“Big Step?” A curious name for a town. But that is what Tai Po means. Tai Po is more than just a name. It is a place steeped in history and brimming with life.
Tai Po sits in Hong Kong’s New Territories. It is near the traditional market towns of Tai Po Old Market and Tai Po Hui. Today, Tai Po can refer to the area around these markets. It can also mean Tai Po New Town or the entire Tai Po District.
Let’s delve into Tai Po’s past. Archaeological finds reveal a Stone Age presence here. In Yuen Chau Tsai, relics like stone axes and pottery have been found. These date back to the Neolithic era. Since at least AD 963, the area’s indigenous people harvested clams and farmed pearls in Tai Po Hoi. This is now known as Tolo Harbour. The pearl business thrived during the Song dynasty. However, it waned in the Ming dynasty.
By the late Ming and Qing dynasties, Tai Po grew as a fishing port. Meanwhile, Wun Yiu, a village in modern Tai Po, became a porcelain hub during the Ming dynasty. The Tang clan migrated here in the Song dynasty. A branch settled in Tai Po Tau. They and the Lung Yeuk Tau branch established the first Tai Po Hui market town. It is now Tai Po Old Market. Other clans also lived nearby. They formed the Tai Po Tsat Yeuk alliance. This alliance created Tai Wo Shi market town. It happened after the Qing government ruled that Tai Po Hui belonged to the Tangs. Tai Wo Shi replaced Tai Po Hui as the main market. It took the name Tai Po Hui. The old market then became Tai Po Kau Hui.
During British colonial rule, many facilities were built here. These included a District Office and the Tai Po Market railway station. In the 1970s, Hong Kong developed satellite towns. Tai Po Industrial Estate was built in 1974. Tai Po was named a new town in 1979. Land was reclaimed for this purpose. The first public housing estate, Tai Yuen Estate, was established in 1981. Tai Po prospered with the completion of the Tolo Highway.
Today, Tai Po is a blend of old and new. The name Tai Po can refer to several areas. These include Tai Po New Town, Tai Po Market, and Tai Po District. Tai Po is greener and more relaxed. It has bicycle tracks and markets filled with family businesses. Urban planners ensured abundant greenery.
Wander through the bustling town center. Discover tranquil parks and thriving street markets. Tai Po is a gateway to rural excursions. Explore the lush Lam Tsuen Valley and Tai Mo Shan. To the east lies Tolo Harbour. Here you can find water sports, monasteries and butterfly sanctuaries.
Tai Po offers a unique blend of history, nature and urban life. It is a place where the past and present intertwine.