Tsuen Wan history

by Bernard Chan

From plow to din of modern day

Tsuen Wan today is a bustling district north of western Kowloon. It was Hong Kong's first satellite town, which is why it is simultaneously in both the New Territories and the urban area.

Originally, however, Tsuen Wan and Kwai Chung were Hakka farming areas.

With help from the Hong Kong Jockey Club, heritage group Hulu Culture has organized a series of activities highlighting the history of the area.

The activities go on for another month, and you can see more details at http://huluhk.org/had2012/start.php?l=en.

Hakka life in the area took off after the early Qing dynasty rulers reversed orders that moved populations away from coastal areas.

When the Hakka arrived, they built villages around Tsuen Wan (originally "Shallow Bay").

Many settlements ended under Shing Mun reservoir water, but you still see some of them and their temples in the southern foothills of Tai Mo Shan.

The Sam Tung Uk Museum gives an idea of life 200 years ago in one of the walled villages in the area.

The growth of early modern Hong Kong encouraged the development of markets in Tsuen Wan, and the place became a hub for agriculture, fishing, ferries and other activities, including an incense mill and lime-processing operation.

Hong Kong's first big industrial complex opened in pre- war days was the Texaco complex. Today, it is home to 800,000 people. As is so often the case in Hong Kong, Tsuen Wan's is a story of radical change.