Sam A village (三椏村) is one of seven villages of the “Hing Chun Alliance” (慶春約). It is situated in the north-easternmost part of the New Territories, adjacent to the Yan Chau Tong area of the Hong Kong UNESCO GeoPark (香港世界地質公園印洲塘). Looking out from the pier, the sea is enveloped by mountain ranges, forming its own enclave like a secluded lake, with pink-coloured rocks scattering along the coast. Sam A is made up of three partitioned residential areas known as “Wai” (圍), with three rivers running through, hence the name Sam（三） A. The village store is well-known among hikers, serving as a supply station along this remote hiking trail.
History
The Tsang clan, originally from Xingning (興寧), migrated to the village in 1690. Villagers mainly practice farming and fishing for subsistence. In its prime during the 1950s to 1960s, Sam A had dozens of households. Green-brick houses were neatly built in two rows, and next to Fuk Lei Tea House (福利茶室) was the old ancestral hall of the Tsang’s Clan. The ancestral hall was later relocated near Hap Yik (合益) at the end of the 19th century or the beginning of the 20th century. The Tsang’s Clan ancestral hall in Sam A village is also known as ‘Saam Sing Hall’ (三省堂), deriving from Confucian disciple Tsangzi’s (曾參) classic quote, “I reflect on myself three times a day” (吾日三省吾身). ‘Saam Sing Hall’ was the first village school in Sam A village. As the number of children increased, a new school was built and designated after the ancestral hall as “Saam Sing School” (三省學校). Apart from local village students, the school also offered education to students from nearby villages like Sai Lau Kong (西流江), Wong Wan (往灣) and Hung Shek Mun (紅石門). By the 1960s and 70s, most villagers moved to the city or migrated to the UK and the Netherlands for a living, and the village buildings were eventually left vacant.
Recent Years
In 2017, new pavilions and benches were added to the long-abandoned children’s playground in Sam A village, transforming it into a resting spot for villagers and hikers. A natural trail starting from Wu Kau Tung, Sam A, to Lai Chi Wo, was also constructed near the embankment, where visitors get to enjoy superb views of rural scenery. In recent years, some of the retired villagers have relocated back to Sam A to enjoy rural country life.
(The above information is excerpted from 沙頭角慶春約［鄉郊保育文化之旅］專頁及沙頭角慶春約十年一屆太平清醮紀念特刊（2019）沙頭角慶春約建醮委員會)
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