| |
|
Photo courtesy Chan Kam Ho, HKUŠ, 2004
The name Shau Kei Wan comes from the bay it developed from. The bay is so named because its shape looks like a Shau Kei (rice basket). The bay had another name in the past - Ngor Yan Wan (Harbour of Starving Men). It is said that there was a ship of people forced to dock by typhoon. They landed hoping to buy some food and found that there was no agricultural products at all in the place. They left almost starving.
The name of the bay is changed to Aldrich Bay. It is named after a British navy captain who worked there. Shau Kei Wan is now the name of the small town, while Aldrich Bay is the name of the bay.
In early 1700s, a foreign merchant ship took shelter at Shau Kei Wan from a storm. Since no inhabirants were there, the crew nicknamed this bay as "Starving Men's Bay".
In the middle of 18th century, several families who lived by stone mining moved into this area. At that time, there were no houses on Shau Kei Wan's bank because the stonemasons usually lived in boats and their families lived in the mainland.
In the middle of the 19th century, more and more boats were berthed in Shau Kei Wan. Stonemasons began to build houses in stone mines. Pirates were around. In 1860, to enable the police to seize pirates more efficiently. Governor Macdonnell ordered to dismantle some houses, open up a street named Shau Kei Wan Main Street East near the seaside, set up wharfs and build stores and houses along the street.
By early 1900s, the environment and public security in the area had deen much improved and it attracted more people to move in. Many fishmen also dwelled in Shau Kei Wan during non-fishcatching time.
After World War 2, Shau Kei Wan gradually developed into an important fish-trading market.
By the 1960s, many multi-storey buildings had been built in Shau Kei Wan. Estates had also been developed. And now, this area has become a densely populated residential district.
Shau Kei Wan is developed from the bay. It was a fishing village at the very beginning. Fishmen landed there bringing with them fresh marine fishes. Fish market is still present in Shau Kei Wan now. Please refer to sights below for details. Fishing boats, the legacy of a fishing village, are also a commonplace in Shau Kei Wan. See image below.
Developed from a fishing village, special religious believes are formed. Besides worshiping Tin Hau (天后), people, who are mainly fishmen, also worship Tam Kung (譚公). It is believed that Tam Kung can control the weather and heal the sick. Hence people worship Tam Kung for safety return from the sea. Tam Kung is an unique religious believe in Hong Kong and temples worshiping Tam Kung can only be found here.
Now, as different means of transportation are well developed, one can travel in between the two places within very short time. Even if you take the slow tram, just about an hour is needed for the travel. Please refer to transportation below for more detailed information about transportation in present.
A famous tourist attraction of SKW is the Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence. It is a museum which located near Lei Yue Mun with a total area of 34,200 square meters. It was originally built for coastal defence but nowadays it is an exhibition center.
The Museum consists of three main areas, namely the Reception area, the Redoubt, and the Historical Trail. As it is converted from the hundred years' old Lei Yue Mun Fort. Its historical structure has an extensive outdoor area with the unique architectural design which provides a comfort and historical feeling for visitors.
One important primary product of Hong Kong is Marine fish. You can see fresh marine fish being distributed to outside retail market after wholesaling at Shau Kei Wan Wholesale Fish Market. Facilities for the landing and wholesale of fresh marine fish is provided. It is one of the seven wholesale fish market operated by the Fish Market Organization. It is the second largest one in Hong Kong now, after the largest one in Aberdeen. The smell of fish may not be good, but the selling of fish is worth seeing.
It was a port for export of stone materials in the mid 18th century. As there were so many ships, it became a typhoon shelter and shipyards were built. During the Dragon Boat Festivals, dragon boats races were held in Shau Kei Wan Typhoon Shelter, hence dragon boats were once made by the shipyards, At the end of the 20th century, reclamation from the sea made fishing boats anchor elsewhere. Nowadays, the number of shipyards are decreased due to a decrease in number of ships going there.
There were temples in Shau Kei Wan Main Street East. They are for worshiping Shing Wong, Tin Hau, Tam Kung and Yuk Wong.
Located in Basel Road adjacent to Shau Kei Wan Main Street East. It was built in 1862 by local Hakka and the priests from Swiss Basel Church. It was originally of country house style. Ater reconstruction in 1933, it became a well established church. It was occupied as the temporary headquaters of military police during the Japanese invation in 1941. In 1958, a school was built next to it. After that, it was rebuilt and used as church again and was expanded in 1984.
There were some public facilities in Shau Kei Wan. There are recreational facilities for public, includeing Yiu Tung Public Library, Island East Sports Centre, etc.
There are also some authority office located at Shau Kei Wan, such as The Film Secive Office.
One of the seven Hong Kong Tramways terminuses is located in Shau Kei Wan. The track system runs from the east to the west of the northern part of Hong Kong Island linking Shau Kei Wan and Kennedy Town. The track system was completed in 1904.
It is also one of the stations of the MTR Island Line. It is between Sai Wan Ho and Heng Fa Chuen. The MTR connects Shau Kei Wan to the rest of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. It takes 80 minutes and 26 minutes from Central and Mongkok respectively to Shau Kei Wan.
See also: List of buildings, sites and areas in Hong Kong
History
Name
Past Development
Fishing Village
Photo courtesy Chan Kam Ho, HKUŠ, 2004 Transportation in the past
There was no well-developed transportation system. It took people long time to travel from one place to another within Hong Kong, even between Shau Kei Wan and Central, another populated area at that time. There was thus a sentance 英雄被困筲箕灣，不知何日到中環. The meaning of the sentance is more or less like no matter how powerful someone is, extremely long time is needed for him to travel to Central from Shau Kei Wan.Sights
Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence
Shau Kei Wan Wholesale Fish Market
A Kung Ngam Shipyards
Temples
Tsung Tsin Church
Shopping Centre
There are a lot of shopping centres in Shau Kei Wan. Such as Yiu Tung Shopping Centre, Oi Tung Shopping Centre, Hing Tung Shopping Centre.Public Facilities
Authority office
Transportation
Environment
Coconut Palm
There are two Champion Trees in Shau Kei Wan. Both of them are located at Shau Kei Wan Main Street East near the roadsides. One is located beside Shau Kei Wan Government School. It is a large-leaved Banyan. The other is a Coconut Palm, which is located in front of the Urban Council market.
Large-leaved BanyanExternal Links