Imagine a building that's seen it all: from setting broken bones to standing empty for decades, only to be resurrected as a cutting-edge medical center. That's the story of Lui Seng Chun, a grand old dame of a building in Hong Kong that sits on a prime triangular plot, looking like it just stepped out of a movie set.
Built in 1931 by Lui Leng, a co-founder of the Kowloon Motor Bus company (because apparently, you can be a bus mogul and have a flair for architecture), this place was designed by W.H. Bourne. And Bourne wasn't messing around. He blended Chinese aesthetics with neo-classical and Art Deco touches, creating a building that somehow feels both ancient and remarkably modern.
Downstairs, you've got eight granite columns forming a covered walkway, perfect for sheltering shoppers from the elements. Upstairs, its name, Lui Seng Chun, is carved into a stone plaque, just in case you forgot where you were. Add in some elegant curves, deep verandas, and decorative balustrades, and you've got a classic example of pre-war Hong Kong chic.
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Start Your News DetoxThe Life of Lui Leng's Legacy
Initially, this was a classic "tong lau" setup: business on the ground floor, family living above. The Lui family ran a traditional Chinese medicine bone-setting clinic right there on the street level. Because what's better than living above your own practice, ready to fix a femur at a moment's notice?
After Lui Leng passed in 1944, the clinic eventually closed, and by the 1970s, the building was completely empty. For nearly 30 years, Lui Seng Chun just… sat there. A beautiful, empty shell, watching Hong Kong evolve around it. Which, if you think about it, is a pretty dramatic retirement plan.
Then, in 2000, it was declared a Grade I historic building. Three years later, the Lui family did something remarkable: they donated it to the government. This was a first for Hong Kong—a historic building given away for revitalization. Enter Hong Kong Baptist University, tasked with bringing the old girl back to life as a Chinese medical facility.
Reopened in April 2012, the Hong Kong Baptist University School of Chinese Medicine – Lui Seng Chun now serves the community again, over 60 years after its original clinic closed. It's a full-circle moment for a building that once overlooked the harbor (before land reclamation pushed the water away) and now stands proudly amidst the high-rises of the Prince Edward district. From broken bones to university lectures, this building has certainly earned its place in the city's story.
