Hong Kong’s Most Expensive Haunted House? Tragedy Strikes at “Chongqing’s Li Ka-shing” Zhang Songqiao’s Peak Villa

The luxury property at 1 Peak Road, previously owned by the "Li Ka-shing of Chongqing," Zhang Songqiao, has become infamous as a haunted house after a tragic incident. Earlier, this villa was home to the martial arts novelist Jin Yong, who lived there with his wife for 11 years.

On the morning of October 8, 2025, at 7:35 a.m., a staff member at the house called the police, reporting that a 31-year-old Filipino domestic helper was found hanging in a bedroom with a cloth strap. She was later taken down but pronounced dead. The property, owned by Zhang Songqiao since 2004 at a purchase price of HK$138 million, immediately gained the reputation of being a "haunted house." Given the property's astronomical value, it could become one of Hong Kong's most expensive haunted houses.

The villa, completed in February 2006, sits on a 14,000-square-foot plot of land with a total usable area of 5,642 square feet. Located next to the Police Museum, the property features a white, two-story residence perched on a hillside. Zhang, known as the "Li Ka-shing of Chongqing," has held onto the property for years.

Before Zhang’s ownership, the villa had a storied history. It was initially owned by the US government and later purchased by a Hong Kong businessman in 1982. In 1985, Jin Yong and his wife Lin Le-yi bought the house for HK$12 million. However, Jin Yong was initially hesitant to move in due to feng shui concerns, as the front entrance faced a straight road leading directly to the house—a layout considered inauspicious. After consulting feng shui experts, the couple was reassured and decided to move in, staying for 11 years.

In 1996, the couple sold the house for HK$196 million to Li Tung-lok, chairman of QPL International. Lee planned to demolish the villa and build a new luxury residence, but the 1997 financial crisis forced the project to halt.

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