LEGENDS & STORIES OF THE NEW TERRITORIES: KAM TIN 115
and is on a hill named Hau Tei (#) king crab ground, near the village of Ch'ai Waan Kok (A) Ts'uen Waan ( ) district. The tablet has a poem engraved on it written by Paak Yuk Shim (1) a poetical genius of the Sung dynasty. He was also famous for his paintings which were highly admired among Chinese Scholars. Legends have attributed to him magical powers, and he is supposed to have appeared and disappeared in all the famous mountains from Tung Koon, San On and to the east of Kwangtung.
He received the title of "Tsz T'sing Chan Yan” (**^^) from the emperor Sung Ning Tsung (#). Biographies of him were recorded in Tung Koon Yuen Chi (£) Ch'iu Chau Foo Chi (M) and many other books. The poem on the grave was remarkable for the curious allusions that were made in it to the future. It runs:-
1. 長伸左手接星羅,
2. 走攬青衣濯碧波,
3. 深夜一潭星斗現,
4. 裏頭容萬船過。
5. 有人下得朝陽穴,
6. 十三年內登科,
7. 若是世人尋不得,
8. 囘頭轉問釣魚哥。
This can be roughly translated as follows:
1. "Put out the left hand as far as Sing Hill,
2. running as far as to Tsing I island wash it in the green waves.” These two lines refer to the position of the grave.
3. "In deep night one harbour all the stars appear.”
Alluding to the lights of Hong Kong harbour in the future.
4. "Inside harbour there will be ten thousand ships passing to and fro.
The trade that was to come to Hong Kong.
5. "If any one can find the proper site of the grave
6. in thirteen years' time his descendants will pass the highest degree of Government examinations."
This came true in so far as the Tang family were very successful in passing examinations and some of them became high officers and men of rank.
7. "If people in the world try to find, and are unable to find it
8. turn your head round and ask the young fisherman."
Referring to the grave again. When Tang Foo was finding the place for the grave the local villagers pointed out to him a stone known as the Fishing Stone which helped him to decide on the site.