In the far northern New Territories -- just south of Shenzhen -- a small unmarked path in the village of Sheung Shui leads to the ancestral hall Liu Man Shek Tong. It was built in 1751 and was one of few such halls that survived the Cultural Revolution. A restoration preserved the spectacular original roofs and ornamentation, but substituted concrete walls to take the weight off rickety pillars -- at some cost to the site's aesthetic unity, unfortunately. The Liu clan, for whom this hall was built, was obsessed with education: the wood panels hung in the rear hall indicate the education levels achieved by various clan members under the old imperial civil-service-exam system of the Qing Dynasty. Take the KCR to Sheung Shui, then Bus 73K and alight at Sheung Shui Wai on Jockey Club Road. The hall is open Wednesday, Thursday, and weekends 9 to 1 and 2 to 5. Admission is free.