Vignettes of the World
Update as of February 2024 I have recently passed by the former site of Ka Lai Yuen and with some complicated feelings discovered that the restaurant has now reopened its doors since its disgraceful and abrupt closure in April 2023. I have not had a …
Photo credit: All close-up photographs of the pink dolphins on this entry are the work of Thomas Tue, aka Mr. Dolphin, of the Eco Association Limited. The Dolphin-Sighting Tour On this bright late summer morning I got up at 6:30 and headed over to Tung …
Post WWII Hong Kong was a place of booming industry and commerce. With that also came the problem of crime. The New Territories then was not unlike the wild, wild west, where hooligans and drug lords ran rampant. It was with this background that the colonial government saw the need for proper law enforcement in the New Territories.
The government decided to build the first New Territories Magistracy and it opened in 1861. As time progressed, more of other magistracies were established in the New Territories. This first one then became the Fanling Magistracy. In the same year, the colonial government passed a law to extend the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction to the Fanling Magistracy. This would be a pivotal development in Hong Kong’s judicial history, as it ushered in the era of common law application in the New Territories.
The Fanling Magistracy was busy with trials in its earliest days. The first case on trail was a drug case, and thereafter other cases of gambling, traffic offenses and burglaries. Over the years, additional structures provided the necessary facilities for other judicial functions, including a duty lawyers’ office. Due to the growing workload and population, there was an increasing need for more support facilities, “such as public witness rooms, public consultation rooms, separate facilities for the reporters and lawyers, etc.” (Revitalising Historic Buildings Through Partnership Scheme). The government built the new Fanling Law Courts Building on Pik Fung Road behind the Former Fanling Magistracy in the same block. The Former Fanling Magistracy finally completed its historic role in 2002.
The magistracies in Hong Kong have a limited criminal jurisdiction of two years’ imprisonment and $100,000 fine. The petty crimes are tried in open court in these magistracies. They also serve as the court of first appearance for serious and indictable criminal offenses. Therefore, all criminal proceedings begin at the magistracies in Hong Kong.
The Fanling Magistracy has retained its classic appearance even after it no longer served its judiciary purpose. During the time that it was closed between 2003-2010, it became the setting for a number of movies and TV dramas. The most well-known one is Internal Affairs II.
The Commissioner for the Heritage’s Office of the Hong Kong Government has included a description of the Former Fanling Magistracy’s architectural feature. I shall quote it here:
The double canopied projecting bay with storeys high vertical windows dominates the front facade and gives a simplified version of the neo-classical architecture. The side facades also feature neo-classical motif, corbel and moulded architraved doorways. The internal atrium lit by a central light well houses a grand staircase with ornamental ironwork balustrades leading to upper floors courtrooms. The court was built with more economical finishing materials of the era, such as terrazzo tiles, mosaic tiles, artificial granite tiles and stucco painting. (The Commissioner for the Heritage’s Office on Former Fanling Magistracy)
The Fanling Magistracy has the status of a Grade 3 Historic Building as the Antiquities Advisory Board has determined in 2010. The revitalization effort encompassed the group of five buildings on-site, including the Former Fanling Magistracy, the Duty Lawyers’ Office, the Annex Court Building, and two small blocks accommodating building services facilities.
As a heritage site, the Former Fanling Magistracy now hosts a small exhibition on its own history. It is also home for the Hong Kong Federation Youth Groups Leadership Institute. The HKFYG Leadership Insititue helped revitalize the building via Batch III of the Revitalising Historic Buildings Through Partnership Scheme. The revitalization completed in 2018.
The former detention cells now serve as the breakout meeting rooms for the Institute. The former setup does remain and visitors can still get a pretty good feeling of how it was like.
One courtroom has been preserved, and I took a look. It does give off this very classic feeling of the Hong Kong courts.
It is sad for me to report that the social enterprise coffee shop on-site, which has garnered a bit of popularity during its lifetime, has closed down in 2022. I do hope that there will be a new, similar tenant in the location. I hope that in my next visit I can have a relaxed afternoon there with coffee in my hand.
How to Get There
From the Fanling MTR Station, you may walk about 10 minutes to reach the Former Fanling Magistracy on Jockey Club Road. The address is No. 302, Jockey Club Road.
Outside of the Former Fanling Magistracy on Jockey Club Road, there is a bus stop with both minibuses and buses running between Sheung Shui and Fanling. Bus Routes 73, 79K and 373 stop there.
Sources
Historic descriptions on-site.
The Commissioner for the Heritage’s Office on the Former Fanling Magistracy.
Revitalisaing Historic Buildings Through Partnership Scheme, Former Fanling Magistracy Resource Kit, Heritage Office.
The trail of the day is to hike from the Pokfield Road stairs to the Pok Fu Lam Reservoir. I have headed up the trails from the Pokfield Road stairs a few times. This time is no different. Next to the gas station of Pokfield …
The trail of today is a two-looped walk from the Lions Nature Education Centre in Tsiu Hang, then Ma Lam Wat Village, and return via Tai Ngam Hau, then back to Tsiu Hang. I have previously written on the Lions Nature Education Centre. Because I …
The fish intestines! You know the cost of the water that goes into cleaning them would end up more than that of the intestines themselves!
The owner of Yixin Restaurant jested about this traditional Cantonese dish on the radio food show, The Golden Plaque.
A long-time college friend was departing Hong Kong and he chose to have the farewell dinner there at Yixin Restaurant. Out of curiosity, I researched online for it. I have never heard of it, but as I read more, I realized that it is a true gem, and worthy of an entry as a historic dining establishment on this blog.
My friend sat down and said, “my grandfather opened this restaurant.” That was delighful news, for he will tell me interesting things to write about. And indeed, I have known him for all twenty years without knowing this fact.
Two original partners, one of Dongguan and the other one of Shanghai, opened the Wen Wah Hotel in 1953. My friend’s grandfather was one of them. The restaurant’s predecessor was the Chinese restaurant of the hotel. In the 1960s, during the initial boom of Hong Kong’s economy, the restaurant moved to Canal Road. The Wen Wah Hotel had to undergo demolishment for redevelopment. It was at the Canal Road location that the restaurant established its name as Yixin.
The restaurant has built a good name with its cuisine for decades. In a somewhat darker time of Hong Kong’s past, powerful people frequented the restaurant. My friend said that when the restaurant made its first move to Causeway Bay, his family received many floral plaques congratulating the business. But many of the donors did not show up to the celebration because they fled Hong Kong, as the then newly-established ICAC was cracking down on corruption. Needless to say, his grandfather had to maintain relationships with many policemen in this kind of business.
Those were the roaring times in Hong Kong. The restaurant’s success enabled a life of glamour for my friend’s grandfather, and surely he did enjoy the limelight. Besides powerful policemen, he also met many famous people in the restaurant. On the walls are still hung photographs of his grandfather with VIPs and beautiful women.
Not without some difficult times that resulted in a temporary closure in 2002, Yixin finally moved to its current location in Wan Chai in 2008 or so. The restaurant began experiencing decline from the 1997 financial crisis. The prospects were grim, and it closed in 2002. Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise, for the SARS epidemic of 2003 was an even rougher sea for business. Having reopened at the end of 2003, Yixin has made a comeback since.
The restaurant serves traditional Cantonese food. Its lemon chicken is famous, but on this evening we ordered half a salted baked chicken and half a crispy chicken. We also had its yummy half-fatty, half-lean BBQ roast pork (char siu). A fried smooth egg white with seafood, named “better than crab,” was a light flavored dish that balances the meat- and sauce-heavy selection at the table. The food comes in hearty portions and we were very full. We finished off the meal with a baked minced beef rice.
The fish intestine that I mentioned above is but one of the many things that the restaurant is known for. As the owner said in the radio show, the trouble with fish intestines is that thorough cleaning is not so easy. They are actually “commoners’ food,” and therefore the effort in cooking it may not justify the price that the restaurant charges to the customers. Traditionally, the chefs make the dish with beaten eggs, then bake (in and out of the oven a few times) it. The finished dish comes with a somewhat charred crust. Its texture is what moves one’s palate. The fish intestines are naturally chewy, and they match very well with the softness and fluffiness of the eggs. The charred top of the dish adds a touch of crisp and smokiness. This savory experience is typical of Hong Kong’s old-fashioned cuisine—the mixed flavors of unlikely ingredients bringing forth a timeless memory for the commoners. And surely, Yixin has delivered this traditional Cantonese dish with perfection.
Interview with the Yixin Restaurant, The Golden Plaque, Metro Radio available here.
On this final day in Hue, I decided to take a look at some special sites in the city. An easy stroll around the city would do for me. The An Dinh Palace You can’t miss the luxury and the preoccupation with all things western …
Orchards, farming fields, outdoor education areas, air-conditioned exhibition centres, a lotus pad, short hiking trails and a nice café – what location offers better summer outing options than Tsiu Hang? The 24-acre Tsiu Hang Special Area is a designated area of environmental conservation. It received …
“So what’s the plan for our walk in Peng Chau?” My besties finally had a chance to get together for a day trip to Peng Chau. “No plan, let’s just walk around aimlessly.”
Sounds like a plan, and it turned out to be a good one.
Although there is no official account of Peng Chau’s ancient history, it is widely believed that the earliest settlement might have taken place as early as the Tang and Song Dynasties.
Fast forward to the Qing Dynasty, Peng Chau has developed much further. At the time, the surnames of Lu, Chung and Lam settled down in the villages of Peng Chau. Booming commerce and fishing industries has made Peng Chau Bay a busy trading port.
At one point during the early 20th century, Peng Chau was known for its handicrafts and industries. There were a total of eleven lime kiln factories in Peng Chau. “Lime was produced by burning oyster shells, clam shells and coral, and was widely used in construction, paper-making, dyes and ship maintenance.” (Hong Kong Tourism Board) The industry met its decline as concrete became the predominant material for building construction later in the 20th century. Finally, the largest match factory of Southeast Asia in 1973, the Great China Match Factory, also set foot in Peng Chau.
After getting off the ferry, we went northward on the western coast of Peng Chau and first arrived at the Tai Lei Island. The Tai Lei bridge to the island is itself a landmark. The island acquired its name due to the former plaster factory in there.
The mere views of the ocean soothed us amidst the heat of a bright midsummer morning. Descriptions on-site states that white dolphins, a species native to Hong Kong, can be sighted in the shores of Peng Chau.
The Tai Lei Island serves only as a garbage transfer spot now and the only other facility there is a water treatment plant. It is a nice location for views at the shore, however.
We came back on the same way, arrived back at the park and headed a trail upward. The Peng Yu trail lies next to the shrines. The next stop is the Fisherman Rock.
photo: the Peng Yu Trail lies next to the shrines.
Most of the trail to the rock are coastal, and so despite the scorching sun the walk was quite easy. We saw some pretty good seaside views, and savored the walk on silky sandy beaches with pristine water. The urban skyline, with the distinctive Tsing Ma Bridge, lies afar on the horizon.
To my disappointment, the Tung Wan Beach, which lies at the eastern shoreline, did not present the same pristine views as the beaches on the west coast. It being very close to residential areas, there was sighting of significant rubbish at the beach. We made a pass on this beach.
The two leather factories in Peng Chau, Fook Yuen Leather Factory and Kwong Fat Yuen Leather Factory, began their business during the 1930s. Fook Yuen ceased operation during the years of Japanese Occupation. After WWII, it reopened its doors, but business continued to decline due to the availability of cheaper, imported foreign leather. In 1975, it finally closed down.
The Leather Factor of Peng Chau is a grade 3 historic building. The former factory ground comprises mostly of one-story buildings in the traditional Chinese vernacular architectural style, and spread over the Wing On Street area. The Asia Antique Arts & Ancient Porcelain Appraisal Center now stands on one of the former buildings of the leather factory.
As to My Secret Garden, it is an artistic venture of the residents of Peng Chau. They have gathered all sorts of discarded junk, and turned them into artwork for display at the garden. It is meant to be a community space with lots of colors and cheerfulness to go around.
The Kee Sum Café lies in the middle of Wing On Street, which is a busy thoroughfare with most of the main commercial establishments of Peng Chau. The restaurant prides a long history of 40 years in business. Its best known dishes are the fried shrimp toast, pork chop cutlets, French toasts, and we were all very happy with our orders from the special drinks menu, including iced rose latte. Our fried pork chop udon was very good as well.
It seemed to me that the restaurant was renovated rather recently, and therefore the whole dining experience was pleasant in a hip, clean and well-managed ambiance.
I always enjoy visiting fishing villages. According to online sources, some of the ruins of Peng Chau’s industries lie within the Nam Wan Fishing Village. We did not take a walk inside the village. For my purposes, just seeing the one single row of sun-dried fish lined up on a rope was about good enough.
From the Nam Wan Fishing Village we headed back toward the pier, but we passed by a café with an irresistible outdoor seating area. Despite the heat, we decided to have our afternoon coffee outside. We were very much drawn to the relaxed atmosphere of this coffee shop, clearly catering to the cultured and the artsy.
The coolness of the Edible Projects goes beyond its appearance. It is in fact a social enterprise. The café hires people with autism.
Besides a standard selection of coffee, there are some pretty innovative drinks on the menu, such as frizzy water with fresh fruits. Although we did not try their food, the menu shows both creativity and commitment to healthy living. All in all, the whole café gives forth an image that in every way meets its status as a social enterprise. The staff delivered an experience that both highlights and completes my first visit to Peng Chau.
Of the inhabited islands that I have visited in Hong Kong so far, Peng Chau comes out as my favorite. As compared to the popular islands like Cheung Chau and Lamma, Peng Chau is a whole lot quieter. It is smaller, and perhaps also much cleaner than the other two. Yet that does not mean that Peng Chau pales in comparison in terms of character and fun things to do. There is also no lack of good food there. Finally, the speed ferry only takes about half an hour to ride between Peng Chau and Central. If I were able to afford a vacation home in the islands, Peng Chau would be my first choice.
Historic descriptions on-site.
The Wikipedia on Ping Chau (Chin).
Former Lime Kiln and Match Factory, Peng Chau, Hong Kong Tourism Board.
A One-day Trip to Peng Chau with Nine Spots to Visit, hk01.com.
I was looking for easily accessible heritage sites in northern New Territories. Research revealed that there are two Grade 1 Historic Buildings in the villages of Wo Hang in Sha Tau Kok. The first is the Fat Tat Tong of Ha Wo Hang Tsuen Village …