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Hung Shing Temple
Restoration of temple on remote island wins UNESCO award
If you fancy a day out in the country, you cannot do much better
than head for the remote island of Kau Sai Chau, in the middle of
the large bay off the New Territories township of Sai Kung. There
you can find superb tranquility and a temple that has won an award
from UNESCO as an outstanding culture and heritage restoration
project. According to a plaque on the temple's walls, it was built
in 1889 as a shrine to Hung Shing, God of the Sea, one of the
deities worshipped by the island's many fishermen. It also served as
a community-gathering place, and a school for the children of the
village it was built to serve. The building is a typical small rural
temple with two halls. The courtyard between the front and main
halls has been roofed over, while the space on both sides remains
open. One of the side chambers was used for the school, and the
other one as living quarters for the temple-keeper.
In addition to the image of Hung Shing set in a place of honour on
the main altar, there are images of two other deities of seafarers,
Choi Pak Shing Kwan and Shui Sin Yeuh. The wall behind the altar has
an attractive mural depicting dragons, while a model of a dragon
boat and various seafaring items are displayed in the main hall.
Although barely more than a hundred years old, the temple has been
renovated four times, probably because of damage caused by the
fierce winds and heavy rainstorms the island is subjected to in bad
weather. The latest project was financed by a grant of HK$2 million
from the Hong Kong Jockey Club, and won the UNESCO award in January
2001.The temple is classified as a Grade III historical building.
Allow a leisurely day for this outing, including a couple of hours
to explore part-old, part-trendy Sai Kung where you can also have a
great seafood meal on the waterfront. Catch the MTR (Kowloon side)
to Choi Hung Station, take the exit to the Bus Terminus, and catch
either a KMB Bus No 92 or a green minibus No 1 or 1A to the Sai Kung
bus depot. Walk to the waterfront nearby and engage a sampan to take
you to - and, more important, back from -- Kau Sai Chau. (For
overseas visitors, an interpreter or guide would be useful.)
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The Jockey Club Kau Sai
Chau Public Golf Course
While on Kau
Sai Chau, arrange a side trip to the quite remarkable Public Golf
Course on the northern part of the island, an area that was formerly
used by the British Army for shelling practice. This course is
destined to become the venue of international tournaments and, as a
public venue, offers golfers the chance to play a round at an
affordable price - in truly spectacular surroundings. The
158-hectare course, designed by the great South African golfer, Gary
Player, was opened in 1995 and is managed by The Hong Kong Jockey
Club. Player described his masterwork as one of the best golf
courses in the world. The area comprises two 18-hole links, the
North and the South Courses, aimed at players of different levels.
Each course is limited to 16 players daily, with a maximum of two
players per flight.
A two-storey, 64-bay floodlit driving range ensures that golf
enthusiasts can also practise their long and short shots, and there
are other, related practice facilities and services, as well as a
golf instruction centre that offers courses for all levels and
interests. The Kau Sai Chau Public Golf Course features
comprehensive clubhouse facilities, making it an ideal place for a
corporate golf day or tournament. These facilities include a coffee
shop where golfers can enjoy both light refreshments and the
beautiful scenery of Kau Sai Chau. The roomy bar means that players
and their guests can also enjoy a cool drink in friendly
surroundings. A high-ceiling function room is available for business
meetings, receptions and other functions. The on-site Golf Shop
offers all types of clubs, clothing, shoes and other golf
accessories at very attractive prices. Golf enthusiasts can catch
the 20-minute ferry service to Kau Sai Chau from Sai Kung Pier.
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Lions Nature Education
Centre
Sai Kung is
known for its country parks and green vistas, and the Lions Nature
Education Centre showcases the very best of the district's natural
charms. Occupying 34 hectares on what was once a government farm,
the centre opened in 1991 as a joint venture between the then
Agriculture and Fisheries Department and the Lions Club of Hong Kong
and Macau, to help promote environmental protection. The centre
features a little of almost everything rural to be found in Hong
Kong and is a popular destination for school and club outings.
There's a Chinese herbal garden, dozens of small vegetable plots, a
fernery, a bamboo grove and even a walkway displaying local rocks.
Two ponds support about a quarter of the species of dragonfly found
in the SAR. There are 70 different types of trees and shrubs in the
arboretum and lychees, longans, jackfruit, mangoes and plums grow in
the orchard. A circular nature trail leads round the grounds, with
signs pointing out unusual vegetation.
The centre also has a number of permanent indoor exhibitions. Three
are devoted to Hong Kong's fishing and farming industry and the
SAR's protected natural areas. The Shell House contains an
impressive collection of shells, many of which are no longer to be
found in Hong Kong waters, while the Insectarium looks at the life
of some of Hong Kong's smallest inhabitants. Sunday morning visitors
to the centre can pick up unique souvenirs in the shape of home
grown organic produce sold in a mini "farmer's market" in the
grounds. On any day of the week one can drop by the centre's cafe,
which is run by employees with hearing disabilities, and enjoy a
stunning panorama over the countryside up to Pyramid Hill and Ma On
Shan. All in all, a visit to the Lions Nature Education Centre is a
great way to learn about - and relax in - rural Hong Kong Getting
there: Lion’s Nature Education Centre, Hiram’s Highway, Sai Kung.
Open daily 9:30am - 5pm; closed on Tuesdays. Tel: +852 2792 2234.
Take Exit C2 at the Choi Hung MTR station and catch Public Light Bus
1A or take Exit B and catch Kowloon Motor Bus 92 for Sai Kung.
Alight at Pak Kong, which is directly opposite the entrance to the
Centre.
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Moving Memorial to War
Martyrs
This impressive monument stands atop a wonderful vantage point at
Tsam Chuk Wan, overlooking the scenic, tranquil waters of Sai Kung
Bay. Consisting of three cenotaphs with a 10-metre-tall centerpiece
featuring inscriptions detailing the resistance to Japanese
occupation by Sai Kung residents, the HK$1 million edifice was built
by the descendants of freedom fighters living in Sai Kung during the
Second World War. Transportation: Take MTR to Choi Hung station and
then take bus No 92 to Sai Kung Town Centre. Catch bus No 94 and ask
the driver to let you off at Tsam Chuk Wan. It's the first stop
after Sai Kung Outdoor Training Centre.
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Information provided by
Hong Kong Tourism Board.
