February/ March 2021
JACQUELINE LEUNG
CONCERT PIANIST, PRESENTER AND EDUCATOR
KUNG HEI FAT CHOY! A CHINESE NEW YEAR
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CONTENTS
FEBRUARY / MARCH 2021
20
16
14
FEATURES
REGULARS
16
04
PERSONA Concert pianist and educator Jacqueline Leung
20
CNY GUIDE TO LANTAU
10
Oysters three ways for Valentine’s Day
36
34
GIVEAWAYS
35
LOCAL NUMBERS
To publicise a local event, email elizabeth@baymedia.com.hk For general enquiries, email info@baymedia.com.hk For the latest Life on Lantau updates www.lifeonlantau.com We also publish YOUR GUIDE TO HONG KONG’S ‘GREEN JEWEL’
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If you have a story idea, email rachel@baymedia.com.hk
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30
Photo courtesy of Jacqueline Leung
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4
SUCCESS STORY
Win a HK$250 Cinnabon voucher
Why Tung Chung Fort is well worth a visit
CLASSIFIEDS
To read the cover story, turn to page 16
OUT & ABOUT
Sunset Deliveries, Mui Wo
15
DESTINATION
Jacqueline Leung in Mui Wo
Your guide to recent community events
14
HOME CHEF
LANTAU NEWS What’s hot and happening island wide
How and where to ring in the Year of the Ox
30
ON THE COVER
KUNG HEI FAT CHOY!
2019 / 2020
Here’s to a great ride in the Year of the Ox!
IPO pop: How to secure yourself a prosperous new year MMA: In the cage with Marc Guyon, Jomar Manlangit and Maleek Mathiesen CNY: The legends behind lion dancing, lucky scrolls and lai-see
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FEBRUARY J U LY 2 02021 20
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A Lantau Private Primary School From Reception To Year 6 British Curriculum and Daily Mandarin Classes Please contact us to schedule a school visit T: +852 2984 0006 | E: office@silverminebayschool.edu.hk | www.silverminebayschool.edu.hk Units A & B, 1/F Silver Centre Building, 10 Mui Wo Ferry Pier Road, Mui Wo, Lantau Island, New Territories silverminebayschool EDB Reg No: 579009
WHAT’S HAPPENING ISLAND WIDE
PUBLISHER Philip Jay MANAGING EDITOR Rachel Ainsley rachel@baymedia.com.hk ASSISTANT EDITOR Elizabeth Jerabek elizabeth@baymedia.com.hk DIGITAL MANAGER Jan Yumul jan@baymedia.com.hk
The remaining phase of the Mui Wo Facelift Project
ART DIRECTION Terry Chow terry@baymedia.com.hk
MUI WO FACELIFT: COMMUNITY FEEDBACK
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Duey Tam duey@baymedia.com.hk
O
n January 11, Living Islands Movement (LIM), on behalf of the Sustainable Lantau Office of Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD), hosted a webinar to facilitate public comment on the remaining phase of the Mui Wo Facelift Project. CEDD representatives presented the latest design proposals and answered questions from the community.
OPERATIONS MANAGER Amber Kahu amber@baymedia.com.hk PHOTOGRAPHERS Terry Chow terry@baymedia.com.hk Duey Tam duey@baymedia.com.hk
Proposed works include improvements to the south waterfront promenade; construction of a new cooked food market and covered cycle parking area; construction of a new car park topped by a landscape deck; construction of a new public transport interchange and refuse collection point; re-provisioning of the cargo loading area; and the improvement/ provision of neighbourhood cycle tracks and heritage trails.
CONTRIBUTORS Ray Au Elizabeth Kerr Samantha Wong PRINTING Champion Design & Production Co. Ltd Flat C & D 9/F Sing Teck Factory Bldg 44 Wong Chuk Hang Rd Hong Kong
“In the main, the webinar participants welcomed the facelift project,” says LIM Chairperson Merrin Pearse. “Though some participants felt that some of the design concepts were inappropriate for the rural/ seaside community of Mui Wo.”
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Webinar participants requested a number of additions to the project’s final phase, including rain-and-sun shelters with solar panels on the roof, and outdoor seating at the Mui Wo Cooked Food Market. There were also requests for improvements to ensure that the proposed infrastructure changes would prioritise the needs of pedestrians and cyclists, as well as motorists. A Cantonese-language version of the webinar, co-presented by LIM and Save Lantau Alliance, will be available by the end of the first quarter of 2021. In the coming weeks, the CEDD plans to provide street booths at four Mui Wo locations to facilitate further public comment. The booths were originally scheduled to be in place from December 4 to 14, 2020, but plans were put on hold due to social distancing restrictions. Once the final plan is agreed, and the budget approved, the remaining phase of the 10-year+ Mui Wo Facelift Project is expected to take four years to complete.
MTRCL FOCUSED ON LANTAU
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residential development right on Discovery Bay’s doorstep (at Siu Ho Wan MTR Depot) is set to help the government meet public housing supply targets in the medium term. On December 26, 2020, Chief Executive Carrie Lam visited the seafront site, where she was briefed by the Chairman of the MTRCL Dr Rex Auyeung, and the MTRCL’s Chief Executive Officer Dr Jacob Kam. “Housing is the crux of the many problems faced by Hong Kong, and the core of the housing problem lies in the shortage of land for housing development,” Ms Lam said. “The 30-hectare Siu Ho Wan MTR Depot site has great potential for development through innovative planning.” The site is situated on reclaimed land built in the 1990s, approximately 5 kilometres east of Tung Chung New Town along the North Lantau Highway, near the entrance to the Discovery Bay Tunnel. As announced in the Chief Executive’s 2020 Policy Address, the development will provide some 20,000 residential units, of which around 50% will be public housing. The first 6,000 flats will be ready for residents to move in starting in 2030. The Siu Ho Wan MTR Depot development is only the second topside (with no below ground excavation) public housing project to be built over operating railway facilities since the Kornhill development on the Island Line in the 1980s. This is the first time the MTRCL has contributed to public housing since it was listed in 2000.
The Siu Ho Wan MTR Depot site will house some 20,000 residential units
The Siu Ho Wan MTR Depot development complements the MTRCL’s plans for the Tung Chung Line Extension. The plans include a 1.3-kilometre underground extension of the Tung Chung Line to a new terminus station in Tung Chung West, as well as an additional above-ground station between Sunny Bay and Tung Chung stations to serve Tung Chung East. Construction is expected to start in 2023, with a projected completion of the two stations and associated railways by 2029. “Hong Kong’s highly efficient railway network is instrumental to the city’s economic growth and sustainable development and the [MTR] Corporation is proud of its pivotal role in keeping Hong Kong moving,” Dr Auyeung said in November last year. “The new projects will continue to drive Hong Kong’s development, benefitting a wide spectrum of sectors, create thousands of new jobs and numerous business opportunities.”
Photos courtesy of www.info.gov.hk & www.td.gov.hk
TOLL-FREE AIRPORT TUNNEL LINK NOW OPEN
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fter a two-year delay, the Tuen Mun-Chek Lap Kok Tunnel opened on December 27, 2020. The sub-sea tunnel provides a direct route between the Northwest New Territories, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge and Hong Kong International Airport. Construction on the HK$44.8 billion project began in 2013. Six franchised bus routes between the Northwest New Territories and North Lantau – all operated by Long Win Bus Co. Ltd – now use the Tuen Mun-Chek Lap Kok Tunnel, bypassing the Lantau Link. In addition, a Bus-bus Interchange (BBI), at Tuen Mun Chek Lap Kok Tunnel Road, is now in place. The above franchised bus routes now stop at the BBI to allow passengers to interchange to/ from various destinations between North Lantau and Tuen Mun.
The Tuen Mun-Chek Lap Kok Tunnel north entrance
The new tunnel is toll-free, and the toll on the Lantau Link – which connects Lantau via the Tsing Ma Bridge to Tsing Yi and then to Tsuen Wan – has been discontinued. Prior to December 27, 2020, private vehicles and taxis had to stop at the Lantau Link Main Toll Plaza to pay a one-way toll of HK$15 for using the Lantau Link. www.lifeonlantau.com February / March 2021
LIFE ON LANTAU
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LANTAU NEWS
WHAT’S HOT TRANSLANTAU
T
he Spartan Trail World Championship 2021 is set to unfold across four continents with 10 races devised to challenge both elite and amateur runners. The reloaded series features new events, including the TransLantau, and a new format, aimed at reaching the world’s trail running community. Since 2011, the TransLantau off-road ultramarathon has attracted elite global runners to take the ultimate challenge. The flagship category, TransLantau 104K with +5,800 elevation covers two country parks on South Lantau with 80% of the course on trails. The two distances selected for the Spartan Trail World Championship event in November are the 104K and the 43K with an unprecedented total cash prize of US$18,000. “This is a well-deserved accomplishment for Hong Kong and its trail running community,” says Clement Dumont, race director of TransLantau. “The fantastic trails of Lantau and authentic places like Tai O fishing village and the Po Lin Monastery at Ngong Ping provide a unique experience to trail runners from all over the world.” To find out more, visit www.translantau.com.
OKINAWA GANG-RYU KARATE
Photos courtesy of Brian Chung, Agnes Pang & unsplash.com
S
ensei is an honorific term, which literally translates from the Japanese as ‘one who comes before,’ or ‘person born before another.’ A Sensei’s teachings are based on the wisdom he has gained from age and experience – and it’s a title Mark Tsang Lingkwong well deserves. Not least because he’s been teaching karate for 47 years.
Spartan Trail World Championship event in Los Penitentes, Argentina 2019
BUTTERFLY OF HOPE
T
ung Chung artist Agnes Pang is showing her latest art installation, Butterfly of Hope, at Lee Tung Avenue (LTA), Wanchai through March. Framed in wood, the butterfly is made up of over 1,000 amenity bottles collected from hotels and decorated with discarded fruit net wraps. Agnes advocates “taking what others Agnes Pang discard” and turning “garbage into useful materials” for her creations. For this reason, LTA commissioned her to help promote the work of Soap Cycling, the Hong Kong non-profit that works with the hospitality industry to collect, process and redistribute lightly used soap bars and bottled amenities. These life-saving items are then distributed to disadvantaged communities around the world, particularly in Asia. “I am presenting Butterfly of Hope over Chinese New Year as something that is colourful, tranquil, festive and full of positive energy,” Agnes says. “The framed butterfly is symbolic of human mobility restrictions during the pandemic. Nonetheless, the butterfly symbolises spiritual growth and transformation and it’s a metaphor for how we can turn COVID-19 anxiety into something that is full of joy and creativity.” To find out more, visit www.agnesrecycles.com.
Marks’ new classes in Lantau – Sensei Mark Tsang Lingkwong at Mui Wo Sports Centre and in Discovery Bay – are creating quite a buzz. Kids (aged four years and up) as well as adults can sign up to learn from the master. Mark was a fighting and boxing champion at the British Karate Open in 1997. He served in the special forces both in Hong Kong and the UK, and has worked as a bodyguard with the G4s and for the Ho Group. He now teaches full time and specialises in Okinawa Gang-Ryu Karate. To find out more, call 9303 1153 or visit www.gojuryu-karate.net. 6
LIFE ON LANTAU
February / March 2021
www.lifeonlantau.com
From trash to treasure: Butterfly of Hope
WHAT’S HOT SHERATON HONG KONG TUNG CHUNG HOTEL OPEN FOR BUSINESS
T
Sheraton Hong Kong Tung Chung Hotel
he opening of Sheraton Hong Kong Tung Chung Hotel on December 1 created quite a buzz in the community. And despite a pandemic that has crippled the hospitality industry, the first few months have gone well. “Very well, considering the situation we’re opening in,” says cluster general manager Sander Looijen. “The restaurants have been very busy. The comments are great. We’re off to a great start.” An exciting new destination for leisure and business travellers, the hotel sits atop Tung Chung Bay, a 10-minute drive from Hong Kong International Airport and Asia-World Expo. Guests will have easy access to some of Lantau’s best hiking trails and beaches, and the plan is to provide them with plenty of opportunities to get out there and discover the island. As part of the community programme, a series of package stays (including the food-based Saveur) will encourage guests to explore the local villages, hiking trails and heritage hotspots. The hotel has also partnered with a Lantau bee farm, Mui Wo Lychee Hill Holiday Farm, to offer exclusive tours for guests.
Photos by Terry Chow & courtesy of www.marriott.com
More than that, the hotel is reaching out to Lantau residents by positioning itself as a neighbourhood hotspot – a vast community hub of restaurants, bars and shops. And so far, locals have responded in kind, particularly to the restaurants. The lively Café Lantau offers all-day dining with local and international dishes all freshly prepared and presented at live stations. Sunset Grill, with a rooftop terrace, specialises in dry-aged meats and all-things perfectly grilled, as well as artfully prepared cocktails – try the Honey Bourbon Old Fashioned. Yue offers creative yet authentic Cantonese and southern Chinese specialties, including an incredible citrusinflected hargau. Yue also features its own cellar for an elevated wine pairing experience. There’s also the Lobby Lounge – a great place to relax and enjoy afternoon tea or an artisan coffee from local coffee brand, Porter Coffee.
Local MICE and wedding planners should note that the new Sheraton boasts one of the largest ballrooms in Hong Kong with 3,400 square metres of indoor and outdoor meeting spaces. For large-scale events, the pillar-free Grand Ballroom can accommodate 1,300 guests, while it can be divided into three independent areas. For more intimate events, meeting spaces comprise two outdoor terraces, including one with breathtaking 270º ocean views, ideal for picture-perfect weddings, and four multi-function meeting rooms. Should a staycation be on your agenda this year, the new Sheraton features 218 rooms and suites, all with full-length windows from which to take in sweeping views of Lantau Peak and the sea. Guests wake up to high-speed Wi-Fi, a large flat-screen TV and enough ports for all devices. There’s also an extensive gym facing the sea and an inviting pool deck. Four Points by Sheraton Hong Kong, Tung Chung will add another 1,000 rooms when it opens on the same site early this year. And it will mark Marriott International’s first dual-branded hotel opening in Hong Kong. With government regulations as they are, the next few months are going to be a complicated time for the hotel. But Sander is confident he and his crew will be able to smooth out any snags that arise, while observing a battery of biosecurity measures – which he’d also like to see the hotel exceed. The Tung Chung property is Sander’s second Asia-Pacific launch in a career that’s so far spanned five+ countries. The first was in China at the end of 2008. At the height of the Global Financial Crisis. “Oh, that was another challenge,” he says with a grin.
Cluster general manager Sander Looijen
Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, part of Marriott International, Inc., makes it easy for guests to explore, relax and enjoy the possibilities of travel at nearly 450 hotels in over 70 countries and territories around the world. Sheraton continues to enhance the brand through innovative guest experience, differentiating design, multi-channel marketing and a sharp focus on service. To learn more, visit www.sheraton.com. For more on the Sheraton Hong Kong Tung Chung Hotel, visit www.sheratonhongkongtungchung.com. Modern Chinese dining at Yue www.lifeonlantau.com February / March 2021
LIFE ON LANTAU
7
LANTAU NEWS
LANTAU TRAIL RACES WHAT:
WHO RUNS THE WORLD
WHEN:
March 13
WHERE:
Mui Wo to Pui O
WHY:
New this year, Who Runs the World is intended to help and encourage more women to enjoy trail running and explore the beautiful South Lantau trails. There are two course distances, 9km and 19km, as well as a 4km course for kids
CONTACT:
www.lantaubasecamp.com
WHAT:
TRANSLANTAU
WHEN:
Through March 14
WHERE:
Starts and finishes in Mui Wo
WHY:
This year’s TransLantau is a virtual event in which participants run the original race route using a mobile app with an audio-guided GPS course. Choose your distance: 179km, 104km, 50km, 25km or 16km
CONTACT:
www.translantau.com
WHAT:
LANTAU 2 PEAKS
WHEN:
March 21
WHERE:
Starts and finishes in Tung Chung
WHY:
Race up Lantau Peak via the Ngong Ping 360 stairs then over Sunset Peak and down Wong Lung Hang Valley for the 23km course, or run 15km up Nei Lek Shan and down through Tei Tong Tsai and Shek Mun Kap
CONTACT:
www.actionasiaevents.com
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OUT & ABOUT
RECENT COMMUNITY EVENTS
To see your photos featured on this page, email duey@baymedia.com.hk
Shoppers shared zero-contact kisses over the holidays with Citygate’s Feel the Christmas Kisses campaign, which delivered everything from a Kissy Post Office run by elves to a giant Kissy Snowman. Find more familiar faces @ www.lifeonlantau.com
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LIFE ON LANTAU
February / March 2021
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Photos by Terry Chow
www.lifeonlantau.com February / March 2021
LIFE ON LANTAU
11
OUT & ABOUT
RECENT COMMUNITY EVENTS There was plenty of festive fun to be had over in Mui Wo, on the weekend of December 19, at the Mini Christmas Market hosted by Marcy’s Lantau. Find more familiar faces @ www.lifeonlantau.com
Photos by Duey Tam & courtesy of Marcy's Lantau
To see your photos featured on this page, email duey@baymedia.com.hk
On November 21 and 22, Bessa Odendaal ‘Everested’ on the Old Tung Chung Road to raise funds to benefit 12-year-old Discovery College student Luke Inkin in his fight to beat leukemia. In order to climb the requisite 8,848 metres, Bessa cycled up the hill from the Old Beast to the Catchwater 104 times for a total distance of 168 kilometres. Sean Inkin, Luke’s dad, joined her for 30 of the 104 hill repeats. Find more familiar faces @ www.lifeonlantau.com
Photos courtesy of Bessa Odendaal
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February / March 2021
www.lifeonlantau.com
SUCCESS STORY
Founders of Sunset Deliveries, Mui Wo
Kristian Dodds and Matthew Mortimer share the secrets of their success
S
unset Deliveries is a food delivery service founded in July last year. We are based in Mui Wo.
Our start-up is a success because of our location. We have strong connections to the Mui Wo community, and we are able to meet restaurant owners face to face, instead of emailing or calling back and forth. We believe this has been one of the key components of our success so far. On top of that, given the current climate with COVID-19, the opportunity was, of course, there. To start up our business we first devised a list of costs, then we moved on to discussing our business idea with restaurants to see how they felt about it. Our advice for someone looking to start up a business is simply to start. You are never going to progress if you allow every whisper of information to get into your head. Sometimes you just have to commit and do your best to persevere. Before we created Sunset Deliveries, we were always trying to work out the logistics of how a delivery service would work and we kept getting bogged down in the details. This was the biggest barrier we faced. Our most important lesson to date concerns WhatsApp. Before we launched, we were in constant contact with our web-developers over when we would be able to release our website. At the end of the day, we started with just a simple Google form and a WhatsApp hotline. Now that we have released our website, we’ve removed the Google form but WhatsApp has been quite a big hit, so we’ve continued to use it as a means of ordering. Customers appreciate the personal touch.
Photo by Duey Tam
The thing that interests us most about our business is the fact that it is our first – we are both learning and growing along the way. Every month has come with new challenges. We put all our profits straight back into the business and it gives us new and exciting opportunities to expand in so many directions. To succeed in business, you need to be capable of seeing something that others may not, capable of seeing an opportunity or a hole in the market. Going forward, you need to be constantly looking for further niches in the market and unexplored opportunities. And you need to understand your personal motivations. When we created this business, it was clear we had no intentions of trying to climb the corporate ladder, we wanted to find something different. 14 LIFE ON LANTAU
February / March 2021
www.lifeonlantau.com
Kristian Dodds and Matthew Mortimer
The greatest challenge we face is the language barrier. We are mainly an English-speaking team, so when it comes to Chinese restaurants communication can sometimes be a little tricky. Fortunately, we do have a few staff members who are fluent in Cantonese. Our greatest achievement is turning an idea into reality. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing your plans come to fruition. Our plan for the future is to continue to grow Sunset Deliveries to the point where we can use it as a platform to branch out into another industry, while continuing to give back to our community. We are still growing and have a lot more expanding to do. It’s great and really incentivising when you are working towards something with others who share a similar goal. When hiring staff, we always ask ‘Why do you want to do this job?’ It makes us so happy to see our riders enjoying what they are doing. The entrepreneur we most admire is Jay-Z. Our personal motto is “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” - Eleanor Roosevelt.
FIND IT
• Sunset Deliveries, Mui Wo, 9719 1311,
support@sunsetdeliveries.com, www.sunsetdeliveries.com
GIVEAWAYS
Here’s your chance to win great prizes! WIN A HK$250 CINNABON VOUCHER
Life on Lantau prizes are incredibly easy to get your hands on, and you have until February 10 to apply. Simply scan the barcode, or go to www.lifeonlantau.com/giveaways, select the giveaway you want, and enter your details into the online form.
Cinnabon is offering two readers a HK$250 voucher to use at its new shop in Citygate Outlets in Tung Chung. The second Hong Kong location of Cinnabon, the iconic Seattle bakery, opened in October. As one of the most recognised brands worldwide, Cinnabon offers fresh-baked, mouth-watering cinnamon rolls, as well as a wide range of other baked items and beverages in 1,700 outlets across over 50 countries.
Cinnabon’s signature cinnamon rolls are the brand’s bestsellers. Makara Cinnamon from the mountains of West Sumatra is incorporated with smooth, tender dough and fluffy signature frosting, to produce the classic rolls that have distinguished the brand since 1985. To find out more, follow Cinnabon on Instagram and Facebook @CinnabonHK.
www.facebook.com/CinnabonHK
Congratulations to last issue’s winner Lisa Bartlett for an Auto Sparkling Water Machine from SodaMagic
PERSONA
She’s Got
Rhythm
Mui Wo-based pianist, educator and presenter Jacqueline Leung is doing her best to spread the gospel of classical piano, even if it is through computer screens – for now. Elizabeth Kerr reports
C Photos courtesy of Jacqueline Leung
lassical pianist Jacqueline Leung says that banging away on piano keys is the only thing keeping her warm in breezy Mui Wo these days, despite it being sunnier than it has been in a week. She’s just finished rehearsal at her Hong Kong-side studio with the other members of the newly formed Phoenix Quartet. It’s one of Jacqueline’s COVID-19 projects (another is relearning the oboe), like the ones we’ve all taken up in the past year.
The four women have been debating what the protocols are for their January 24 online concert (which you can download at www.jacquelineleung.com). “We have no idea what to do between songs,” Jacqueline says with a wry chuckle.
Bach to basics Jacqueline chalks her love of the instrument up to lessons her mother took while she was pregnant. “My mum couldn’t learn when she was younger so she was doing it then. I wanted to learn since I can remember, and really begged when I was four. At that time in Hong Kong teachers wouldn’t take children that young.” Fortunately her parents found an instructor in North Point who was impressed enough to take her on as a student. Jacqueline played constantly (she still plays on the piano she had at age seven) and her parents agreed to nurture the spark they saw by sending her, first, to Saturday lessons at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, then to Wells Cathedral School in Somerset at 11 for its music programme.
Performing for the computer comes with a steep learning curve, Jacqueline notes, but she agrees it’s a handy skill to have in what’s likely to be a heavily digital post-pandemic world. She’s ok with that, but only up to a point: “It’s not the same; live music is a different ballgame. You need to feel the vibrations of the space and the vibe of the audience. But at least we’re playing.”
“I really enjoyed Wells,” Jacqueline says. “I was there for seven years, and it really formed who I am. Their motto is ‘Be who you are,’ and I hold on to that to this day. In Hong Kong it’s easy to lose that.”
That’s an understatement from the thirty-something Jacqueline, who’s been playing piano since she was four years old.
After graduating from the Royal Academy of Music in London and then picking up a master’s degree from the equally well-regarded
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“I think the concert hall scares people. You have to be silent, you can’t move, you can’t clap between songs or movements. I think we need that a bit, but we also need more casual settings. If I’m allowed to, I always talk to the audience” Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Jacqueline came home to Hong Kong for good in 2008. La vie en rose These days, Jacqueline is highly sought-after as a concert pianist, master class teacher, workshop leader and adjudicator. Described as a player who possesses ‘musicality, intelligence and technical finesse,’ she was elected as an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM) in 2013 in recognition of her significant contribution in the musical field, and she’s collaborated with some of the world’s top musicians including Robert Aitken, Andras Adorjan, Jasmine Choi, Iestyn Davies and Trey Lee. Looking back at her career trajectory, Jacqueline is quick to point out that it wasn’t all sunshine and roses all of the time. “It was hard,” she says. “When you study music all you learn is how to play the piano, and its history. No one teaches you about management, or how to promote yourself, or how to behave on tour, which are all really important.” But her dedication paid off. Small concerts in Hong Kong, then around Asia, became bigger concerts, recitals and tours across Europe, the US and Latin America. Following a show in Cartagena, Colombia, Jacqueline commandeered a restaurant piano after dinner for an impromptu concert that wasn’t all Bach all the time. “Afterward my friend and I got free tequila,” she recalls with a smile. That sums Jacqueline up: dedicated to her craft, secure in her skill, but grounded enough to recognise how to get the rest of us to enjoy a piano concerto. Or Little Richard. Or George Gershwin. Or Edith Piaf… La Vie En Rose: The Allure of the Tango, performed www.lifeonlantau.com February / March 2021
LIFE ON LANTAU 17
PERSONA
under The Modern Classics platform at the Soul Live Project Complex in 2018, is arguably one of Jacqueline’s most memorable concerts. She and saxophonist buddy Timothy Sun famously went all out, treating the Vietnamese audience to a steamy journey through traditional tango music into jazz/ classical nuevo tango.
Jacqueline says. “There is a track [on In Sunshine] to suit whatever mood you’re in, whether you’re enjoying a cup of coffee, dreaming about a tropical holiday, doing household chores, sipping a glass of wine after a long day, or simply need something to calm you down and bring solace.”
All in all, Jacqueline’s a big fan of balancing the piano’s enduring grace with its fun, accessible side. Likening classical music to wine and art, she is keenly aware classical piano has been made intimidating by an elitist clique.
As we part ways, Jacqueline’s intent on a spot of retail therapy (kitchen gear) before hopping a ferry back to Mui Wo and husband Phil, a music writer. The couple relocated to Lantau four years ago, after a stretch in Sheung Wan. Initially resistant, Jacqueline has come to appreciate island living and the privacy it affords.
“I think the concert hall scares people,” she says. “You have to be silent, you can’t move, you can’t clap between songs or movements. I think we need that a bit, but we also need more casual settings. If I’m allowed to, I always talk to the audience.”
“The house became available, we made a snap decision, and it’s been great,” she finishes. “I can practise until any time I want; we have no neighbours. When I really need to practise I can go until 2 or 3 in the morning... That’s impossible to do in town.”
Though she still teaches (all ages) and is a regular on the lecture and adjudication circuit (in Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, the UK and China), sitting down and playing for an audience remains Jacqueline’s passion. An intimate salon setting, where she can get a drink and sit down with members of the audience after the show to find out how it was from their perspective, is her idea of perfect. “That would make my night,” she says wistfully. Desert island discs Until those halcyon days return, Jacqueline can be found online and also on record: Her second album, the Jazz age-influenced That’s the Berries! New York Nights, was released last year. It’s exactly the kind of welcoming interpretation of what could be called standards, mostly Gershwin, including Sweet and Lowdown and I Got Rhythm, that non-aficionados can enjoy. “When I discovered all of the 18 original transcriptions by George Gershwin which he played at private parties, I fell in love with every single one of them,” Jacqueline says. “I felt strongly compelled to introduce them to more people. The 1920s was the epitome of classiness and indulgence yet there was a sense of timelessness to it.” Jacqueline’s debut album, In Sunshine or In Shadow, a sort of Bach, Mozart, Chopin and Liszt greatest hits collection, recorded in the legendary Vienna Concert Hall over three days in 2017, is just as accessible. The repertoire on the disc was inspired by Jacqueline's love of BBC Radio 4’s legendary Desert Island Discs, and the tracks were chosen for their easily recognisable tunes. “Everyone loves melodies, and a good melody is what usually attracts the listener to listen more intently,”
18 LIFE ON LANTAU
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Jacqueline enjoying some downtime at Silvermine Bay Beach
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T
he streets are hung with red and gold lanterns brightening the grey skies of a cold winter. Jangly Chinese music streams out from restaurants and shops. Potted plants and flowers are everywhere, ushering in good luck. Dancing lions with gongs walk the streets. Winter in Lantau is all about celebration, and hot on the heels of Christmas comes Chinese New Year (CNY). What with the annual fireworks display over Victoria Harbour and the iconic parade in Tsim Sha Tsui both cancelled due to social distancing restrictions, there’s no doubt that this Lunar New Year is going to be quieter than most. But if we learnt anything in 2020 it’s that quiet doesn’t have to mean dull. This year’s holidays (February 12 to 15) provide us with an opportunity to get back to the true spirit of CNY, and to celebrate it in the traditional way – at home with family and close friends. In this guide, we’ve aimed to provide the lowdown on just such a celebration. The restaurants will, of course, be open and we’ve listed some of the best places on the island to eat dim sum (and more) on page 22. But for those of you who are planning on feasting at home – an auspicious thing to do particularly on Lunar New Year’s Eve – we’ve detailed exactly what you need to serve. Turn to page 24, to find out why eating a whole fish, dumplings and spring rolls will set you up for a prosperous 2021. At CNY, there are 101 time-honoured customs worth keeping, many of which you’ll discover in the following pages. Did you know, for instance, that a flower that blooms on Lunar New Year’s Day brings 12 months of prosperity to the family that homes it. As with almost all activities at CNY, there is enormous symbolism in the use of flowers and plants. In fact, the most popular blooms are deliberately chosen for their ‘special powers.’ Turn to page 28 to find out which flowers will help you get what you want (be that love, money or a promotion) in 2021. While the Lunar New Year Flower Market at Tat Tung Road Garden, Tung Chung is the perfect place to purchase auspicious blooms of every variety, you’ll also want to pick up some auspicious red and gold homeware items – a couple of red paper scrolls to hang on your front door at the very least. Turn to page 27 for some essential and inexpensive CNY home decorating tips, and to page 28 for a great selection of products, all available here in Lantau. Last but not least, we’re about to ring in the Year of the Metal Ox. You can take a refresher course in Chinese astrology and find out what the new year has in store on page 23. The good news is that the Ox is one of the strongest and healthiest animals in the Chinese zodiac, so we can hope to see the back of COVID-19 by year’s end. Kung Hei Fat Choy!
www.lifeonlantau.com February / March 2021
LIFE ON LANTAU 21
CNY GUIDE TO LANTAU
Fine Dining
Dining destinations island- wide
Man Ho, Tung Chung: Specialising in seafood and dim sum at SkyCity Marriott Hotel. And don’t miss the signature barbecued pork loin glazed with honey, which sizzles over hot stones. 2969 2888.
Yue, Tung Chung: Contemporary and creative Cantonese cuisine – from timeless dim sum and classic stir-fry to locally sourced seafood, at the Sheraton Hong Kong Tung Chung Hotel. 2535 0028.
Sixa, Tung Chung: Iconic Cantonese dishes – like drunken beef shank with bean curd sheet – reinvented with a modern twist, at Citygate Outlets. 2382 8633.
Discovery Bay
Tung Chung Peng Chau Mui Wo Ngong Ping
Illustrations courtesy of vecteezy.com; map artwork by Duey Tam
Tai O
Chi Ma Wan
Hei Ling Chau
Pui O Tong Fuk
Cheung Sha
Seafood
Fook Chui Loi Seafood Restaurant, Mui Wo: Enjoy views of Silvermine Bay while dishing up clams cooked in soya sauce and chili, and fried oyster omelettes. 2984 8227. Tak Chai Kee Seafood, Mui Wo: Super-fresh Guangdong-style seafood – the mussels and scallion-dressed steamed fish are heaven-sent. 2984 1265.
22 LIFE ON LANTAU
Dim Sum
Wah Tao Seafood Restaurant, Tung Chung: Delicious seafood dishes that are easy on the wallet. Order the salt and pepper squid followed by crunchy noodles topped with prawns. 2988 1450.
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Honorary Family Restaurant, Mui Wo: A complete mezze of classic Cantonese dumplings – everything from char siu bao and har gow to siew mai and wu gock. 2325 8555. Silvermine Bay Restaurant, Mui Wo: The extensive dim-sum menu is available in the mornings only. Opt for old-school favourites like turnip cake and chicken feet. 2984 1175.
Cheung Chau
What’s with all the animals?
D Reporting by Samantha Wong; photos courtesy of stock.adobe.com
ating back thousands of years and based on the lunar rather than the Gregorian calendar, Chinese New Year (CNY) begins on the first day of the new moon that appears any time between January 21 and February 20 each year. Chinese communities all over the globe celebrate Lunar New Year and it’s a major holiday here in Hong Kong (February 12 to 15 in 2021). During the festivities, people get together and welcome the new year through ancient customs that are believed to bring good fortune, prosperity and happiness. The CNY festivities last over a fortnight in most countries. The new year period is celebrated with dragon dances, lion dances, gift exchanging and fireworks. It typically ends, with lantern festivals, on the 15th day. We are about to enter the Year of the Ox – the Chinese zodiac calendar has a cycle of 12 years, and each year has a Chinese zodiac animal as its symbol. The 12 Chinese zodiac animals are Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. The animals always come in the same order, so 2020 was the Year of the Rat, 2021 is the Year of the Ox, and 2022 will be the Year of the Tiger. The last Ox years were 2009 and 1997. An ancient folk story explains how these animals made the final cut to be immortalised in the
zodiac – the Jade Emperor called a race, decreeing that the first 12 animals to swim across a fast-flowing river would each have a year named in their honour. Thirteen animals lined up on the riverbank; however, the cat was pushed into the water by the rat, and was excluded from the final line-up. The rat reached the opposite bank first, by riding on the ox’s back, which is why he is the first of the 12-year cycle of animals in the Chinese zodiac. To complicate things a little bit, the Chinese zodiac animals are combined with the five elements (metal, earth, fire, wood and water) over a 48-year cycle. 2021 is a Metal Ox Year, 2009 was an Earth Ox Year, 1997 a Fire Ox Year, 1985 a Wood Ox Year, and 1973 a Water Ox Year. People are assigned a Chinese zodiac sign according to the year of their birth, and they are thought to display certain characteristics unique to their zodiac animal. For example, Tigers are thought to be great leaders and Goats are creative, while 2021’s herd of Oxen are said to be hardworking, dependable and determined. Barack Obama, George Clooney and Malala Yousafzai are all Oxen. Just as people take on the characteristics of their Chinese zodiac animals, so do the years named after them. What then can we expect of 2021, the Year of the Ox? Importantly, the Ox is strong and robust, he is considered one of the most naturally healthy animals in the Chinese zodiac, so we should be in a good place to combat COVID-19. The Ox is hardworking, methodical and selfdisciplined – if we follow his lead, we can expect good things. The Ox brings stability to relationships and casts a favourable eye on long-term investments. www.lifeonlantau.com February / March 2021
LIFE ON LANTAU 23
CNY GUIDE TO LANTAU
Eat for success
E
ating together as a family (traditionally at home) is a Chinese New Year (CNY) essential, particularly on Lunar New Year’s Eve (February 11 this year). The dishes we make or have made for us represent blessings for the year to come; they symbolise wishes for prosperity, happiness and good health.
If you are making the dumplings yourself, place a coin in one of them – whoever picks that dumpling is guaranteed good luck in the coming year. You can, of course, fill the dumplings with anything you like: Consider that duck represents loyalty; lobster and shrimp represent wealth; egg and tofu represent family unity and good health.
Steamed fish is an absolute must for CNY since it symbolises surplus and wealth. The reason for this is simple – the character for fish, 魚 (yú) is a homonym of the character 餘, which means ‘surplus’ or ‘extra.’ It’s unlucky to flip the fish – you eat one side of it for dinner, and the rest the next day. This is to prolong the surplus and make sure the coming year is prosperous. Traditionally too, you do not eat the head and tail. This is a reminder to finish everything you start and to wish for positive results. A whole fish also represents a harmonious and united family.
Last but not least, make a point of eating extra-long ‘longevity noodles’ at CNY. The longer the noodles, the longer your life will be. For obvious reasons you shouldn’t cut the noodles and you should try not to chew them either. Feel free to slurp!
Reporting by Samantha Wong; photos courtesy of stock.adobe.com & www.wikimedia.org
Rich in protein, a whole steamed chicken can feed an entire family, and it’s another CNY staple representing unity, reunion and rebirth. Eating the chicken wings will help you succeed (fly higher), and eating the bones will help you achieve your goals. The family’s main breadwinners should eat the chicken feet to help them grasp on to wealth in the year ahead. We eat spring rolls at CNY because they look like bars of gold, and are therefore a wish for prosperity and wealth. And we eat dumplings, shaped like ancient gold and silver ingots, for the same reason. What’s more, the character for dumpling 餃子 (jiǎo zi) is a homonym of the character 交子 (jiāo zi), and 交 (jiāo) means ‘exchange’ and 子 (zi) means ‘midnight.’ Jjiāo zi therefore represents the exchange between the old and new year. By eating dumplings, we are casting out the old and welcoming the new.
Steamed garoupa for abundance
Auspicious veggies • • • • • • •
Bamboo shoot for success at work Cabbage for new beginnings Chives/ leeks for long life Lotus seed for a happy and healthy family Mushroom for good luck Seaweed for wealth Spring onion for intelligence and wit
Tai O Prosperity Toss Afternoon tea at Tai O Heritage Hotel, February 12 to 15, begins with a classic lo hei (prosperity toss) of fresh local greens and raw fish. Each ingredient symbolises prosperity and good health – as we toss the dish, we turn to one another and say ‘Kung Hei Fat Choy!’ And the fun doesn’t stop there. The Taste of Tai O CNY Tea Set goes on to deliver an enticing range of small plates including turnip pudding, mountain begonia cheesecake (with gold foil), walnut cookies and sesame balls, all washed down with locally brewed Yi O brown sugar ginger tea. Call 2985 8383. Long noodles for longevity
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CNY GUIDE TO LANTAU
Decorating for
GOOD FORTUNE
C Reporting by Samantha Wong; photo courtesy of stock.adobe.com
hinese New Year (CNY), the most important holiday in the Chinese calendar, is the time when we habitually open our doors to friends and loved ones. We may be limited to small groups this year but it’s still a great excuse to brighten up our homes with a little festive finery. CNY decorations help create a celebratory mood and they also encourage the Metal Ox to bless us with health, wealth and happiness.
The traditional way to decorate at Lunar New Year is to hang auspicious red paper scrolls, emblazoned with classical Chinese couplets and the Chinese characters for good fortune, wealth and the coming of spring. Place a scroll with the 福 character [fú], meaning good fortune, upside down on your front door, to bid guests a warm welcome and signify good times ahead. At CNY, any red decorative item will immediately up the ante and the easiest way to boost your decor is by styling up with bold Shanghainese-red accessories. This is easily done with wellchosen, inexpensive home accessories, like scatter cushions, table napkins and candles. Note that red (and metal) ox figurines are likely to sell like hot cakes this year, as are red flowers of every variety. You can also rework classic Oriental accents to create the right mood. Pick up some miniature birdcages and use them as candleholders, or introduce red lanterns, lit up as a group either on the floor or as a table centrepiece. Since the colour gold represents luck, prosperity and happiness, it’s a perennially popular decorating choice at CNY, and for 2021, you can also introduce a little white in order to celebrate the Metal Ox. Feng shui says white is this year’s lucky colour, making it an excellent addition to any home decor. 26 LIFE ON LANTAU
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Tradition dictates that you lay out a CNY candy tray, filled with candied melons for good health, and red melon seeds symbolising happiness. It should also contain dried lychees and desiccated coconut to promote strong family ties; kumquats for prosperity; and peanuts for long life. Offer your guests eight varieties of dried fruit to give them a sweet start to CNY.
Customs worth keeping
On February 10, the day before Lunar New Year’s Eve, you need to set to and clean house. This will clear out any bad vibes picked up over the past year and allow good luck to come in. Once through, put away your brooms and brushes – you can’t touch them again until February 13, lest you sweep out all the luck that you’ve just made room for. Lunar New Year is a public holiday because it’s unlucky to work at this time. You need to avoid work of all kinds, housework too, so prepare meals for Lunar New Year’s Eve and Lunar New Year’s Day in advance. If you haven’t done so already, February 10 is also the day to decorate your home for CNY. On February 11, Lunar New Year’s Eve, the trick is not to do too much. What’s important is that you get together with family and friends for a celebratory (pre-prepared) meal to welcome in a new, prosperous year. Come midnight, open every door and window in your home so as to release any bad vibes associated with the outgoing Year of the Rat. On February 12, Lunar New Year’s Day, you already know not to work, cook or clean. Be mindful not to wash your hair, as this will wash away your luck, and don’t use knives or scissors, as this cuts your luck.
Festive finery
Fabric ox ornament, Marcy’s Lantau, from HK$38
Hand-painted Mandarin Ducks box, Marcy’s Lantau, from HK$189
Hand-painted jewellery box, Marcy’s Lantau, HK$189
Photos courtesy of Marcy’s Lantau, My Island Home (Mih), Printissimo Home & Red Velvet Designs
Leaf tray, My Island Home (Mih), HK$70
Hummingbird on Cherry Blossom ginger jar, Red Velvet Designs, HK$450
Red Lanterns unframed print (A3 size), Printissimo Home, HK$2,600
Red Birds ceramic stool, Red Velvet Designs, HK$890
Cushion, Marcy’s Lantau, HK$60
Sherpa throw, Red Velvet Designs, HK$500
LANTAU STOCKISTS
• • • •
Marcy’s Lantau, www.facebook.com/marcyshongkong My Island Home (Mih), www.facebook.com/mih.myislandhome Printissimo Home, www.facebook.com/printissimohome Red Velvet Designs, www.redvelvetdesigns.net
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LIFE ON LANTAU 27
CNY GUIDE TO LANTAU
flowers
Say it with
A
s with almost all activities at Chinese New Year (CNY), there is enormous symbolism in the use of flowers and plants. Miniature kumquat plants are popular, with the fruits’ golden colour symbolising money, while pomelos, often seen in pairs, are said to promote family unity. You’ll see orchids galore – their delicate blooms symbolic of luxury and abundance. Potted plants (rather than cut blooms) are the number one essential at CNY, since they represent new life. Any flower that blossoms over CNY bestows a blessing but a plant that blooms on Lunar New Year’s Day brings 12 months of prosperity to the family that homes it. This is particularly true of the white narcissus.
Reporting by Samantha Wong; photos courtesy of www.wikimedia.org
If you don’t fancy braving the crowds at the festive flower markets at Causeway Bay’s Victoria Park and Prince Edward’s Fa Hui Park, Tat Tung Road Garden in Tung Chung hosts a small CNY flower market, while Prince Edward’s permanent stalls on Flower Market Road often yield better bargains than the seasonal flower fairs. Needless to say, Hing Fat Flower Market’s Tung Chung shop in Fu Tung Plaza does a roaring trade in the lead up to the holidays, as does Garden Plus over in Pui O. “We sell a lot of kumquat plants for Chinese New Year – they are traditional gifts symbolising wealth,” says Henny Robertson at Garden Plus. “We also have red gladioli for career success; narcissi and chrysanthemums for prosperity, and cherry blossoms for fresh starts.” For Alice Chan at Hing Fat Flower Market, orchids, symbolising wealth, luxury, good fortune and abundance, are go-to picks at CNY. “They are undoubtedly the most popular Chinese New Year flower if you are thinking about adding some cheer to your home or workplace,” she says. “The waterfalltype pot plants are adorable display pieces. Having a beautiful phalaenopsis (moth orchid) at home can improve air quality, reduce stress, and improve healing and concentration.” 28 LIFE ON LANTAU
Peonies for riches and honour
Alice also recommends forsythia for prosperity, cherry blossom for new beginnings and, if you are looking for a gift for the one you love, red amaryllis. Kumquat plants symbolising money
Bright red peonies (the flower of riches and honour) are another auspicious choice at CNY. Over the holiday, business people spend a lot of money on bouquets of peonies to ensure that they will have a prosperous year. As well as bringing with them the promise of material success, peonies are also associated with romance, since they are a symbol of feminine beauty. Peach blossom is considered the most auspicious of all plants at this time of year. Its significance lies in the symbolic importance of the peach, which, in Chinese culture, signifies long life, and is regarded as the strongest defence against evil. Well-chosen arrangements make a play on words. The Chinese language opens up endless opportunities for punning, and this is demonstrated in the flowers that are most sought-after at this time of year. For instance kumquat plants, pronounced gam gat sue in Cantonese – the word gam rhymes with the Cantonese word for gold, and the word gat rhymes with the Cantonese word for luck. In Mandarin, kumquat is jin ju meaning golden orange, symbolising gold or wealth. Foliage plays a supporting role –in more ways than one. Bamboo stems (implying compatibility) are often fixed on to pine sprigs (symbolising longevity and steadiness). These are then sculpted into meaningful Chinese words or characters, for instance shou, meaning longevity. Mix in a couple of plum blossoms and the grouping symbolises friendship.
FIND IT
Bamboo stems for compatibility
February / March 2021
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• Garden Plus, 6547 2233 • Hing Fat Flower Market, 3643 0590
GIVING LIFE SHOULDN’T BE SO DEADLY Ramatoulaye, who lives in Burkina Faso, was about to give birth to her fourth child, but the boatman was nowhere to be found. Unable to get to the health centre across the river, she gave birth alone on the river banks. Maternal health is a human right — join Amnesty International to defend human rights for women like Ramatoulaye. Learn more at www.amnesty.org.hk.
© Anna Kari
HOME CHEF
Be my Valentine! For all you lovers out there, February 14 is just around the corner… so it’s time to eat oysters
Oysters au Naturel Serves 2 12 live medium oysters, on the half shell
Photos courtesy of stockadobe.com
1 lemon
Purists wouldn’t dream of eating oysters any way but raw, freshly opened on the half shell with a dash of lemon. You can also try them with a little hot pepper sauce, or a vinegar and onion garnish. But if you’re feeling daring, make an oyster shooter… Simply place your oyster in a shot glass, and top with tomato juice or a spicy cocktail sauce (ketchup, horseradish and Worcestershire sauce). Add lemon juice, black pepper and vodka to taste. Stir together and shoot!
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Oysters Rockefeller Serves 2 2 slices bacon 24 live medium oysters, unopened 170g cooked spinach 55g breadcrumbs 26g green onions, chopped 1tbsp fresh parsley, chopped 1 dash hot pepper sauce 3tbsp olive oil 1tsp anise-flavoured liqueur
Preheat your oven to 220°C. Fry the bacon, drain, crumble and set aside. Clean the oysters and place in a large stockpot. Cover with water and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat; drain and cool the oysters, before breaking the top shell off each. Combine the bacon, spinach, breadcrumbs, green onions and parsley in a food processor. Add the hot sauce, olive oil and anise-flavoured liqueur and process until finely chopped but not puréed. Arrange the oysters on a pan lined with rock salt. Spoon a little spinach mixture over each oyster. Bake for 10 minutes, then grill until browned on top. Serve piping hot.
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LIFE ON LANTAU 31
HOME CHEF
Oysters Mornay Serves 2 473ml milk 2tsp cornflour 1 cup gruyere cheese, grated 4tbsp parmesan cheese 24 oysters on the half shell
Heat the milk in a pan, when hot, mix a little water with the cornflour, add to the milk and stir until the mixture thickens. Add the gruyere and half the parmesan; stir until the cheese has melted. Pour rock salt into an ovenproof dish, enough to cover the bottom, and arrange the oysters on top. Spoon the sauce over the oysters to cover, and sprinkle with the remaining parmesan. Grill until browned and bubbling. Serve with a little spinach or samphire.
32 LIFE ON LANTAU
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Dogs and cats on Lantau need you! To adopt or foster a pet and make a difference, head to www.tailslantau.org To offer your support by donating or volunteering, head to www.tailslantau.org/donate-volunteer TAILS’ Adoption Days are held every Saturday, 2 to 5pm; usually we will be at China Bear (Mui Wo) or Treasure Island (Pui O). Stay tuned for weekly location updates by following us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/tailslantau) and Instagram (www.instagram.com/tails.lantau). TAILS’ adoption fee is HK$1,500 for dogs and HK$1,000 for cats. This fee covers the first set of annual vaccinations, rabies vaccination, microchip, de-worm and de-flea treatment, heartworm test and 6 months of heartworm prevention, plus de-sexing surgery and any additional required medical treatment and animal care received prior to adoption. TAILS’ priority is to find the right match that will be in the best interests of both the animal and the family. Please fill in a foster or adoption questionnaire at www.tailslantau.org/adopt.
Roxie and her sister Rizzo were rescued together and are your typical happy-go-lucky puppies. They are playful, adventurous, full of personality and keen to master as many new skills as possible. Roxie is an excitable puppy always wanting to play and follow you around. Rizzo is inquisitive, always exploring and full of energy when it comes to playtime. Both sisters are very sweet and affectionate, they love to cuddle!
Pippy and Popeye were rescued at the same time and have been in foster together ever since. They have built up a very close bond, so we hope they are homed together. Pippy is shy at first, but quickly becomes more confident and will show off her cheeky, fun personality. Popeye is slightly more reserved, so can take time to warm up to you. Once he does, you will see he’s just as sweet, friendly and playful as Pippy.
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2914 0658 2385 9677 5611 2490 9264 8597 6688 2167 2711 1280 2987 4274 2385 9677 6180 3256 2557 8007 6443 6597 5307 6677 6051 8196 6079 0825
USEFUL NUMBERS Alcoholics Anonymous Arrow Accounting Services FTC Apparel Phoenix Wills
9073 6922 6201 9710 2428 2566 3100 0101
VETERINARY & PET SITTING SERVICES Bon’s Mobile Pet Grooming Royal Pets Ltd - Pet Sitting Tung Chung Animal Clinic Tung Chung Vet Centre
9099 9959 6314 9887 2988 1534 2328 7282
2882 3390
EDUCATION Ashville International Kindergarten & Nursery Buddhist Fat Ho College Lantau International Kindergarten Lantau International School Lao Shi Lantau Mandarin lessons Little Lantau Montessori Kindergarten Mindfulness Matters Mui Wo Language Cafe Silvermine Bay School
2109 9886 2985 5365 2984 0302 2980 3676 5197 4647 3689 6709 9048 5425 5511 6107 2984 0006
FOOD, BEVERAGES & RESTAURANTS Bahçe Turkish Restaurant Bathers/ Beach House Cafe Isara Caffe Paradiso China Bear Deer Horn Restaurant & Bar Kebab Korner Lantau Grocer Lantana Italian Bistro Le Jardin de Sophie Loi Chan Frozen Meat Co. Long Island Mucho Gusto Natural Plus Robert’s Market Tai O Solo Café The Gallery The Kitchen The Stoep @ High Tide The Water Buffalo Value Vigilantes Treasure Island Restaurant
2984 0222 2504 4788 2470 1966 2984 0498 2984 9720 3484 3095 6429 3507 2702 0050 5465 5511 2997 9070 2984 8346 2320 2001 6422 5009 2984 2233 9193 2937 9153 7453 2980 2582 5991 6292 2980 2699 2109 3331 6132 9120 5236 7013
HEALTH & BEAUTY Greenstyle Organic and Healthcare Pause by the Banyan - health ∙ wellness Spa Ambiance Spa Puretouch Thai Palin Thai Sa Baai
9802 0553 9708 0187 2984 2488 2984 0088 9062 0148 5228 6552
HOME REPAIRS & DESIGN New Look Design Unitek
9783 5840 9156 0360
HOTELS Silvermine Beach Resort Tai O Heritage Hotel
6810 0111 2985 8383
REAL ESTATE HomeSolutions Findley Leung
3483 5003 2984 8334
RETAIL INSIDE Quay House VIBE Book & Music Shop
2890 8606 2882 8710 9088 2370
SPORT & RECREATION Lantau Base Camp Long Coast Seasports Pause by the River - pilates ∙ yoga ∙ dance Treasure Island Group
5463 6060 2980 3222 9708 0187 2546 3543
TRANSPORT New Lantau Bus Company
2984 9848
USEFUL NUMBERS Alcoholics Anonymous Phoenix Wills
9073 6922 6108 8471
VETERINARY SERVICES SPCA Mui Wo
2984 0060
DISCOVERY BAY
SOUTH LANTAU
ART & CULTURE Flanhardt Galerie und Atelier (FGUA)
COMMUNITY Club Siena DB Recreation Club DB Fire & Ambulance DB Marina Club DB Management
2987 7382 2987 7381 2987 7502 2987 9591 2238 3601
EDUCATION DBIS Kindergarten DBIS Primary School Discovery College Discovery Mind International Play Centre Discovery Mind Kindergarten Discovery Mind Primary School, North Plaza Discovery Montessori Academy, North Plaza Discovery Montessori School, North Plaza Epic Adventurers , North Plaza Eye Level Education Learning Centre, North Plaza Lingostars HK, North Plaza Mandarin for Munchkins, North Plaza Mathemagic – home tutoring Mathnasium, North Plaza SKH Wei Lun Primary School Sunshine House International Preschool Zhi Zhi Chinese
2914 2142 2987 7331 3969 1000 2987 8088 2987 8088 2914 2202 2812 9206 2987 1201 2441 0098 9366 0000 6375 2015 2480 3909 9135 4724 2628 3362 2987 8608 2987 8143 9648 2966
FOOD & RESTAURANTS 22˚ North Coyote Mexican Cantina Epic Foods, North Plaza Gilmore’s by the Golden Pig, North Plaza Hemingway’s McSorley’s Ale House The Pier Bar Uncle Russ, North Plaza
2987 2298 2987 2848 2172 6111 2662 9168 2987 8855 2987 8280 2520 2166 2840 1188
HEALTH & BEAUTY Afflatus Hair Workshop, North Plaza Maximum Care Nailed It!
2987 0283 2987 2060 2987 2266
MEDICAL Bayside Dental Practice, North Plaza DB Medical Centre Health and Care Dental Clinic Island Health Quality Health Physiotherapy
2987 0855 2987 5633 2666 6183 2987 7575 2473 6200
PROPERTY LISTINGS & BOATS Headland Homes Okay.com Savills Hong Kong
2987 2088 2102 0888 2987 1919
RETAIL Bookazine P-Solution Wing On Star Mart, North Plaza
2987 1373 2987 1777 2987 9268 2366 6534
SPORT & RECREATION DB Pirates Rugby, Netball, Hockey & Dragonboat Greenwich Yoga School, North Plaza HK Dragons Football Club Harry Wright International Island Dance Kapuhala Train-in-Space, North Plaza Yoga Bay, North Plaza Yoga Up, North Plaza
9255 6133 9685 8366 5322 5556 2575 6279 2987 1571 6101 8434 6704 9851 8197 5591
TRANSPORT Passenger Telephone Hotline
2987 0208
USEFUL NUMBERS Alcoholics Anonymous Auberge Discovery Bay Hotel, North Plaza Island Veterinary Services
9073 6922 2295 8288 2987 9003
www.lifeonlantau.com February / March 2021
LIFE ON LANTAU 35
DESTINATION
Tung Chung Fort A unique piece of local history, originally built as a defence against pirates, Tung Chung Fort is well worth a visit
D
eclared a monument in 1979 and refurbished in 1988, Tung Chung Fort today seems all but forgotten, tucked away out of sight and seldom visited. It is, however, easy enough to find – simply turn left along the Tung Chung Road, adjacent to Yat Tung Estate, and walk for about five minutes. The fort is well signposted and lies just ahead on your left, at the end of a path between some village houses. Built in the 12th century Southern Song Dynasty, Tung Chung Fort is a rare if low-key relic of Hong Kong’s seafaring past. It’s gone through many incarnations over the years, with the current structure dating to the 19th century, when it was resurrected as a defence against pirates. The carved granite slab above the entrance gives the date of the fort as 1832. Once at the fort, you make your way through a series of granite-block compounds, noting the intact parapet wall, barrack houses and three arched gateways, each engraved with a Chinese inscription. Standing inside the fort’s central compound, there are six perfectly preserved muzzle-loading cannons, each resting on a cement base. The cast-iron cannons point directly at Yat Tung Estate, which towers in the distance, testament to the amazing changes development has brought to Lantau.
Reporting by Ray Au; photos by Terry Chow
Tung Chung Fort was originally built in the Shun Hei era (1174 to 1189) of the Southern Song Dynasty when soldiers from Canton (now Guangzhou) were stationed there to free the area of pirates. The soldiers, led by King Leok Chin, were successful in their mission and, after three years of peace, the majority of them were sent back to Canton. The remaining soldiers (some 150) stayed on to build Kowloon Walled City.
The cannons now point at Yat Tung Estate
Fast forward to the 1800s, the tumultuous final years of the Qing Dynasty, when Lantau was again beset by pirates. The renowned Cheung Po Tsai, who at the height of his infamy is said to have commanded a 600-strong pirate fleet and an army of 20,000 men, chose Tung Chung Bay as his base and made use of the fort. The Qing Government recovered the fort in 1810 after the surrender of Cheung Po Tsai who, somewhat surprisingly, went on to accept a naval post patrolling the coast of Taiwan. The fort was rebuilt in 1832 only to be abandoned in 1898, when the New Territories was leased to Britain. During the Second World War, the Imperial Japanese Army occupied the fort. It has subsequently served as a police station and as a school. Now it is the base for the Tung Chung Rural Committee. 36 LIFE ON LANTAU
February / March 2021
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Soldiers were first stationed at the fort in the Southern Song Dynasty
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