Liu Mingxin
Liu Mingxin, a native of Chaozhou, [1]is the Chairman of the New Territories Estate Developers Association, Chairman of Treasure Spot Group, Advisor to the Heung Yee Kuk, and a member of the Hunan Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). Liu's business portfolio includes nightclubs and real estate development, with numerous investments in Hunan. Several members of the Liu family are also involved in his companies. His wife, Zhang Qing, is from Hunan.
Adult Entertainment Industry
Liu Mingxin was reported by *East Week* and *Next Magazine* to have started his career in the special service industry, including operating "fish ball stalls," saunas, and nightclubs. He earned nicknames such as "Sauna King,"[2] "Liu Kong," and "King of Evil Bones." In the 1970s, Liu and his younger brother Liu Han Keung (also known as Liu Keung) were closely associated with a triad elder who operated multiple nightclubs. After the elder was imprisoned, the Liu brothers took over the businesses. By the 1990s, they were known as nightclub tycoons in the Yau Tsim Mong District, at their peak owning over a dozen venues including Miu Kai Sauna, City Sauna, New Lung To Lok, Yuk Lung Hall, and Victoria Sauna. In 2004, Liu founded the Hong Kong Entertainment Services Trade Union, which included seven industries such as nightclubs, saunas, discos, bars, mahjong parlors, social clubs, and arcade centers, though he later withdrew. Liu Han Keung was the owner of Miu Kai Sauna and was the main defendant in the "Operation Scorching Sun" crackdown on prostitution in 2005. Following the incident, their nightclubs gradually closed down.
Real Estate Industry
In the 1980s, Liu expanded into the real estate sector, actively developing village houses in the New Territories. He founded Treasure Spot Group in 1987 and the New Territories Estate Developers Association in 2003. Based in Tai Po, the company has built over a thousand village houses across the New Territories. Notable developments include Treasure Spot Court on Tai Wo West Branch Road, Royal Villa on Tai Po Road, Treasure Spot Elegant Garden on Ting Kok Road, Treasure Spot Garden Villas, Ming Hui Court, and South Coast at Plover Cove. In Sai Kung, they developed Royal Garden (formerly Treasure Spot Palace), and other projects under the "Treasure Spot Garden" brand. Since 1998, the group also provides financial lending services to homebuyers and other property developers. It offers one-stop services for village land development, [3]sales, and financing. Liu maintains close ties with major developers like Henderson Land and New World Development.
Development of Columbarium
In the 2000s, Liu began developing the illegal columbarium at Yen Hing Monastery in Luk Wu, Lantau Island, and became a director of Yen Hing Monastery Limited, alongside directors Liu Xiaoying and Liu Jieyan. The Lands Department once counted over 5,000 niches inside the monastery. Luk Wu and Ditang Tsai were traditionally Buddhist retreat sites located between Tai O and Ngong Ping, with about 40 temples and Taoist retreats in the area. After the largest temple, Yen Hing Monastery, was acquired, other temples were subjected to acquisition attempts, threats, harassment, and vandalism. As a result, multiple temples formed the "Concern Group to Protect Lantau’s Buddhist Retreats" and held press conferences in protest, which drew significant media attention. The current abbot of Yen Hing Monastery is Shi Zhicheng, a disciple of Shi Zhihui, abbot of Po Lin Monastery. Another company, Luk Wu Management Ltd., lists Liu Riliang as a director. In addition to Yen Hing, four other temples—Wuche, Huilian, Jiguang, and Qinglian—were also acquired.
Philanthropy
Liu Mingxin's fortune is estimated to exceed HKD 1 billion. He has participated in numerous charitable activities, frequently donating to disaster relief and educational causes in mainland China. In Hunan alone, he has donated 15 million RMB and funded the construction of over 160 Hope Primary Schools.