History
From about the 14th century, fishing folks lived on boats in sheltered inlets in the Peninsula. They later founded small coastal villages, building temples in honour of Tin Hau and Hung Shing in places of permanent anchorage. In addition to coastal fishing, there were small supporting industries of salt-making and boat building.
Agricultural settlements began later and several villages already existed by the year 1660. Economic development began in the middle of the 19th century when Hong Kong was opened as a port. There was especially a prosperous kiln industry producing lime, bricks and tiles for supply Hong Kong during the early days. Sheung Yiu Village, once opened as a Folk Museum, was a good example of a fortified settlement well known for lime-making in those days.
Until 1970, the part of Sai Kung beyond Tai Mong Tsai was still remote, reachable only on foot or by kai-tos (local ferry). However work started in 1971 to create the High Island Reservoir, with a capacity of 273 million cubic metres, by closing off both ends of the Kwun Mun Channel which separated the High Island from the main peninsula. IN 1979, the project was completed,providing also two new roads to the area. The city people can now reach a new and relatively unspoilt area for recreation.
Read more about this topic: Sai Kung Peninsula
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“The history of every country begins in the heart of a man or a woman.”
—Willa Cather (1876–1947)
“The history is always the same the product is always different and the history interests more than the product. More, that is, more. Yes. But if the product was not different the history which is the same would not be more interesting.”
—Gertrude Stein (1874–1946)
“As I am, so shall I associate, and so shall I act; Caesar’s history will paint out Caesar.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)