SECRETS

It’s no secret that real estate on The Peak is some of the world’s most highly valued property. Located at No. 32 Lugard Road, Dragon Lodge is a dilapidated pre-war house that sits high among the paths that wind up to The Peak.

Tattooed with a collage of graffiti tags and browning, crippled paint, records show it was built in 1945. Once upon a time, it was a lovely four-storey mansion with a spacious interior, a large, lush garden and a revolving door of tenants who called it home.

Despite the fact that it’s classed as prime real estate, (considering its elite neighbouring structures and sweeping views of the city,) Dragon Lodge has instead sat untouched for decades.

Why, you ask? Rumour has it that construction crews who attempted to work on this site over the years have all made the same claim: It’s haunted to high heaven, with strange sounds and echoing cries of children. Other stories that have painted the structure in an ominous light range from tales of Japanese soldiers decapitating nuns on the premises during the second world war and previous owners dying in the home.

It is said that the house was last sold in 2004 for $76 million. Current owners have had to seal off the house with barbed wire, thanks to the flurry of curious “ghost hunters”, thrillseekers and of course, graffiti artists, that have trespassed over the years.

In true haunted-house fashion, the entire external back wall of the home is infested with thickets. Old mattresses, flaky old cupboards, dead bugs and even decades-old appliances are strewn about, giving the impression that it’s a creepy, frozen glimpse into years past.

Dragon Lodge once belonged to a building contractor named Tom Mun-Long. He and his family were said to have hosted grand parties for some of Hong Kong’s most well-regarded people, including politicians, bankers and high-ranking military officials. Other tenants have come and gone, with many reports of haunted cries ringing through the halls.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the only piece of prime real estate that has sat

unoccupied due to fears of disembodied spirits. In Hong Kong, because of traditional beliefs including Feng Shui, many expensive properties have lost its highly sought-after status in instances where a tragic death or suicide had taken place there.

Dragon Lodge could just be another site that’s fallen victim to decades of whispered rumours... or, due to certain events that were never properly noted in Hong Kong’s history records, it may be truly haunted. For now, the mystery remains unsolved.