Land Reclamation in Tuen Mun Preview

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1

Kadoorie Pier

We start our tour at the Kadoorie Pier, also known as the Castle Peak Pier, to get an idea of the original coast line. Here we can still see natural coastline which has large stones and trees. The pier itself was moved here to Tsing Shan Wan in between 2001 and 2003 to replace the previous one built in the 1940s. As the pier was in poor condition, it was deemed to be too expensive to maintain and a reconstruction was deemed more cost-effective. Currently, the pier seems to be used only by hobby fishers. There is also a pavillion at the site and a cannon, which reminds people of the coastal defense at Tuen Mun. Since the place has long been a garrisson in Chinese history, it was an important way point for ships from Southeast and South Asia. The Portuguese in the 16th century sought to capture the place but failed and eventually settled on nearby Macau.

2

Castle Peak San Chau Ma Temple 青山三洲媽廟

Small temple at the roadside. Built in 1916, it has over 100 years of history. The temple used to sit right at the waterfront and its god, the Tin Hau, protected fishermen who went out to see to feed their families.

3

Stone marker of the old coast line

This is an important point along the tour because this stone marks the old coastline. Here we can learn more about how the land was reclaimed and built up. If we close our eyes, we may be able to imagine the coast running in front of us. However, we also need to block the noise from the road running by.

4

Sam Shing Temple

The Sam Shing Temple was built in 1914 and opened to the public in 1921. It is located well above the old coast line on a small hill, which once overlooked the bay. While it is an impressive old building, the inside is not particulary interesting. However, you will have a great view of the land that is now reclaimed. The temple is dedicated to three different religions and their sages, namely Confucius of Confucianism, Sakyamuni of Buddhism and Lao-tzu of Taoism, who are known as the three saints. This illustrates the syncratic nature of Chinese religions.

5

Hoi Tin Garden Restaurant

With a history of over 30 years, the restaurant is on the Michelin list which calls it the "biggest and best known restaurants on the seafood street in Sam Shing". You are advised to bring your own seafood from the nearby market.

6

Sam Shing Seafood market

The seafood market offers a wide variety of freshly caught seafood including many fish and shellfish. Customers can buy the fish and then let the nearby restaurants make dishes out of them. The market is said to be cheaper than similar places in Hong Kong such as in Saikung.

7

Castle Peak Bay Waterfront Promenade

The Castle Peak Bay Waterfront Promenade is located in between Tuen Mun Sam Shing Village and Castle Peak Beach. It can be accessed from Sam Shing Street. The promenade has a length of 800m and measures 8,000 square meters. It is built on the breakwater of Tuen Mun Typhoon Shelter and offers a great view of the Tuen Mun Typhoon Shelter as well of what remains of the Castle Peak Bay. This is a great place to watch the sunset. The benches have been designed in Tanka-boat and Chinese-style sails while the pavement has the pattern of the dragon dance.

8

Sam Shing Public Housing Estate

Sam Shing Estate (Chinese: 三聖邨) is a public housing estate that was built on the reclaimed land of Castle Peak Bay and is the third public housing estate in Tuen Mun. Overall, the estate consists of three residential blocks which were completed in 1980. The estate was named after the nearby Sam Shing Hui, an old fishing village in which most of the villagers were fishermen.

9

Mouse Island

This used to be an island before reclamation. The lighthouse that used to guide ships is still on the land. However, today it is integrated with a playground that has taken the sea as a motive. There are artifical ships for the kids to play on. A marker at the site claims the name comes from the shape of the island which looked like a small mouse. A more gruesome tale suggests that in the past sick people were left to die on the island, which attracted the rodents to feed on their bodies. There are even ghost stories related to this tale. Some people consider the island and playground haunted.

10

Pedestrian Bridge with old photos

This bridge brings you some of the photos from old Tuen Mun. Unfortunately, they aren't in the best condition. There is also historical information but only in Chinese. Don't forget to look below the bridge. There is another photo from the 1970s.

11

Images of the land reclamation

On the pedestrial walkway across the highway, there are numerous photos showing the land reclamation in Tuen Mun.

12

Tuen Mun Park

The park is built on reclaimed land and covers an overall area of around 12.5 hectares which includes 1500 trees and 100,000 shrubs of about 200 different species. It is the first major park in the New Territories and was built to make the New Town of Tuen Mun more attractive by giving its residents greenery in the middle of the urban areas. It was constructed in 3 phases with Phase I opening to the public in August 1985, Phase II in August 1988, and Phase III in February 1991. The park includes a Reptile House which is open free of charge. Moreover, there are artificial lakes. Around one of them, people assembled in 2020 to commemorate the Tiananmen Massacre on June 4, 1989 as can be seen in one of the photos. Aside of that, there are other entertainment facilities like amphitheater and playgrounds. The park has gained some infamy for the so called "daima", which also means “aunties” which are middle aged women mainly from mainland China who are singing in public spaces and are considered a nuisance by many Hong Kongers. Protests have been staged against this activity in the park.

13

Tin Hau Bridge with view on Tuen Mun river

This river used to be part of the bay. Currently an extension of the MTR is being planned and the scenery may change dramatically in the future.

14

Hau Kok Tin Hau Temple

The temple was originally built at the seashore and facing the sea but nowadays is facing the Tuen Mun River. It is in close distance from the Tuen Mun MTR station. Currently, there is a large empty space in front of the temple on which there is a gate. During the annual Tin Hau Festival, the space turns into celebrations and during the Lunar New Year there is a fair. The goddess of Tin Hau protects the fishermen, which is why the temple was built originally. It was first constructed in 1637 and renovated frequently. As workers of the salt mines arrived and the area prospered, the temple also experienced its heyday. The latest reconstruction took place in 1989.

Land Reclamation in Tuen Mun
14 Stops