Consider the poem etched on a stone tablet. It speaks of Sha Tau Kok. This poem captures the essence of this unique place. Sha Tau Kok.
Sha Tau Kok is more than just a location. It is a border town. It is steeped in history and culture. Today we will explore its story together.
Sha Tau Kok is located in the North District of Hong Kong. It is the last major settlement in the Frontier Closed Area. This makes it Hong Kong’s northernmost town. For decades Sha Tau Kok remained a mystery to many. Non-residents could only visit with a government permit.
The name Sha Tau Kok has interesting origins. Legend says Qing officials wrote a poem after inspecting the area. The poem reads: “The sun rises from the beach. The moon hangs above the cape.” In Chinese it is: “日出沙頭，月懸海角”. This poem is written on a stone tablet at the Cape of Sha Tau Kok. The cape is the town’s easternmost point.
The area has been inhabited for a long time. Stone tools dating back to the Neolithic Period were found here. These tools include hammers and axes. Pottery from the Han Dynasty was also discovered.
In the 17th century the Qing Dynasty implemented the Great Clearance. This policy expelled many original settlers. They moved to places like Yuen Long and Shenzhen. At the same time Hakka settlers arrived in Sha Tau Kok. They settled along the northern shoreline of Mirs Bay. More Hakka villages were established in the 18th century.
The Sam Heung village alliance once occupied Sha Tau Kok’s original shoreline. It was called Tai Tan Tung. The alliance included Shan Tsui, Tong To, and Tam Shui Hang villages.
During the early 1800s five wealthy villages invested in reclaiming land in Sha Tau Kok. These villages wanted to provide more farmland. The villages included Shan Tsui, Tam Shui Hang, Wo Hang, Nam Chung and Luk Keng.
Around the 1830s leaders from ten villages formed an alliance called the Shap Yeuk. They established a new market at Sha Lan Ha. This allowed Sha Tau Kok to operate independently. The market was named Tung Wo Market. Basel missionary Theodore Hamberg described it as “a great market, quite given over to trade, newly built, and bustling with business”. In the 1850s there were approximately 50 shops.
In 1898 Sha Tau Kok was leased to the British. This was a result of the Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory. Tung Wo Market was not included in the lease. This caused problems for shopkeepers. Their ancestral villages were now separated from them.
The 1911 government census recorded 8570 people in the Sha Tau Kok District. Only 14 people lived in Sha Tau Kok Village which was British territory. The population was mostly Hakka. There was a small minority of Punti and Hoklo people.
Today Sha Tau Kok is gradually opening to tourism. Since 2024 a daily quota allows 1000 individual visitors with a permit. Most of Sha Tau Kok is open. However Chung Ying Street remains off limits.
The Cape of Sha Tau Kok offers stunning views. It is the easternmost point of Sha Tau Kok.
The Sha Tau Kok Public Pier is another notable landmark. It is the longest pier in Hong Kong. It extends 280 meters into Starling Inlet. It allows larger vessels to berth.
As you explore Sha Tau Kok consider its past. Think about the Hakka settlers. Imagine the bustling Tung Wo Market. Reflect on its unique position. Sha Tau Kok offers a glimpse into a Hong Kong. It is a place where history and culture meet.