Lost among the green belts of Yuen Long is Wang Chau Leng. It stands as a testament to community and resilience. Wang Chau Leng is more than just a location. It represents a struggle and a celebration of village life.
In 2012, plans emerged to rezone green belts for public housing. This included Wang Chau. The government’s approach sparked controversy. It planned development on greenfield sites before considering brownfield areas. This decision ignited a dispute. It pitted rural leaders against non-indigenous inhabitants.
Activist Eddie Chu Hoi-dick raised concerns in 2016. He spoke of potential collusion between the government, businesses, and rural landlords. The government then downsized its plan. It focused on building 4000 public housing units on a smaller green-belt site. The original plan to reclaim brownfield sites was deferred.
The villagers of Wang Chau faced losing their homes. They formed the “Wang Chau Green Belt Development Concern Group”. This group used art and community events to highlight the ecology of the area. They emphasized the value of their way of life.
The Wang Chau Jackfruit Festival became an annual event. It ran for four years. It started in 2017. Villagers shared their harvest. They held workshops and gave guided tours. The festival aimed to attract people to the villages. It showcased the ecology of the green belt.
Michael Leung, an artist, helped organize the Jackfruit Festival. He saw it as a form of creative resistance. The jackfruit became a symbol. The group even gave the jackfruit a gender. It was a “she”. This was a response to the patriarchal laws of the countryside. Only male indigenous villagers had the right to build small houses in the New Territories.
The Jackfruit Woman represented the disempowered villagers. She spoke for the multispecies living inside the green belt. She was someone who could not be intimidated.
Each year, the Jackfruit Festival offered different activities. There were alternative plan competitions. There were guided tours of rural life. Workshops taught people how to make jackfruit jam and other products. Music concerts filled the air.
The Wang Chau Green Belt Development Concern Group also published books. “Where is My Home – Wang Chau” recorded the villagers’ feelings and lives. It examined Wang Chau from professional planning and historical viewpoints.
The villagers emphasized the plant life in the green belt. They saw plants as inseparable from their lives. Four female villagers prepared pictures of Chinese herbal medicines. They wanted to share traditional wisdom. This daily farming practice was a real-life in Wang Chau. No art form of resistance could replace it.
Wang Chau Leng shows the power of community. It exemplifies how art can intersect with social movements. It also highlights the importance of preserving green spaces. The story of Wang Chau Leng reminds us to value local ecology. It inspires us to support those fighting for their homes and heritage.