Following the shoreline of Sha Tau Kok inlet, from Luk Keng (鹿頸) through Kai Kuk (雞谷村) towards Kuk Po (谷埔), there is a rather secluded village fenced off by barbed wires, with a sign that writes ‘Entry restricted to villagers only’. Yet, through the wire fences, you can catch a glimpse of the tranquil rural scenery: the winding concrete road that stretches to the Hakka row houses (客家排屋) in the village, with reeds shining in golden yellow in November; occasionally, you may even spot the village’s only bull grazing in the bushes.
Originally named “Fung Hang” (風坑) [1], Fung Hang is a mono-surname village inhabited by the Cheungs. The villagers migrated from San Wai in Kuk Po (谷埔新圍) and founded the village in 1665. In its history spanning over three centuries, Kuk Po had over sixty households at its peak time. Villagers used to maintain a livelihood through farming, rice cultivation, raising poultry and pigs, and planting tangerines. In the 1960s to 1970s, villagers moved to the city for better opportunities; by 1964, most of them had left their homeland, immigrating to the United Kingdom and North Borneo. [2]
Currently, about six to seven households have remained in the village, and of those households, only the Cheungs couple of Choi Kee Store, and an elderly lady are long-term residents.
Upon retirement, Mr and Mrs Cheung relocated back to the village and opened “Fung Hang Snacks” (鳳坑小食) near the Fung Hang Pier, specializing in Hakka steam glutinous rice cake (客家茶粿), glutinous rice ball (糯米糍), mung bean sweet soup and beverages. Mr. Cheung, who used to be a dim sum chef before retirement, personally handles the production of glutinous rice cake and rice balls. He purchases ingredients from Fanling and transports them to Sha Tau Kok, then sets sail back to Fung Hang. While Mr Cheung is busy making delicacies in his workshop from 2 a.m., Mrs Cheung helps out in the shop front greeting customers. Fung Hang Snacks is now a popular supply point among hikers. Running the snack stall together keeps the couple occupied and fulfilling in their retirement lives.
The elderly lady, surnamed Wong, is 88 years old. The aunt of Mr. Cheung, Grandma Wong used to live alone in the village before Mr. Cheung retired. Every day, Grandma Wong cooks, sleeps, cleans the ancestral house and plays with the dogs. She is the happiest when her son and daughter-in-law, who reside in the city, visit her every week with groceries. Quite a few villagers who live in the city return to the village on the weekends to work in the fields, grow vegetables, dig oysters or sun-dry oysters.
One of the indigenous villagers, Mr. Cheung Gun-wa, also returns to the village and operates “Ying Ka Café” (盈佳茶座) every weekend. His restaurant offers a wide range of Hakka dishes, such as yellow wine ginger chicken, stuffed tofu, and braised pork.
Learning that the Cheung’s ancestral hall required restoration, many overseas villagers and their descendants pooled resources and donations. The Cheung’s ancestral hall renovation was completed and reopened on the 14th of October, 2014. A lot of villagers, including those who emigrated overseas, returned to Fung Hang for celebration. In addition, every Double Ninth Festival and Lunar New Year, villagers and their children return to the village to pay respects to their ancestors and the relatives gather together for a lively reunion.
In the past, Fung Hang was often regarded as an abandoned village by outsiders. Observing through the fences in the village periphery, one sees a rather static and quaint pastoral scenery. However, with a closer look, Fung Hang has maintained its vitality, with many villagers returning from the city on the weekends to rediscover the enchantments of rural livelihoods.
[1] In the past, government officials did not understand the Hakka language, and vice versa. Due to the language barrier, government officials named places phonetically, leading to many misnomers.
[2] North Borneo is now known as Sabah, after the establishment of Malaysia in 1963.
Reference
Author: LC