Curious about the origins of the name of this place? Ngau Shi Au. It literally means cow dung depression. I am your guide. This is Ngau Shi Au.
Ngau Shi Au is a village in Tung Chung. Tung Chung is on Lantau Island. Lantau Island is part of Hong Kong. The village is a recognized village. It falls under the New Territories Small House Policy.
Ngau Shi Au is Chinese. It is written as 牛屎凹.
The New Territories Small House Policy is interesting. It is a housing policy. Indigenous male villagers can apply to build a small house. This is on their own land. The house has restrictions. It cannot be more than three storeys high. There are other rules too.
I want you to use your imagination. Imagine this area long ago. Think about rural life. Cows likely grazed here. A depression in the land might collect rainwater. It would become muddy. Cow dung would naturally accumulate. Hence, the name Ngau Shi Au or cow dung depression.
Life in Ngau Shi Au was likely simple. Villagers probably farmed. They fished. They maintained close community bonds.
Today, Ngau Shi Au is more accessible. Modern transport links connect it. It connects it to other parts of Hong Kong. Yet, it retains some of its village character. The name Ngau Shi Au connects us to its past.
Ngau Shi Au may sound unappealing to some. But it tells a story. It speaks of Hong Kong’s rural history. It reminds us of a time when life was closely connected to the land. It is a unique name. It is a place with a story etched into its very name. A simple place. A meaningful name.