Tung Chung

Change has come to Tung Chung, on Lantau’s northern coast, at a pace that can only happen in Hong Kong. This previously all-but-inaccessible farming region, with the small village of Tung Chung at its centre, has seen Chek Lap Kok, the mountain across Tung Chung Bay, flattened to build Hong Kong’s international airport and a New Town rise up, served by the MTR. As part of the territory’s plans to solve its housing crisis, Tung Chung New Town has now become a 760-hectare residential estate. The expected population of Tung Chung and the neighbouring New Town of Tai Ho is 330,000 by 2012. These developments and transport improvements have put an end to Tung Chung as a peaceful and secluded spot. But efforts have been made to protect Tung Chung Old Village. Buildings may rise no higher than three storeys and each floor can be no larger than 70 sq metres. In truth though there’s not much ‘old village’ atmosphere left. Annals record a settlement at Tung Chung as early as the Ming dynasty. There are several Buddhist establishments in the upper reaches of the valley, but the main attraction here is Tung Chung Fort, which dates back to 1832, when Chinese troops were garrisoned on Lantau. The Japanese briefly occupied the fort during WWII. Measuring 70m by 80m and enclosed by granite-block walls, it retains six of its muzzle-loading cannons pointing out to sea. About 1km to the north are the ruins of Tung Chung Battery, which is a much smaller fort built in 1817. All that remains is an L-shaped wall facing the sea, with a gun emplacement in the corner. The ruins were discovered only in 1980, having been hidden for about a century by scrub. Facing Tung Chung Bay to the southwest in the village of Sha Tsui Tau is double-roofed Hau Wong Temple, founded at the end of the Song dynasty. The temple contains a bell dating from 1765 and inscribed by the Qing-dynasty emperor Qian Long.