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District Highlights of the North District
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Situated in the northernmost part of Hong Kong and separated from Shenzhen by a river, North District is an important link between Hong Kong and Shenzhen. Vast in territory, North District has an area of 168 square kilometres and consists of Sheung Shui, Fanling, Ta Kwu Ling and Sha Tau Kok with a population of about 305 100. Lo Wu, Lok Ma Chau, Man Kam To and Sha Tau Kok control points in the district are gateways to the Mainland, playing an important role in promoting the exchange between Hong Kong and the Mainland. There are 117 villages in North District. Many villagers of same surnames and clans still live there. The four rural committees, namely Sheung Shui, Fanling, Ta Kwu Ling and Sha Tau Kok District Rural Committees, help to manage rural affairs and liaise with the villagers. North District is one of the districts where traditional rural features of the New Territories are best preserved. North District has a long history where the traditional clan culture of "walled village" is particularly prominent and well preserved. There are a lot of traditional Chinese structures in the district such as Liu Man Shek Tong in Sheung Shui, which is the biggest ancestral hall in Hong Kong, Tang Chung Ling Ancestral Hall built in the Ming Dynasty, Kat O Tin Hau Temple, Lung Yeuk Tau Heritage Trail and Fung Ying Seen Koon. Besides, villagers are very enthusiastic about keeping traditional festivals. Every year on the 23rd day of the third lunar month, Ta Kwu Ling and Sha Tau Kok areas will hold ceremonies to celebrate the birthday of Tin Hau. The Tai Ping Ching Chiu festival in Lung Yeuk Tau of Fanling and the Taiping Hongchao in Fanling Wai are also important events in the district. |
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The natural scenery of North District is very beautiful. The wetlands in Long Valley, Lau Shui Heung Reservoir and Hok Tau Reservoir, and mangroves in Nam Chung of Luk Keng are all of high ecological value and are ideal places for hiking or cycling. There are a number of major development projects under planning in North District. The North East New Territories New Development Areas comprising Kwu Tung North, Fanling North and Ping Che / Ta Kwu Ling will be developed into a people-oriented green community, bringing about a new population of 130 000; the Liantang / Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point will strengthen the linkage between Hong Kong and provinces such as East Guangdong, Jiangxi and Fujian; while the Lok Ma Chau Loop is planned for higher education and high-tech development. North District is going to meet brand new changes with a lot of opportunities. Nevertheless, it is still able to preserve its valuable traditional culture and natural ecology in the course of development. For example, the Double Haven Geo-Area of the Hong Kong National Geopark has unique landforms and is rich in ecological resources. This demonstrates that North District also pays attention to conservation during its development into a modernized city. Acknowledgement: Some of the photos are provided by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department |
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