Vignettes of the World
The plan of the day was first a walk in Shek O’s Tai Tau Chau (also known as Urn Island), then head over to Big Wave Bay and ascend the Pottinger Peak via the Pottinger Peak Country Trail. The walk ended in Chai Wan, when …
The plan of the day was first a walk in Shek O’s Tai Tau Chau (Urn Island), then head over to Big Wave Bay and ascend the Pottinger Peak via the Pottinger Peak Country Trail. The walk ended in Chai Wan, when I found my …
I have previously written on the Tai Fu Tai and Tung Shan Temple. Both are landmarks that stand testament to the Man’s history in San Tin, Yuen Long. Since there are more such heritage sites, I decided to visit San Tin again to seek out the Man Lun Fung Ancestral Hall, the Man Sun Ye Ancestral Hall and the Man Ancestral Hall (also known as Dun Yu Tong).
I have briefly told the story of the Man clan’s origins in my entry on the Tung Shan Temple. To trace back to a time even earlier than the direct lineage ancestor Man Tin-shui, I learned more when I did research for this entry on the Man Lun Fung Ancestral Hall.
An early ancestor of the Man’s was a Han Dynasty general that stationed in Chengdu, Sichuan. During the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, the Man’s moved to Jiangxi. At the end of the Southern Song Dynasty, when Mongolian forces captured Wen Tianxiang, his cousin on the paternal line, Man Tin-shui fled to Baoan, Guangzhou. What followed was the further moving-south of Man Sai-kor, who was the seventh generation ancestor after Man Tin-shui, to San Tin. Man Sai-kor founded the Man villages here in Hong Kong.
The Man Lun Fung Ancestral Hall commemorates Man Fat-po (also named Man Lun-Fung), who was of the 8th generation of the Man ancestors. He was the second son of Man Sai-kor.
The Man’s efforts to settle down in this area of Hong Kong were successful, and they changed the face of this land. When they first came to this area of Yuen Long, it was a swamp. They used a simple method to drain the land, and turned it into arable fields. As a result, people named this place San Tin, meaning “new fields,” to note the Man’s successful turnaround of their livelihood in this new home.
There are at least five ancestral halls of the Man’s in San Tin. Of the three ancestral halls I saw in this visit, I think the Man Lun Fung Ancestral Hall has made the most favorable impression.
The Man’s built it during the mid to late 17th century. During its long history, the Man Lun Fung Ancestral Hall has served many purposes, as community, cultural, ceremonial and educational venue for the Man clan. Some villagers still remember it as a school. Today, the Man’s celebrate traditional festivities mostly at this ancestral hall. For example, the ancestral worship at Chung Yeung Festival is one of the most important events of the year. For Chinese New Year, there is a lantern-lighting celebration here. It has also been the meeting place for village elders.
The Man Lun Fung Ancestral Hall became a monument in 1983. In 1987, the Antiquities and Monuments Office restored it with donations from the Jockey Club. In 1995, it underwent another restoration with government funds.
Unlike the Tai Fu Tai, the Qing Dynasty mansion home for Man Chung-luen, that features elements of mixed western and traditional styles, the Man Lun Fung Ancestral Hall is purely traditional in all its architecture.
The layout is one of three halls on its main axis with two enclosed courtyards. Viewed from the interior of the first main hall, a plaque with the words “To Shu Tong” hangs on the high beam at the hallway. “To Shu Tong,” standing alone, means “the hall of speaking with scholarship.” Indeed, this plaque itself is a cultural relic. In the 11th year of the Jiaqing Reign (1806), Song Xiang, who was admired as Lingnan’s most gifted scholar, wrote these very three words for the Man Lun Fung Ancestral Hall.
Lun Fung is the name of the ancestor to which this ancestral hall is dedicated. The word “Lun” means the mythical creature kirin. Culturally, it also means sons. The phrase “Kirin To Yuk Shu” refers to the imagery of a kirin spewing a jade book. It serves as the omen for the birth of a son destined to make scholarly accomplishments. Legend has it that a kirin spewed out a jade book when Confucius was born.
The couplets lining the sides of the front entrance also refer to learnedness. This is very intriguing to me. Most of the ancestral halls feature couplets and plaques themed in auspicious phrases. References to erudition are rare. At that moment, I felt that this blue-brick building, with its unusually high ceiling and beautiful, aged carvings on the beams, to carry a sense of the lyrical and the poetic.
Photo: The Man ancestors’ soul tablets are enshrined in the main hall of the Man Lun Fung Ancestral Hall.
Perhaps I like the Lun Fung Ancestral Hall even more so than the Tung Shan Temple. As it has been more than twenty years since its last restoration, the Lun Fung Ancestral Hall is showing signs of age. The recently-restored Tung Shan Temple has brilliant colors that convey a sense of bold authority. In contrast, the Man Lun Fung Ancestral Hall commands respect and solemnity due to its height and an aged elegance. It was humble but no less respected.
When I visited at the end of 2021, I saw some workers there setting up some kind of structural repair. I think they were adding reinforcements to the structure.
There are so many ancestral halls for the Man’s in San Tin because each side lineage within the clan commemorates its ancestors with an ancestral hall. The Man Sun Ye Ancestral Hall belongs to a branch lineage of the Man’s. As such, it remains closed to visitors.
The Man Sun Ye Ancestral Hall was built in the mid-18th century. An interesting fact is that the Man Sun Ye Ancestral Hall is built to the same form as the Man Ancestral Hall (see below) next to it. For the Man Ancestral Hall commemorates all lines of Man Ancestors as the original ancestral hall.
When I visited, I saw significant revamping work at the site. It would not have made any difference though, since the site is not open to public visit. It is a Grade 2 Historic Building. Given the current state of restoration as shown in this photograph, I believe the structure will show a kind of brightness similar to the Tung Shan Temple when the process finishes.
The Man Ancestral Hall is the original ancestral hall of the Man’s in Fan Tin Tsuen Village. It is believed that the founding father of the Man clan in San Tin, Man Sai-kor, built the Man Ancestral Hall. The year of construction is believed to be 1444, during the Ming Dynasty. There is also no public access to this ancestral hall.
Take Bus 76K either from Sheung Shui or Yuen Long and get off at the San Tin stop. Pass the restaurants and you will be at the road that leads you to the Tai Fu Tai, with signs pointing you also to the Man Lun Fung Ancestral Hall. This path will lead you to Fan Tin Tsuen Village within the San Tin area. The three ancestral halls stand within the vicinity of each other.
The map is from the Aniquities and Monuments Office, see first citation under Sources.
This is part of the series on the Man clan’s history in San Tin, Yuen Long. See also the entries on Tai Fu Tai and Tung Shan Temple. Consider doing all these sites in one trip. It is doable within a half day.
Antiquities and Monuments Office, Tai Fu Tai, Man Lun Fung Ancestral Hall, 2021.
Ng Ka Fai, Leung Yan Cheong, A Study on the Man’s of San Tin, Historical Value and Cultural Heritage, A Year-end Thesis for the course Hong Kong Historical Artifacts and Monuments, Department of History at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, April 22, 2006.
The Wikipedia on the Man’s of San Tin (Chin).
The Wikipedia on Song Xiang (Chin).
The Wikipedia on the Man Sun Ye Ancestral Hall (Chin).
The Wikipedia on the Man Ancestral Hall (Dun Yu Tong) (Chin).
Kirin Spews a Jade Book (Chin), baike.baidu.hk.
Yi Tung, In Search of Cultural Monuments in the New Territories (2008), at 79-82.
Tsing Yi lies on northwestern side of Hong Kong Island. It is an island just west of Kwai Tsing. I learned from a few sources on the internet that there are exceptional views of the Tsing Ma Bridge along a system of hiking trails in …
Ki Lun Shan is quite a popular trail in my neighborhood. I have lived here for ten years and I finally mustered up enough courage to go. As it turned out, it did take some courage to take down this trail, which is along the …
In its first week of showing, the film Anita has topped the charts for Hong Kong-made movies. This was no surprise. Hong Kong, being in its current state of affairs, is rightly in the mode of nostalgia. Anita Mui Yeem Fong, the queen of Cantopop during the 1980s, was one of the most cherished icons of that bygone era.
The film is a biographical portrait of Anita Mui’s life, perhaps somewhat dramatized in a rather rosy light. It begins at Anita Mui’s childhood. She sings at the night clubs to earn a living at a tender age. A producer of a record company notices her talent, along with her sister Ann Mui. He approaches them with an opportunity: join the first New Talent Singing Championship.
The film proceeds in a good pace. Anita Mui wins the talent show, and the film then depicts how she rises to stardom. In this early time of her performance career, Anita forms some of the most significant relationships in her life. The film explores her relationships with her sister, friends, mentors and lovers .
There is a poignant portrayal of her most notable lifelong friendships. First is with Eddie Lau, who is her mentor and image advisor, and also with actor-singer Leslie Cheung, who also rises to stardom in the same period. Her friendship with Leslie Cheung has been a positive force in his life.
However, her romantic life, as it truly was in her life, was regretful. In the 1980s, she has a brief relationship with Japanese actor-singer Kondo Masahiko. The film tells the story in its best light possible. It presents a very touching scene where Kondo Masahiko protects Anita Mui, who hides in the closet, by stopping the producer of the record company from confronting and humiliating her. The film suggests that they end the relationship due to career concerns. Though in fact, it is well known that Kondo Masahiko is involved in a few relationships at the same time.
Quite a few of my friends have told me that they cried during the film. I did too, and actually a few times. The well of emotions that this film elicits is hard to explain. But let me do try here.
Anita Mui’s life is a testament to Hong Kong’s success. In her generation, most Hong Kong people have humble roots. In a balance of luck, hard work, perseverance and raw bravery, she rises to stardom. These are the qualities of Hong Kong itself, the spirit that enables Hong Kong’s success. On this point, viewers would naturally share a sense of pride. I do believe, however, that many Hong Kong people watching the film at this vantage point now lament on Hong Kong’s current state. Hong Kong is no longer at its heyday. The tearing factor is that what she stands for is now a thing surely past. In 2022, Hong Kong is not the same even as compared to to 2003, when Anita dies of cervical cancer at age 40.
The film presents some of Anita’s best-known character authentically. Her person is itself persuasion, as she does have many admirable qualities. I was no big fan of hers when I grew up. But the Hong Kong people knew her character well. She is strong, principled, hardworking, an exceptional friend, and she gives all in her love life. Having grown up seeing the seediness of nightclub entertainment, she does certainly have a dark side. She can be a bully herself, certainly, but she is genuine in her relationships, particularly with her sister Ann Mui, Leslie Cheung and Eddie Lau. Finally, she was passionate in her dedication to Hong Kong.
Another powerful aspect of the film is the reconstruction of Hong Kong’s old times. It is perhaps not meant to be subtle but the actors speak in a manner and accent of old Hong Kong. Of all the acting I first and foremost liked Louis Koo’s role as Eddie Lau. He presents so well the temperament of a supportive friend to both Anita Mui and Leslie Cheung in the complicated entertainment industry of Hong Kong. Then of course Louise Wong is simply dazzling in her debut film role as Anita. The tearing factor in this aspect is the pure hard work shown by all in the cast and production team. The film is well-done, and the effort is so commendable, that itself is moving.
There is a very careful selection of props. The rendition of 80s fashion and lifestyle in the film is a major success in bringing back the old times. I did learn that technology was key in remaking the scenes of the 1980s. For example, in the scene where Anita and Leslie Cheung promise to support each other at the harbour front, the skyline of Kowloon has to be restored to what it actually looked like in the 1980s.
The exceptional resources, efforts and thoughts that went into the production of Anita are seen throughout the film. I have heard that the team was stretched beyond its budget and Louis Koo had to contribute his own funds in order to complete it. Since the film has grossed more than 10 million by now, I am just happy to see that everyone who was involved to be amply rewarded for this production.
Finally, my only critique of the film is that there has not been enough of Anita Mui’s songs. There were quite a few points with actual footage of her performance interwoven with the re-created scenes, and that was well done. But I think the film should include some of her best songs in a number of other sections. I was slightly disappointed that some of my favorite songs of hers are not featured.
Having watched this film, I started thinking that an Anita musical may be a fruitful production as well.
My friend and I love excursions in the islands of Hong Kong. We have been to the Kwun Yam Wan Beach and the Mini-Great Wall Trail in southeastern Cheung Chau. This time we opted for open views in north Cheung Chau. Despite the myriad choices …
I suffered from a pretty significant injury at the hike at Kai Kung Leng. I walked this trail in order to re-train my knees. The first part of this trail consist of the main part of the Tai Lam Chung Reservoir Mountain Bike Trail. I …
Kat O was part of the Hong Kong Government’s celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark’s inclusion into the Global Geopark Network. The celebration comes with special arrangements for ferry transport, storytelling by the natives of the islands, interesting workshops, lion dances and other celebratory initiatives.
The activities for Kat O (Crooked Island) and Ap Chau (Duck Island) have already concluded in November. My father and I went island-hopping with a group of his friends. We visited both Kat O and Ap Chau on this day.
The itinerary was to first meet at the Ma Liu Shui Pier (note that the boarding point for the Kat O ferry is about a hundred meters toward the Shatin direction). We first spent an hour and a half at Ap Chau, then took the ferry to Kat O at 12:30. For the rest of the afternoon we stayed in Kat O, which is a significantly larger island, until the ferry would leave for Ma Liu Shui at 4:30pm. The journey between Kat O and Ma Liu Shui takes 1.5 hours.
Kat O, also known as Crooked Island, acquired its name by its shape and its purpose. Located west of Mirs Bay and east of Sha Tau Kok, the island spans an area of 2.36 square kilometers. It is the largest island in northeast New Territories.
In English, the name Crooked Island refers to the shape of the island being like a “Z.” It is also due to this shape that the bay of Kat O used to provide shelter to the fishing boats during stormy weathers. As such, the fishermen named it Kat O, meaning “Lucky Harbour.”
Kat O has every reason to take pride in its three-hundred-year history. According to the Pamphlets on Kat O, even during the New Stone Age, there were human activities in fishing and hunting on the island. Onto 1000-1700 AD, there were human settlements on the island. During the Qing Dynasty, after the Qing Government lifted the imperial decree on coastal evacuation, Hakka villagers moved to Kat O, and lived there along with the boat-dwelling fishermen.
During the late 19th century, the island became the economic hub for all kinds of trades. Kat O served as a major supply stop for the vessels sailing in this area between China and Hong Kong. It was denoted a proper marketplace on a San On County District Map in 1866. People then celebrated the island as The Pearl of the Mirs Bay.
At the Kat O Pier, turn right and you will be walking on the southern section of the Kat O Nature Trail. There are interpretation signs along this path to show you some salient features on the way.
Like the story of many rural areas in Hong Kong, the population of Kat O dropped significantly over the last few decades because many villagers have moved away for better opportunities. And this fact certainly shows through. The interpretation signs would point to a shop that once stood at that location, but when I raised my head I only see piles of rubbles at the original sites. Although it is a little sad, it is not difficult to imagine what glorious days this island once had.
Photo: This was once a pork table.
During the 20th century, the island experienced its prime during the 1950s and 1960s, when population reached as many as 6,000 with a booming fishing industry. On the Kat O Main Street, there used to be 60 shops at this time. The community was bustling with life.
The island had once given home to ten villages, with 43 clans and 37 surnames. During the low season for fishing, the residents of Kat O engaged in conch breeding. The conches of Kat O could grow as big as 40cm long and weighing several kilograms. They were the cash crop of the sea.
During the mid to late 20th century, the residents of Kat O began leaving the island for opportunities elsewhere. This mass exodus may have resulted in an 80% decrease in the island’s population. While certainly some residents left for the urban areas of Hong Kong, quite a large number also headed overseas. Even as early as after WWI, foreign companies have eyed the exceptional diving skills of the Kat O residents and hired them to be professional divers. In the 1950s, about 100 islanders left to become professional harvesters of pearl-producing oysters in Australia.
Continue walking and you will arrive at the Tin Hau Temple. The Kat O Story Room is right next to it. Do take some time to read the stories of Kat O in the Story Room. It is thorough, yet concise and engaging. I do hope that the story of Kat O will go on, perhaps in the sense that the residents will stay, or the old residents will come back to take it as a vacation home. May the community remain strong here.
I marveled at the beauty of the Tin Hau Temple when I arrived. It was well-restored. Its name in golden paint glistened under the sun. I could not help but to notice the beautiful ceramic figurines on the structure. There are also beautiful wood carvings inside.
In learning about the history of temples, usually the bronze bell is the most definitive guide. This is because most of these bronze bells bear dates. The bronze bell of this Tin Hau Temple is dated the 28th year of the Qianlong Reign (1763). As such, the temple is at least 250 years old.
The celebration of Tin Hau’s birthday on the 23rd day of the 3rd lunar month of the year involve both the Hakka (land-tied population) and the fishermen populations.
In terms of religious activities, the people of Kat O also holds the On Lung Tai Ping Ching Chiu Festival once every ten years. The people of Kat O believe that there is a dragon vein on the island that channels good fortune to its people. A smaller celebration is held once every five years. In the big celebration, the people of Tap Mun will sail to Kat O to invite the Tin Hau Goddess of Kat O to a joint celebration for the rural alliance in the area. That includes a number of inhabited islands, the believers in Sai Kung and Sam Mun Tsai, etc.
Finally, there are other smaller religious sites on the island, including a Kwun Yam Temple and a Sam Shing Temple.
Visitors to Kat O have two good options in terms of food, and many do look forward to having a Hakka meal at either Yick Man Restaurant or Wing Kee Seafood. They serve Hakka cuisine with a seafood emphasis. However, on this day I was simply too keen on seeing the island. I therefore did not join my father’s friends in having a meal there. Instead, I headed right onto the Kat O Story Room to see the exhibition. The restaurants are close to the Kat O Pier.
There are two peaks in Kat O of similar altitude. Lying in the southern side of the island is Ko Pang Teng, overlooking Kai Kung Leng and the beach of O Pui Tong. At an easy height of 70 meters, the walk took less than 20 minutes and you will see exceptional scenery there. I entered the trail near the Tin Hau Temple.
Photos: Panoramic views at Ko Pang Teng, Kat O
Lying on the north is Ko Tei Teng. Similarly, it has an easy height of 80 meters, and again the walk up was about 20 minutes only. I found the entrance to the trail within the fishermen’s village. Despite my best effort, however, I did not manage to spot the “Six Treasures of Double Haven” as introduced on-site at Ko Tei Teng.
The walks were very pleasant on both trails. Both came with well-paved stairs. I enjoyed the views at Ko Pang Teng slightly more, if you were to only do one trail in Kat O.
I am always very drawn to sceneries at fishing villages. A walk around the fishing village of Kat O takes about a half-hour. Small streets led me to the seaside, to the inland and back. Originally, the Hong Kong Government built nine houses and developed the fishermen’s village.
In 1962, Typhoon Wanda destroyed many fishing boats. As a result, quite a number of fishermen moved inland and resettled in the huts on the island. As sea catch in the area continued to decline, so did the fishing industry of Kat O. In the 1980s, many fishermen turned to fish farming. They raised expensive sea fish. There were still some signs of the fish farming industry in the island, but even much of that are gone by now.
This is a very long entry indeed, but I have not ruined it for you, because there is so much more about this island that I did not discuss here. I would say one can take easily a whole day here. We only spent a few hours here and I saw some key features, but it is certainly worth exploring. I am sure next time I will have my Hakka meal as well.
Finally, the celebration of the Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark will include a guided tour of Sam Mun Tsai and Ma Shi Chau on the weekend of December 18. I highly recommend doing this guided tour. Without proper training it is very difficult for anyone to find, recognize and appreciate the special geological features in Ma Shi Chau.
Ferries depart at the Ma Liu Shui Pier Landing No. 3 for Kat O and Ap Chau. The easiest way to get there is by walking about 15-20 minutes from the University Station on the East Rail Line. Again, this landing point is about a hundred meters toward the Shatin direction from the Ma Liu Shui Pier.
The tickets to Kat O and Ap Chau cost $90 return, and $45 one way. The staff will check your tickets when you leave Ma Liu Shui and when you do your return trip back to Ma Liu Shui. There is no ticket checking between Kat O and Ap Chau. People usually do visit both islands in one go. Please visit (and study carefully) the ferry schedule for Kat O and Ap Chau.
See also the same website for an alternative of boarding at the Sha Tau Kok Pier.
Pamphlets on Kat O, Agriculture Fisheries and Conservation Department.
Historic Descriptions on-site at the Kat O Story Room.
In celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark’s inclusion into the Global Geopark Network, the Hong Kong Government has organized a number of activities in various interesting Geopark locations. The activity period comes with special arrangements for ferry transport, storytelling …