们回味一番。
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