History of Ma Wan, Hong Kong
I came across an interesting article about the history of Ma Wan by Phillip Jones in a book called "Hong Kong Discovery".
His article called "The Road to Salvation" contains historical photos of the island, and notes that for most of the last 200 years Ma Wan was an isolated community, basically sustained by farming and fishing.
He talks about a visit by the British in 1794, the occasional visit by pirates, and how there was a Chinese Imperial Maritime Customs checkpoint set up on Ma Wan in 1897.
He writes about the Chan family, who are still influential land owners on the island, the changes faced by the fishing and shrimp industries in the 1950s and 1960s and HK made its change to it modern economy, and also about the history and changes brought about by the Lantau Link, and the rapid development that occurred once Ma Wan became "connected" to the rest of Hong Kong.
Interestingly the article itself is now part of history - I think it was probably written around 2004, and things have certainly changed since then. It makes me realise too, that even though I am writing this Park Island blog in the "present" it will of course over time also become "history" and in the future there might well be people who fondly look back on this period of time, and how things were in 2012 on Park Island.
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| History of Ma Wan |
Did he write that the Chan family were of ethnic "hakka" people, guest community that migrated from mid-north China around the plains of the yellow river. The isolation was a way of life in Ma Wan and they need to take a sampan to visit anything not found locally including hospitals etc..
ReplyDeleteExcellent Post - Will check out the book - These type of things are why I read your blog - must admit I tend to roll my eyes a bit at all the "property prices are going up" posts...
ReplyDeleteThis is much better.
Respect
ZTTB
I roll my eyes a lot at how expensive prices are in HK Island, where I have recently moved from.
ReplyDeleteAbout some points on ma wan history, you may like to :
ReplyDelete(1)Read "A Reconnaissance of Ma Wan and Lantao Islands in 1794. J. L.
CRANMER-BYNG AND A. SHEPHERD"
http://sunzi1.lib.hku.hk/hkjo/view/44/4401060.pdf
(2) Read those pages on wikipedia ( French / English / Chinese ). I nearly
wrote those French + english.
(3) Go to the museum in ma wan park, in old school - I have a photo of
the school blackboard of the last day of school !
Rgds
Someone should raise money to create a Mayan Historical Museum.
ReplyDeletePlease include link of old school.
ReplyDeletethank you for putting this up. very insightful and good to remember the Ma Wan Island of yesteryear.
ReplyDelete