The Rambler Hong Kong

The Rambler

5 May 2023

HK$ 50

EDITOR'S WORDS

Millennials in Hong Kong like us were raised in modern communities and did not have opportunities to experience life in the village. Although we would learn local history about the fishing industry from textbooks, many youngsters in Hong Kong are not familiar with the daily life of fishermen or even think they no longer exist in the modern days. Last year, news of the iconic Jumbo Floating Restaurant sinks in the South China Sea drew my attention, and since then I began to gather information about the history of marine-related businesses in Hong Kong. Visiting a couple of presently existing fishing villages and talking to indigenous people from these villages, I realised that we should pay attention to the preservation of local cultural heritage before they are marginalised by urbanisation.

VENUS, CHAN WING YIN

Year 4, Bachelor of Journalism

The University of Hong Kong

Born and raised in a new town in Hong Kong, I always wonder what it looked like when it was a remote fishing village before reclamation. In recent years, we always hear about urbanisation projects namely the Lantau Tomorrow Vision and Northern Metropolis development project. In the meantime, that means the rich indigenous culture of Hong Kong and fascinating natural scenery would be sacrificed little by little, creating one and another similar concrete jungle all over the territory. Urbanisation seems to be to an inevitable process as an outcome of prosperity, however, I wonder if we should pay more attention to the conservation of cultural heritage – which represents our sense of identity.

ANDRIS, HO KIN HANG

Year 4, Bachelor of Journalism

The University of Hong Kong

SPECIAL THANKS

MATTHEW LEUNG

Honaray Lecturer

Journalism and Media Studies Centre

The University of Hong Kong

AJ Libunao

Director of Bachelor of Journalism Programme and Lecturer

Journalism and Media Studies Centre

The University of Hong Kong

CONTENT

INTRODUCTION

The Origin of Hong Kong

The Floating Villages

The City's Waterfolk Challenges

FEATURE 1 - Ap Lei Chau

Faith of the Fishermen

Qing Dynasty to the Modern Time

Exploring the Ap Lei Chau Promenade

Urban Development

FEATURE 2 - Aberdeen

Exploring the Aberdeen Promenade

Aberdeen 1773L Fishing Hertiage Tour

FEATURE 3 - Tai O

The History and Living of Stilt Houses

Cultural Tourism

On the Street

heung1

Sense of fragant coming from agarwood, species of resinous wood formed from incense trees that grow in the wild.

gong2

Historically fortunate in having a sheltered natural harbour, especially in exporting agarwood.

Photo: The Cantonese Museum, 1960

THE ORIGIN OF HONG KONG

history of the waterworld

Before developing into one of the most prosperous international business hubs, Hong Kong was a small fishing village before the foundation in 1841 and formed by four main ethnic groups: the Punti, the Hakka, the Hoklo, and the protagonist of The Rambler Hong Kong this month – Boat Dwellers.

The marine-related customs and culture of Boat Dwellers have been passed down from generation to generation, constructing the rich seafaring culture and flourishing fisheries capture industry in Hong Kong. These indigenous elements which have come to form part of the local intangible cultural heritage, however, are curtailing and often neglected by the general public amidst rapid urbanisation in recent years. In the issue, we will not only cover the history of the Boat Dwellers, but also to seek culture and history from presently existing fishing villages in Hong Kong.

GEOGRAPHY OF HONG KONG

Hong Kong is a coastal city located on the Southern coast of China, and to the east of the Pearl River Estuary. With the remarkable sea coverage of about 1700 km² within its boundaries, the sea of Hong Kong was home to a wide variety of marine life. Hong Kong is home to more than 5,000 marine species as recorded, under which residents also enjoy wealth of the sea through fishing.

Archaeological studies have also reflected the abundant saltwater shores of Hong Kong as surrounded by the South China Sea on all sides apart from the northern inland area. This enabled Hong Kong to become an important hub for fishing activities, and the unique fishing community in Hong Kong has existed naturally owing to its geographical advantages.

STORIES OF THE SEA'S DWELLERS

The first group of inhabitants of Hong Kong traced their roots back to the indigenous ethnic group in Southern China, who once lived in Guangdong and Fujian. These sea dwellers are also known as the Tanka or boat people who mostly settled around Aberdeen.

There were more than 4,000 households who resided in the Aberdeen typhoon shelter, establishing a self-sufficient community. Yet, many boat people have begun to relocate ashore as a result of increasing regulations regarding the fishing industry as imposed by the government, making them more difficult to make a living from the sea. The population of Aberdeen's sea dwellers almost completely disappeared by 2010 as a result.

WATER TRANSPORTATION

Sampans were one of the major forms of transportation in Hong Kong back in the 1950s. They used to ferry people to and from their boats. They also transported goods including newspapers and other products.

However, rapid industrial development took place in Hong Kong during the 1960s. With a larger volume of imports and exports, transportation by Sampans faced replacement by larger ships. Water transportation also faded since the opening of the Cross-Harbour Tunnel in 1972. The production of Sampans gradually diminished owing to urban development. Consequently, boat-building docks on both sides of the harbour have been replaced by residential buildings and factories.

Hong Kong consisted of a number of offshore islands.

People crossing along rivers by cable ferry.

Photo: HKU Libraries, 1981

Photo: Glass, D., 1986

WordAtlas, 2008

THE FLOATING VILLAGES

THE SAMPAN INDUSTRY

Sampan was once a popular form of water transportation in Hong Kong, it was frequently used to ferry people across the Aberdeen Harbour.

FLOATING GROCERIES

In the past, there were floating groceries operated on Sampan in the Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter. Back in the time when there were a larger population of locals who lived on Sampans, the operation of floating markets could be convenient for the purchase of necessities across Sampans. People also operated other types of businesses on Sampans, including seafood markets and restaurants with fishball noodles as their signature dish. Yet, there are only a few floating markets remain in Aberdeen and Sai Kung nowadays.

Sampans refer to "three planks" in Cantonese, which refer to the construction structure in 3 wooden planks. Sampans are small, and flat-bottomed wooden boats. These boats often have an open deck design with upcurved endings. Sampans were first discovered in China for transportation purposes. Not only do they carry small items such as seafood, but also served as accommodation for sea dwellers. This also explains the reason why Sampans are built with a roof for shelter. Nevertheless, it is unable for Sampans to handle stormy seas due to their fragile wooden structure.

Despite a rare appearance in Aberdeen Harbour, they have been less used for economic purposes today. People who once lived on Sampans also moved ashore, or have been engaging in other types of occupations other than fishermen under the developed economy of Hong Kong. Although certain Sampans are still located in Aberdeen Harbour, they are only used for trips across rivers, or between docks. Sampans are at the risk of extinction as more kinds of advanced transportation have been developed.

Photo: Maggie

H.

Photo: Y.C Chu, 1975

FLOATING SEAFOOD MARKET

Different from the world-famous Tsukiji Market in Japan or the Vigo Fish Market in Spain, the one-of-a-kind floating seafood market could only be found in Hong Kong, with its unique style of selling fishermen’s fish catch directly from their traditional wooden sampan.

Nevertheless, the scale of the floating seafood market has been curtailing in recent years due to the decline in the capture fisheries industry in Hong Kong. From touristy locations namely Tai O, to more locally oriented places like Aberdeen and Apleichau, we investigated the present operation of floating seafood markets and traced back their ancient maritime history – before they are completely replaced by modern wholesale markets.

Photo: UMB Libraries Digital Collections, 1960

Photo: Y.C Chu, 1975

Fishermen preparing meals at "household" kitchen constructed on a boat.

THE CITY'S WATERFOLK

FISHERMEN'S WAY OF LIFE

Besides fishing and trading, what does the fishermen’s way of life look like? In Hong Kong, the Tankas are an ethnic group in Hong Kong who traditionally lived on sampan or junks in coastal parts of Hong Kong for decades, also widely known as the boat dwellers.

According to the information provided by the Hong Kong Museum of History, the ancestors of the boat dwellers might be descendants of the ancient Yue (Canton) people, routinely spent their entire lives on boats and engaged in marine-related trades such as fishing, oyster-farming, pearl-diving and making salted-fish.

LIFE ON HOUSEBOATS

In modern times, most of the fishermen no longer live on the houseboats and not preferably spend their whole lifes on the boat as their ancestors. Talking with fishermen we met in fishing villages, most of them are involved in the fishing industry as they were born and raised in a fishermen family.

With the rapid urbanisation and the improved quality of life living in accommodation on land, houseboats are no longer a preferable home to many fishermen. However, fishermen who insist on staying on houseboats are eager to keep the tradition , and they see it as a crucial part of Hong Kong fishing history despite its decline.

Photo: Harry T.C. Chan, 2014

Traditional fishing village with plentiful small boats parked along the outlying islands of Hong Kong.

Small fishing boats parked alongside the Aberdeen Harbour. We can see that kids and eldery also live on boats as a part of the community.

Photo: Dewolf C., 2017

Local fishermen selling fresh-ly caught fishery on boat. They displayed fisherise by displaying them on plastic trays.

Photo: Cheung P.Y., 2010

CHALLENGES amidst the changing society

MUI WO PUBLIC HOUSING

On top of the decline of the fishing industry and change of traditional boat dwellers’ lifestyle, the housing shortage issue also ushered traditional fishing villages to change. According to the Lantau Tomorrow Vision development project proposed by the Government of Hong Kong in 2018, artificial islands will be built near Lantau Island and Mui Wo will be re-developed to a new town accommodating more population.

As the first step, two high-rise residential estates Ngan Ho Court and Ngan Wai Court were built in 2017. Despite controversy among indigenous villagers in Mui Wo, the project finished smoothly as to prioritise housing shortage issues over conservation of natural scenery.

ISLAND OF FEAR

Once the Lantau Tomorrow Vision development project launches, the construction of artificial islands through massive land reclamation would be conducted.

The water area containing diverse species and natural resources near the eastern waters of Lantau Island would be influenced on a colossal scale, needless to mention the influence to the natural scenery of Lantau Island.

LANTAU DEVELOPMENT

Despite the concerns among environmental organisations and Lantau Island indigenous villagers, the Lantau Tomorrow Vision development project is still poised to strive – as to tackle the long-term issue of Hong Kong: land shortage.

To provide more land sources, Hong Kong has always been adopting the method of reclamation for creating new towns. Latest new town development projects based on reclamation such as Tseung Kwan O, Ma On Shan and part of Apleichau, were all planned in the 90s and developed into mature communities today – during the time when the awarenesses on sustainability and environmental protection among the general public were not heightened. Thus, it might be inevitable to see the government launching reclamation projects as long as the land shortage issue could not be tackled.

Nevertheless, Lantau Island seems to be a special case this time. The unprecedented huge scale of reclamation and the proximate location to the hidden garden for Hong Kong people –Lantau Island, raised concerns exceedingly among the general public. Before it loses its fascinating natural scenery, it might be the last chance for us to treasure this last piece of green in the concrete jungle.

Photo: P. W. Leung, 2018

FISHING VILLAGE IN THE CONTRETE JUNGLE

Located off the south shore of Hong Kong Island, Apleichau is one of the most densely populated islands around the globe with high-rise condominiums from the seashore all up to the mountain, alongside modern commercial and industrial buildings, with modern mass transit connecting the island to the central area of Hong Kong.

This thoroughly urbanized island, however, was nothing more than an ordinary fishing islet before a massive urbanization plan launched by the British Hong Kong Government, as to settle the colossal amount of immigrants from China and to respond to the rapid development of Hong Kong. With its name literally symbolizing tongue (Lei) of a duck (Ap) in Cantonese, Apleichau remains its historical background of how inhabitant fishermen named the island by resembling nature, before it had turned into a concrete jungle as we see. From an obscure fishing island to the renowned densely populated island, we hope to see the inherent culture through fishermen’s life amidst this modern community.

FAITH of the FISHERMEN

LANTERN

The lanterns in red symbolize good fortune and are believed to protect the fishermen while they sail out for fishing. It also represents wealth, fame, and prosperity, symbolising prosperous fishing and flourishing life.

HUNG SHING TEMPLE, APLEICHAU

Facing the Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter, the Hung Shing Temple located near the old main street of Apleichau has been worshipped by the fishermen and maritime traders for protection and rich catches. Declared as a first-grade monument in 2014, this legendary temple on Apleichau was allegedly built over 250 years ago during the Qing Dynasty in 1773 for the worship of Hung Shing.

“FUNG TIU JYU SEON” PRAYER FOR FAVOURABLE WEATHER

Despite the ever-changing community and couple times of renovations, the appearance and its unique architectural traits have never been destroyed, maintaining a similar image as it was built two decades ago. Among its visuals, the faith of fishermen has never changed as well. Till now, “Fung Tiu Jyu Seon” is still an essential belief among fishermen, which is the prayer for favourable weather conditions for fishing in Cantonese. Not only fishermen or fish merchants, boat makers and residents who live nearby come here to pray as a daily routine – inheriting this spiritually essential element of the neighbourhood.

HUNG SHING 洪聖

SPIRITUALITY AND BELIEFS OF THE FISHERMEN IN HONG KONG

According to The Chinese Temples Committee, there are mainly 15 idols that could be found in a vast array of temples in Hong Kong, while traditional temples like Hung Shing Temple retain their original fung shui setting of facing the sea and associate proximately with the local community, could barely be found in Hong Kong now. Among countless Gods and Goddesses in traditional Chinese culture, Hung Shing is known as the God of the South Sea. As a popular deity in Southern China, worshippers believe Hung Shing could shield them from maritime distress and natural disasters and also bless fishermen with fruitful harvests. It is also believed among fishermen that Hung Shing was a virtuous official in the Tang Dynasty who had established an observatory which enabled accurate weather prediction.

POPULAR DEITIES IN HONG KONG

Apart from Hung Shing which represents the faith of fishermen on Apleichau, people on the other side of the Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter – Aberdeen – believe in Tin Hau instead of Hung Shing according to local fishermen. Despite other wellknown deities in Hong Kong such as Kwan Tai (God of War), Tai Sui (Sixty Gods of Time), Man Cheung (God of Literature and Bureaucracy) and Kwun Yum (Goddess of Mercy), Tin Hau is also a popular deity among fishermen like Hung Shing. Similar to Hung Shing, the god monitoring maritime affairs, Tin Hau is believed to travel above the sea to save people who drowned in the sea. Thus, Tin Hau and Hung Shing formed the most essential god and goddess to guard the fishermen at Aberdeen Harbour..

Apleichau Pontoon

TRANSPORT FOR FISHERMEN

Before the construction of the Apleichau Bridge in 1977, villagers on Apleichau heavily relied on the very traditional way of water transportation in Hong Kong, Sampan. Sampans serving the Apleichau-Aberdeen inbound line we see today are all modernised boats with a stiff shelter and an outboard engine, even with an electronic payment machine installed. It is totally different from the simple and crude flat-bottom wooden boat drawn by man in the past, according to an old Sampan driver who was born and raised in a fishermen's family on Apleichau.

SAMPAN ACROSS THE ABERDEEN TYPHOON SHELTER

Upon the construction of the Apleichau Bridge as well as the MTR South Island Line in 2016, the importance of Sampan seems to be declining ever since. Changing its mode to mainly serve tourists and elder residents who are used to taking Sampan for a long time, fortunately, the Sampan is still here amidst rapid urban development and leaves a remark on the history of Apleichau.

1 A sampan shuttle between Apleichau and Aberdeen amidst fishing boats on the Aberdeen Harbour. 2 Signboards at Apleichau Pontoon, assigning one way towards the Aberdeen fishing market and another way towards the Aberdeen bus terminus. 3 Marina Habitat, a high-rise residential estate built in 1998 amidst the old Apleichau neighbourhood. 4 Entrance of the Apleichau Pontoon for Sampan towards Aberdeen.

exploring the APLEICHAU PROMENADE

Located on the edge of the old Apleichau main street, Shui Yuet Kung is another traditional temple under the shadow of the iconic Hung Shing Temple, allegedly worshipped by other villagers who live in the west of Apleichau in the past. This small temple includes Kwun Yum, Kwan Tai (God of War), Tin Hau (Goddess of the Sea), Jai Kung (God of Abating Distress) and Wong Tai Sin.

Along the Apleichau Promenade, the Wind Tower Park was built in 2000 remarking on the history of the fishing village and fishermen’s life on Apleichau before urbanisation. Linking up Apleichau Estate in the west to the bottom of the gigantic Apleichau Bridge, Hung Shing Temple and Pontoon are also included in the park.

1 Fishing boats berth near the Apleichau Pontoon. 2 Passengers getting on Sampan from the bow. 3 Interior of the Sampan. 4 Memorial services are being conducted inside the Shui Yuet Kung temple.

Apleichau Promenade

Shui Yuet Kung

URBAN DEVELOPMENT RECLAMATION

Before Apleichau was developed into a dense community, the local fishing village had been marginalised due to the launch of a power station by Hongkong Electric in 1968, as to provide electricity for Hong Kong Island. The construction could not be finished without a huge scale of reclamation all around Yuk Kwai Shan, as to provide more land for the power station construction as well as the public housing estate construction. As a result, the coastline of Apleichau we see today has been manipulated due to the reclamation, while the power station was closed in 1989 and re-developed into the high-rise accommodation estate South Horizons.

Photo: Urban Diary: Ap Lei Chau, 1972

PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATE

Aside from reclamation along the seashore, the mountain was also excavated for providing more housing in response to the rapid economic development and soaring population during the 1980s, and also to accommodate fishermen who had suffered in a fire at the Aberdeen typhoon shelter. Ap Lei Chau Estate, completed in 1982, was the first public housing estate on Apleichau and located along the northern coastline. It is then followed by Lei Tung Estate and Yue On Court which were inaugurated in 1987 and 1988 respectively, replacing the previous Lei Tung Temporary Housing Area and forming new neighbourhoods on Apleichau stably till today.

Lei Tung Estate

Ap Lei Chau Estate

Photo: Minghong, 2008

Yue On Court

From a small fishing village

From a small fishing village on an isolated islet to currently the fourth most densely populated island in the world, Apleichau might be one of the most dramatic urbanisation cases in Hong Kong with its rapid development in the past 50 years. Fortunately, neither the mass transit has ushered the disappearance of Sampan, nor the modern accommodations have replaced the houseboats, so we could still have a glimpse of historically and culturally essential elements forming the inhabitant neighbourhood of Apleichau amidst urbanisation – before it vanishes.

To a dense community

THE SEAFARING ORIGIN OF HONG KONG

Tracing back to the Ming Dynasty, Hong Kong was the original name for the present Aberdeen town, until the British army landed near Aberdeen mistook the name for the entire Hong Kong island and left the name Aberdeen as referring to Aberdeen in Scotland. Against this backdrop, Aberdeen was named “Moto-hon-kon” during the Japanese occupation period, which indicates Aberdeen as the origin of Hong Kong. Nowadays, the name Aberdeen in Cantonese literally means little Hong Kong. Yet, the scale of the inhabitant floating village here has also been curtailing little by little, and the declining speed was even accelerated with the closure of world-famous Jumbo floating seafood restaurants located in the Aberdeen Harbour. By scrutinizing the Aberdeen community, we try to seek historical remarks that reflect the local history and culture – of the origin of Hong Kong.

香 ABERDEEN 仔 港

TRADE OF FISHERIES

Browsing the morning market along the promenade is the best way to soak in the culture of the floating village, in addition to stocking up on fresh seafood directly from fishermen. Located adjacent to the Aberdeen Wholesale Fish Market which is exclusive to the traders, here is a small and visitor-friendly market with a vast array of seafood at reasonable prices – just make sure to come before noon to feel the vibrancy of this one-of-a-kind fishermen's market.

Aberdeen Morning Market

Different from many wet markets managed by a government department or estate developer, the Aberdeen Morning Market keeps its original vibes as it is neither indoor nor managed by any company. The market spread along the Aberdeen Promenade with varied kinds of operation – relatively proper stores built in stilt houses, hawkers with their catches in buckets directly placed on the ground, and some fishermen just trade with consumers from the boat. Traditional wet markets have been strictly overseen by the government since the 80s, because of the plague pandemic raised by poor sanitary conditions among wet markets and hawkers. Meanwhile, the Aberdeen Morning Market is indeed the best place to pick up fresh and affordable live seafood directly from the fishermen – to feel the beating heart of this seafaring little Hong Kong community.

ABERDEEN 1773: Fishing Heritage Tour

Organised by the Seayou Explorer, the Aberdeen 1773 Fishing Heritage Sampan & Houseboat Tour offers a valuable experience of taking a cruise at the Aberdeen Harbour, with a close look at the closed Jumbo floating seafood restaurant and experience the life at the floating village. Beginning at the historical Hung Shing Temple Pier on Apleichau, the audio-guided tour (Cantonese, English, Mandarin, Japanese) will bring you back in time to have a glimpse of little Hong Kong before urbanisation. Aside from riding on the sampan and visiting houseboat, participants could have a panoramic view of Aberdeen and Apleichau, also the Shum Wan area and Ocean Park from the sampan – to escape the hustle and bustle and immerse in the rich seafaring history.

Sampan & Houseboat Tour

Tai Pak Floating Restaurant

One of the highlights of this unique sampan tour is absolutely the traditional boat noodles, cooked in a mobile sampan kitchen by an elderly couple, Fatt and Meiyi. According to the tour guide Nicole Yim, they are the “celebrity” at the floating village as they have been providing boat noodles on their Sampan for more than 20 years.

This kind of mobile Sampan Kitchen, nevertheless, only two remains in Aberdeen from the peak of around 20 at the harbour. As the government stopped issuing licenses, these two mobile sampan kitchens may vanish in the future.

Mobile Sampan Kitchen

THE CURTAILING FISHING INDUSTRY

According to the census released by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department in 2022, the capture fisheries industry of Hong Kong consists of 5080 fishing vessels and about 10320 local fishermen, while the amount has been declining due to the economic transition since the 60s. Undoubtedly, the main pillar supporting economics in Hong Kong is not the capture fisheries industry and fewer people are willing to involve in this industry nowadays. Nevertheless, we should pay more attention to the fascinating culture and history of how the international business hub, Hong Kong, was first developed as a fishing harbour by the indigenous Tanka people, a group of fishermen living in Hong Kong for centuries before urbanisation.

大 澳 TAI

THE VENICE OF HONG KONG

Hong Kong has been densely populated by highrise buildings for decades. In sharp contrast to the rest of the packed city, Tai O is the place for houses that are constructed on wooden stilts over the waterways.

The local fishing community have been around in Tai O for several centuries. It all began when the Portuguese temporarily held sovereignty over Hong Kong, while there seems to be not much Portuguese footmark left in the present-day society. Tai O was a major entry point for people fleeing from China in the 1940s, who arrived in boats. The primary industry used to be fishing, but it's possible that tourism has taken over. If you are looking for a getaway out of the rush and bustle of Hong Kong, a day trip to Tai O is definitely worthwhile.

THE HISTORY AND LIVING OF STILT HOUSES

VILLAGE ON STILTS

Stilt houses in Tai O have become an icon of traditional fishing villages that reflect the history and culture of the fishing industry of Hong Kong. Early settlement in Tai O can be traced back to the Ming Dynasty. The majority of Tai O's Tanka people originate from the Southern Chinese ethnic group that once lived around the South China Sea.

Fishermen are drawn to Tai O because of its favourable environment, including mountains and rivers that link to the sea. The stilt houses in Tai O show how the fishermen have adapted to their surroundings. The front part of stilt houses is a location for fishermen to gather the fish they've caught on fishing trips. The building style as placed on stilt over rivers also functioned as protection against flooding.

TOUR ALONG THE WATERWAYS

Getting on one of the touring boats, it is the best way to appreciate the spectacular scenery of Tai O. The 20-minute boat ride takes you on a journey with the signature stilt houses towering above the waterways, on top of the small boat that you will be riding. You may travel around the two main tourist attractions of Tai O, General's Rock and the Tai O Heritage Hotel, in addition to getting a closer look at the life of the local community.

Local fisherman selling his catches fresh on the boat.

Touring boat ready for a ride along the waterways.

CHALLENGES TO PRESERVATION

As the wheel of time turns, stilt houses have experienced wear and tear due to the natural ageing of construction materials and recurrent damage from rain and typhoon over time. The quality of life and the safety of the residents are severely impacted. To keep the tradition alive, there have been preservation programmes that aim to repair and restore the defective stilt houses in Tai O.

However, preservation remains difficult, and some of the stilt house owners appear less eager to have them rebuilt. Expensive maintenance cost is the key factor. Some owners find the cost unaffordable as they belong to low-income families. Since stilt homes are so directly related to public spaces, they are also vulnerable to immense destructions caused by poor weather conditions, which pose high risks to to them even after reparation.

Under the situation that Tai O is selected as the focus of tourism, there might be a gap between the government and the residents regarding the direction of preservation, and we might overlook the actual needs from the residents’ perspective. Despite emphasizing stilt houses as a tourist attraction, the government must reconsider the importance of Tai O stilt houses and value them in the eyes of the local community. The government should also be active in raising the living standard of stilt houses, including building structure and water quality.

A fishery store, constructed upon stilts to facilitate the businesses of fishermen who spent most time on river.

CULTURAL TOURISM

SEAFOOD MARKET

The fishing industry has defined Tai O and remains an inseparable part of its culture. Fishing undoubtedly continues to be a significant part of Tai O culture even in modern communities. There are many older residents who continue to rely on traditional fishing for their livelihood. Eventually, the unique culture of Tai O has become one of the driving forces for tourism there. Fishing is one of the intangible cultural heritage of Tai O that attract tourists. Cultural tourism can, therefore, be constituted based on its traditional fishing industry.

Inside the seafood market, there is a vibrant display of seafood that has just been freshly caught in the morning. Notice the elderly fishermen, they are professionally slicing the seafood with sharp knives. Endless activities in Tai O are related to the culture of fishing itself, and seafood is one of the best food that tourists enjoy during their visit. It is definitely an exciting chance to engage in the hustle and bustle seafood market in Tai O.

An elderly fisher who prepares freshly-caught seafood.

Street eateries selling grilled seasoned cuttlefish, which is served with Tai O’s signature shrimp paste.

SPECIAL TASTE OF TAI O

Seafood remains the primary business of Tai O. Walking by, the streets of Tai O are lined with local specialities such as savory shrimp paste, salted fish and other dried seafood.

“I have been here for more than 20 years. Tai O has changed a lot because of tourists, back in time, there weren’t so many visitors even during weekends,” said Wong, a dried seafood store owner who inherited the business from his father.

“Customers will certainly be amazed by the savory taste of our seafood,” he said. Wong’s store sells diverse types of dried seafood, displayed in colourful trays that catch passerbys’ eyes. Wong believed the way to attract customers is to give them our generously for tasting. The pandemic has heavily attacked the businesses of Tai O. When tourists are constantly returning these days, Wong insisted to boost sales by attracting tourists.

Wong stands outside his store to pick dried seafood for customers.

ON THE STREET

INDULGE IN LOCAL TREATS

Along the Tai O Market Street a few feet away from the bus terminal, you can have a taste of the must-try street snacks made with seafood. We demonstrate the best street food of Tai O, so you can plan a savory getaway with your loved ones to this delightful community.

The smell of seafood is everywhere in Tai O. With freshly-caught seafood, there are street food stores known for seafood snacks including grilled cuttlefish and jumbo fishballs. They are well-seasoned with homemade sauce and spices, known for a rich favour.

Of course, Tai O is also recognized for its shrimp paste, which is made of silver shrimp. They are usually captured at night, then salted, fermented, and dried as shrimp paste. Make sure you make your way to the store selling Chinese crepe wraps, with shrimp minced pork fried in rich shrimp paste inside. There are also modern coffee shops, whose owners generously give out free cool drinks.

CULTURAL HERITAGE IN HONG KONG

From the southern edge of Hong Kong Island to the western edge of Lantau Island, we visited three distinct fishing villages which demonstrate different levels of impacts brought by urbanisation, in terms of the traditional lifestyle and culture of the indigenous Boat Dwellers.

With the proximity to the central area of Hong Kong Island, Apleichau and Aberdeen have experienced dramatic changes, and only a few houseboats at the Aberdeen Harbour and historical temples could survive amidst rapid urbanisation. In the meantime, maritime-related businesses which used to be the foundational economic pillars in Hong Kong, have lost their prosperities due to the economic transformation as well.

Fortunately, with the end of the pandemic this year, the local tourism industry is gradually recovering and Tai O rejuvenates as a tourism spot known for its rich fishing history. Nonetheless, the balance between urbanisation and cultural reservation would always be a complicated issue, and we should treasure the local cultural heritage before they vanish.