(ENG) a historical and cultural analysis of Hong Kong’s Tai Mei Tuk and Sam Mun Tsai regions

The source provides a historical and cultural analysis of Hong Kong’s Tai Mei Tuk and Sam Mun Tsai regions, focusing on the profound societal impact stemming from the 1960s construction of the Plover Cove Reservoir to resolve a severe water scarcity crisis. This complex modernization project required great sacrifice, necessitating the permanent submersion and relocation of several local communities, whose descendants continue the tradition of returning for annual ancestral grave visits. The text details the collective resilience of the relocated Tanka fishing community in Sam Mun Tsai, who managed to preserve their cultural practices, including the unique "Lament Songs" (嘆歌), by moving as an entire village. Furthermore, the overview notes how the name "Tai Mei Tuk" was officially changed from the inauspicious "Tai Mei Tuk," reflecting a modern compromise between traditional Feng Shui beliefs and rising tourism demands. Ultimately, the area is presented as a crucial site of memory, where even the wild yellow cattle serve as living symbols of the agricultural life lost due to the reservoir's construction.

The Unwritten Pages of Yesterday 細 聽 長 風 說 舊 河

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