“Forgotten border town teetering on the brink of existence” is how some describe Sha Tau Kok. I’ll tell you a story about Ha Kok, a village in Sha Tau Kok in Hong Kong.
Ha Kok holds stories within its boundaries. Sha Tau Kok itself is a closed town in North District. It stands as Hong Kong’s northernmost town. The residents of Sha Tau Kok are mostly descendants of Hakka farmers. Hoklo fishers also settled here after the Qing dynasty’s “Great Clearance” in the 17th century.
Once upon a time, accessing Sha Tau Kok was quite restricted. You needed a Closed Area Permit. But now, things are changing. Tourism is slowly being promoted in this historically isolated town. Chung Ying Street, which separates Hong Kong from Shenzhen, remains mostly closed.
Sha Tau Kok’s history stretches back centuries. Early settlers were Hakka or Hoklo people. Hakka villagers farmed the land. Hoklo people fished the sea. The “Alliance of Ten” Hakka village districts formed in the 19th century. They defended against pirates. They also established a stronger market network. Sha Tau Kok then emerged as a bustling trading hub. Tung Wo Market was at the center. It thrived for about a century.
The British Imperial encroachments in the late 19th century significantly impacted Sha Tau Kok. The New Territories were acquired by Britain. Sha Tau Kok was split by the Shenzhen River. The south side fell under British rule. The north became Chinese territory. Tung Wo Market remained governed by Qing.
Border controls were once lax. Villagers freely interacted and traded. The demarcation line became populated with stalls. It transformed into Sha Tau Kok’s new economic axis. In 1912, the Kowloon-Canton Railway extended to Sha Tau Kok. The line was short-lived. Sha Tau Kok Road was built in 1927. Railway traffic plummeted. The Sha Tau Kok Railway ceased operations the following year.
The Chinese Civil War in the 1940s brought refugees to Hong Kong. Sha Tau Kok became fertile ground for smuggling and illegal immigration. In 1951, the Frontier Closed Area was established. Sha Tau Kok became a restricted zone. A wire fence went up along the border. Permits were required to enter. A curfew was implemented to prevent weapon smuggling. The town fell into decline.
China’s open-door policy in 1978 brought renewed hope. Sha Tau Kok borders loosened for mainland Chinese tourists. Chung Ying Street became a shopping haven. But since 2003, Sha Tau Kok lost its exclusive shopping appeal. The town receded into obscurity again.
Since 2012, the Hong Kong government has opened parts of the Frontier Closed Area. Sha Tau Kok remains tucked away. It is beautifully suspended in time. Its rural charms and Hakka heritage are well-preserved.
Ha Kok and Sha Tau Kok have a resilient community. Even as younger people move out, families return on weekends. They uphold age-old traditions. Perhaps this will be enough to revitalize this border town.