Constructed during the 1930s by Aw Boon Haw, the founder of the Tiger Balm business, Hong Kong's Tiger Balm Garden located in Tai Hang aimed to showcase Chinese culture alongside his popular pain-relief balm. It featured a large park with a white pagoda and vibrant sculptures around a striking villa. Although the garden was torn down in 2004 to make way for residential buildings, the Haw Par Mansion remained standing and was later transformed into a music school, opening in 2019.
It shut down once more after three years, yet it is currently undergoing renovation to become Hong Kong's initial "cultural villa." Spearheaded by the Foundation for Art and Culture, this independently funded, nonprofit initiative aims to reinvent the Grade 1 heritage landmark—renamed Villa Haw Par—as a hub for creative interaction, community involvement, and cultural conversations.
The change will be introduced in stages starting from September, leading to areas for research, exhibitions, and interactive experiences along with a tea house and a film program that honors Hong Kong's cultural heritage.
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The article was first published on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), a top-tier news outlet covering developments in China and Asia.
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