Hong Kong Pui O

Hong Kong Pui O

Pui O, also known as Pui O Bay, is located along South Lantau Road on Lantau Island and is a settlement on the southern coast of Hong Kong's Lantau Island. It consists of several villages, including Lo Wai, San Tsuen, Lo Uk, and Ham Tin. In historical documents, it is referred to as Lo Pui O or Lo Pui O. The outer bay facing Pui O is called Pui O Bay. The name “Pui O” comes from the area’s topography, which resembles the shape of a snail shell—hence it is also called Lo Pui O (Snail Cup Bay). The name “Lo Pui O” was recorded during the Ming Dynasty, in the Wanli era (1573–1620), in Guo Fei’s book Yue Da Ji (Records of Guangdong). Parts of the movie As Tears Go By, starring Andy Lau and Maggie Cheung and filmed on Lantau Island, were shot in Pui O.

History

Artifacts from the Neolithic Age have been discovered in Pui O, indicating that people may have lived there thousands of years ago. In the 18th year of the Shunzhi reign during the Qing Dynasty (1661), residents of Lantau Island were ordered to relocate inland due to the coastal evacuation policy. They gradually returned after the policy was lifted in 1669. The Lo surname Lo Wai still retains a low stone wall that was used to block floodwaters. In the past, villagers in Pui O mainly made a living through farming, with fishing as a secondary occupation. At the river mouth, there is a Tin Hau Temple built in the 4th year of the Jiaqing reign during the reign of Emperor Renzong of the Qing Dynasty (1799). The temple faces southwest, with its back to the mountain and front to the sea, and houses a bronze bell. Near the Tin Hau Temple lies the site of the Hung Shing Temple (Mui Wo).

From 1956 to 1963, due to water shortages in Hong Kong, the government decided to construct the Shek Pik Reservoir (now located within the Lantau South Country Park) and develop roads such as South Lantau Road, Tung Chung Road, and Tai O Road to connect various areas. The streams flowing from the southern part of Pui O to Fan Lau were all diverted into the reservoir, severely affecting farmland irrigation. As a result, villagers who relied on farming abandoned agriculture and released their water buffalo, seeking alternative livelihoods. Today, most villagers operate holiday homes and convenience stores to cater to tourists.