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Lookout Tower in Tai Po
Waterfront Park
Hong Kong is
a place of many delightful surprises, and probably none is any more
pleasurable than the magnificent Waterfront Park in the New Town of
Tai Po, in the northeast New Territories. The park's outstanding
feature is its 32.4-metre Lookout Tower. Looking something like a
rocket launch pad at Cape Kennedy, the Tower gives visitors a bird's
eye view over Tolo Harbour and the rugged countryside stretching
back to the boundary with mainland China. The upper levels of the
Tower are open from 9am to 6pm, but visitors must climb to the top
under their own steam. It is less strenuous to get to the lower
levels, which remain open 24 hours a day. However high you climb, on
returning to the ground don't forget to inspect the exhibition
gallery.
The Park has a wide range of facilities for young and old including
rest gardens, sitting-out areas, a 1.2 km promenade along the
harbour front, a jogging trail with fitness stations, a cycling path
and a 600-seat amphitheatre. The Tai Po district is one of the
oldest settled areas in Hong Kong. There is documentary evidence
that farmers and fisherfolk inhabited it during the Tang Dynasty (AD
618-906) when it was known as Hui Chou Ying. In those times it had
an offshore pearl-fishing industry so valuable that a garrison was
stationed there to guard against theft of the pearls, which went to
the treasure house of the Imperial Family. But there were so many
deaths among the unprotected divers, who stayed underwater for some
minutes searching the seabed for oysters, that pearl fishing had to
be proscribed.
The district's population grew in the Sung Dynasty (AD 960-1279),
and in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) Tai Po became a market town and
the home of one of the territory's original clans, the Tangs.
Fittingly, Tai Po has many historical relics including the remains
of a porcelain kiln from Sung times, and the Man Mo Temple by the
old market. Catch the KCR train from Hung Hom Terminal to Tai Po,
and then get a taxi.
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Heritage & Architectural
Walks
The
Heritage and Architecture Walk in the New Territories covers 10
historic sites around the northeast New Territories. It takes
approximately four hours to finish the entire route. The self-guided
walk is a great way to learn about the history of Tai Po. Once the
pinnacle of trade and the New Territories' administration centre
during the early colonial era, today it is a new town with a
population of 310,000. The legacy of early religious movements and
clan activities can still be seen within the area. The New
Territories Heritage and Architecture Walk takes in: Tai Po Market
Railway Station, The Old District Office (North), Hong Kong Railway
Museum, Tai Po New Market, Man Mo Temple, Kam Shan, Tai Wo Public
Housing Estate, Lam Tsuen Tin Hau Temple, Lam Tsuen Spirit Trees
(Wishing Trees) and She Shan Village. Audio equipment is available
for rental at the HK Tourism Board Visitor Information & Services
Centre located in :
Kowloon :
Star Ferry Concourse, Tsim Sha Tsui. Audio equipment is available
for rent from 8am-1pm daily. (Counter opens from 8am-6pm daily)
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Man Mo Temple
Located on Fu Shin Street, Tai Po, the Man Mo Temple was the
first declared monument in the New Territories. The temple was built
in 1891 by the Tsat Yeuk villagers and was once used as the office
for the Tsat Yeuk Rural Committee until 1954 when a new office was
completed. Villagers don't need a particular reason to visit the
temple: they go for reflection, or to seek guidance and peace and
ask for blessings for their loved ones and themselves. There are
daily gatherings in the temple garden where discussions take place
on more temporal matters. Built in the style of a centralised walled
compound, the temple emphasises seclusion. Inside the building, a
symmetrical layout consists of three divisions along the central
axis. The first is the main entrance; the second includes the
central, open courtyard and the side chambers. The main hall makes
up the third section and is used for the worship of two Taoist
deities from the Warring States Period (403-221 BC): the God of
Literature (Man) and the God of War (Mo).
The entrance is constructed of grey bricks and polished granite
blocks. Vivid strips of stucco decorate both sidewalls and along the
roof ridge. The finely carved eaves under the roof edge are typical
of a quality house in the New Territories. There are eight
compartments around the central courtyard. The two compartments on
either side of the entrance once provided accommodation for
travelling merchants and visitors to Tai Po. This traditional temple
was declared a historical monument in 1984. It is open 6am to 6pm
daily. Admission is free. Please be respectful in the temple and
other places of worship. Do not touch religious objects or tread on
the threshold. After touring the Man Mo Temple, visitors can stroll
along Fu Sin Street where rural produce and traditional food items
are for sale. Fu Shin Street is always crowded and is even busier
during festive occasions.
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Lam Tsuen Wishing Trees
An unexpected delight in this district is the Wishing Tree outside
the Tin Hau Temple in Lam Tsuen. An ancient banyan, it is festooned
with red and gold incense papers and other offerings thrown into its
branches by the faithful - and the hopeful. Adjoining trees thought
to be equally lucky also bear their share of colourful wishing
papers. According to tradition, at Chinese New Year, people pray for
year-long peace by scribbling their dreams on slips of red paper
tied to an orange with string. They then toss them into the air. If
the lucky paper charm catches on the tree, it is said that the wish
will be granted.
The Tin Hau Temple near the Lam Tsuen Wishing Tree was built around
the time of Emperor Qian Long of the Qing Dynasty and is the largest
temple of its kind in Tai Po. The temple's main hall is dedicated to
Tin Hau, the Goddess of Heaven, while on either side of the main
hall stand, respectively, a Hall dedicated to both the God of
Literature and the God of War (the Man Mo Hall) and the Temple for
Justice, built in honour of 12 noble-hearted men who protected the
Lam Tsuen villages in the past. Take the Kowloon Canton Railway (KCR)
to Tai Po Market Station and look for a minibus to Lam Tsuen.
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Information provided by
Hong Kong Tourism Board.
