Tung Lung Chau
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Tung Lung Chau (東龍洲, lit. "eastern dragon island"), also known as Nam Tong Island is an island located off the peninsula of Clear Water Bay in the New Territories in Hong Kong. Area: 2.42 km².
The island is unihabited. It has been declared a Special Area. Administratively, it belongs to Sai Kung district.
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Sights
It is the site of a Buddhist Hall Fort constructed 300 years ago, and recently refurbished. A prehistoric stone carving can also be found on the island. Both the fort and the stone carving are declared monuments of Hong Kong.
Buddhist Hall Fort
It is said the fort was built as a part of a maritime defence system to protect trade and fend off pirates. The fort, according to one record, was erected in the Kangxi era (1662-1722) to guard against pirates. It is rumoured to have been attacked by the famous pirates Cheng Lien Chang and Cheng I, and more recently by the infamous Cheung Po Tsai. The fort was abandoned in 1810 when its personnel moved to another fort at the tip of the Kowloon Peninsula.
The fort is situated at the north-eastern part of the island, 35 m above the water with cliffs on three sides, and commands the Fat Tong Mun channel. No vessel could pass through without being seen entering or leaving Joss House Bay. The fort may also have been a signal station, passing messages on to military headquarters in Kowloon. When in use it was manned by an average of 25 men of the Tai-pang-hsi navy.
Although no sketches or historic descriptions of the fort are available, observation of the ruins has given an idea of the structure. It was rectangular, composed of 10 feet high rubble stone walls provided with an arch-shaped brick gate for the guards to pass in and out.
Transportation
On weekends, small craft fly the gap between the island and Sai Wan Ho.
See also
- Islands of Hong Kong
- List of buildings, sites and areas in Hong Kong
- The March of the Tung Lung Island
External link and reference
- Part of the text based on information provided by the Hong Kong Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), under the provision that the re-dissemination or reproduction is for non-commercial use. [1] (http://parks.afcd.gov.hk/newparks/eng/news/copyright_notice.htm)
- http://parks.afcd.gov.hk/newparks/eng/country/cps/cp_cwb.htmTemplate:Islands of Hong Kong