XN000022-1981-09-02 — Page 3

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1981

HI TORICALLY, THERE IS VERY LITTLE KNOWN ABOUT THE FORT OR ITS OK GIN, BUT ITS CLOSE RESEMBLANCE TO THE TUNG LUNG FORT SUGGESTS THAT THE MAY BE CONTEMPORARY (POSSIBLY EARLY 17TH CENTURY) AND PROBABLY FORMED PART OF THE SAME DEFENCE "YSTEM.

'T IS NOT KNOWN FOR CERTAIN WHEN IT WAS ABANDONED BUT AN OLD GAZETTEER MAP OF LANTAU DATED 1836 SHOWS THE FORT WITH IT FLAG FLYING. BRITISH SOURCES OF 1841/42 DESCRIBED IT AS THE REMAINS OF AN OLD WALLED FORT. THIS SUGGESTS THAT IT WAS ABANDONED SOMETIME BETWEEN 1830 AND 1840.

SHEUNG YIU VILLAGE IS A SMALL, COMPACT AND VERY PICTURESQUE VILLAGE SITUATED ON THE EASTERN SHORE OF PAK TAM CHUNG ESTUARY NEAR THE WESTERN BO DARY OF THE SAI KUNG EAST COUNTRY PARK. IT WAS ORIGINALLY SETTLED ABOUT 150 YEARS AGO BY HAKKAS BY THE NAME OF WONG, WHO STARTED A KILN INDUSTRY PRODUCING BRICKS, TILES AND LIME. AFTER AN INITIAL PERIOD OF PROSPERITY, THE VILLAGE BEGAN TO DECLINE WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF CEMENT AND COMPETITION FROM OTHER BRICK-PRODUCING INDUSTRIES. IT WAS ABANDONED SOME 15 YEARS AGO AND COMPLETELY DESERTED.

THE VILLAGE IS BUILT ON A RAISED PLATFORM, ABOUT FIVE METRES ABOVE THE LEVEL OF THE ACCESS FOOTPATH, AND IS WELL PROTECTED WITH A HIGH RETAINING WALL IN FRONT. THE MAIN ORIENTATION OF THE VILLAGE, EAST-WEST (AND NOT THE USUAL NORTH-SOUTH), WAS CLEARLY INTENDED TO HAVE THE HILLS AT THE BACK AND THE SEA IN FRONT, AS REQUIRED BY GOOD +FUNG SHUI OBSERVANCE.

WITHIN THE VILLAGE ITSELF, THERE ARE EIGHT RESIDENTIAL UNITS IN ONE ROW, MOST OF THEM CONNECTED INTERNALLY BY DOORS IN THE DIVIDING WALLS. THE BUILDINGS ARE NEATLY CONSTRUCTED WITH THE OUTER WALLS MADE OF CHINESE GREEN BRICKS, WHILE THE INNER WALLS ARE BUILT OF RUBBLE. THE ENTRANCE DOORS ARE FRAMED BY GRANITE SLABS. ALL THE HOUSES HAVE MEZZANINE FLOORS.

THE VILLAGE DEMONSTRATES INTERESTING FEATURES OF CHINESE DWELLINGS, SUCH AS THE TRADITIONAL COMMUNITY STYLE OF THE VILLAGE-FAMILY LIFE, THE NEED FOR PROTECTION, AND THE FUNG SHU! ORIENTATION LAYOUT. IT IS ALREADY A POPULAR PLACE FOR VISITORS.

THE BUILDING AT PRESENT OCCUPIED BY THE DISTRICT OFFICE (NORTH) IN TAI PO MARKET DATES FROM ABOUT 1907. THE GROUNDS SURROUNDING IT WILL ALSO BE PRESERVED TO RETAIN ITS FINE SETTING.

IT IS A TWO-STOREY STRUCTURE OF A STYLE POPULAR AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY AND IS FINISHED IN FINE RED BRICK, WITH OPEN VERANDAHS AND HORIZONTAL BRICK LINTELS.

IT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES AND THE EARLIEST SEAT OF THE NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION.

THE BUILDING