Vong Lok

Vong Lok, one of the founders of Kiang Wu Hospital, earned his wealth from gaming operations. In the reign of Emperor Tongzhi of Qing dynasty, he was contracted to undertake the reclamation of North Bay of the Interior Harbor of Macao Peninsula. During the course, he built the bunch of streets around Rua da Felicidade and set up Chap Seng Tong Company to raise fund for construction of houses. Hence, he became one of the big landowners of Macao by then.

In response to the opinions of Macao Governor António Sérgio de Sousa, Vong Lok built the Cheng Peng Theatre, being the first movie theatre of Macao. After making a fortune from his business, he bought a plot of land at Travessa dos Anjos to build a luxurious family mansion house named “Chek Sin Tong” and constructed the Pátio do Banco next to it some years later. He expanded the precincts of his mansion again, by constructing the Beco da Carpideira, to mark the birth of his 10th son. Twelve mansions were built within the Beco to house his dozen of wives, wedded concubines and their children. By the time Vong died in 1876, his eldest son Vong Dai inherited the family property.