Before the airport existed Chek Lek Kok was a small hilly island. It was about four kilometers long. Its area was roughly three square kilometers. Chek Lek Kok’s name might come from its barrenness. Or perhaps from its resemblance to a red tripletail fish. This fish was once plentiful near the island.
Chek Lek Kok held a rich history long before the construction of the Hong Kong International Airport. Archaeological evidence shows it was inhabited during the Middle Neolithic period around 6000 years ago. Life on Chek Lek Kok continued through various dynasties. People farmed and quarried granite. A Tin Hau Temple built in 1823 using island granite stood there. It was later moved.
Imagine the lives of those who called Chek Lek Kok home. Farmers cultivated rice. Quarry workers toiled extracting granite. Fishermen cast their nets into the surrounding waters. During World War II Chek Lek Kok was bombed by Japanese seaplanes. This happened on December 8 1941. A fire broke out.
The island’s population fluctuated over time. It reached around 200 in the 1950s. It rose further in the 1960s before decreasing. Only about 20 families remained when airport plans were announced in the early 1990s. These families were relocated. The original villages were moved to Chek Lap Kok New Village. The unique Romer’s tree frog a tiny species found only in Hong Kong was also relocated. They were moved to new habitats on Lantau Island.
Today Chek Lek Kok is mostly gone. It was largely leveled for the Hong Kong International Airport. Only a small undeveloped peninsula remains. This is Scenic Hill. It houses the Airport Island Angle Station for the Ngong Ping 360 cable car. The rebuilt Tin Hau Temple stands in the new Chek Lek Kok Village. This village is part of the New Territories Small House Policy. Chek Lek Kok’s past lives on in its name its history and the legacy of its people.