Hong Kong Lung Kwu Tan

Hong Kong Lung Kwu Tan

Lung Kwu Tan (English: Lung Kwu Tan, formerly spelled Lung-ku-tan) is located to the west of Tuen Mun in the New Territories of Hong Kong. The area features several unique structures, including two of Hong Kong’s major power plants, as well as numerous barbecue sites. It is also said that Lung Kwu Tan is the location of the “Huangkong Shoal” (or “Huankong Shoal”) mentioned in the poem “Crossing the Lingding Ocean” by the Southern Song Dynasty general Wen Tianxiang (another theory suggests that Huangkong Shoal is located in Wan’an County, Jiangxi Province, and is one of the Eighteen Shoals of the Gan River).

Initially, Lung Kwu Tan referred to a local beach, named after the nearby Lung Kwu Chau (Dragon Drum Island), as the two face each other directly. Over time, the name came to refer to the surrounding area. Lung Kwu Tan is mainly divided into two parts: Lung Kwu Tan and Lung Kwu Sheung Tan. Geographically, it is situated on the western side of Tai Leng Tsui of Castle Peak, with the Lung Kwu Channel to the west and Tap Shek Kok to the south, and is administratively part of the Lok Tsui constituency in the Tuen Mun District. When the Qing government ceded the New Territories to Britain, Lung Kwu Tan and Tuen Mun were grouped under the Yuen Long Yeuk. In 1969, the New Territories Administration Office established seven District Offices to manage local governance, including the Tuen Mun District Office. Since then, Lung Kwu Tan has been under the development of the Tuen Mun District.

Ecology and Tourism

Lung Kwu Tan is the most remote part of the northwestern New Territories coastline. Its long, narrow beach offers expansive views and, along with Pak Sha O, is one of Hong Kong’s famous sunset spots. The Lung Kwu Channel off the coast of Lung Kwu Tan is one of the common habitats of the Chinese white dolphin in Hong Kong. A “Chinese White Dolphin Viewing Platform” built on a small hill north of the beach provides an excellent spot to enjoy both the sunset and dolphin sightings.

To the east of Lung Kwu Tan lies Castle Peak, which, due to geographical separation, has kept the area relatively undisturbed by human activity, giving it certain ecological value. The feng shui forest behind the village and the adjacent shrubland are home to many butterflies, making it one of the rare breeding grounds for the Hong Kong-endemic Red Lacewing butterfly. Other uncommon butterfly species found here include the Striped Blue Crow (Euploea mulciber), the Common Indian Crow (Hypolimnas misippus), and the Common Banded Peacock (Hasora vitta). The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department recorded 90 butterfly species during surveys conducted between 2002 and 2004, and there have been proposals to designate the area as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

The Dragon Gate Trail behind Lung Kwu Tan Village features many unique rock formations, such as Bread Rock. Among them, the Emperor Rock (also known as Song Wang Dong) has a legend dating back to 1277, during the final years of the Southern Song Dynasty. When Mongol troops invaded from the north, Emperor Duanzong of Song fled southward through Hong Kong and left footprints in Lung Kwu Tan. It is said that the emperor once took refuge in this cave.

Historical Architecture

Within Lung Kwu Tan Village stands a historically significant Tin Hau Temple, designed in a two-courtyard style. It is believed to have been built during the Qing Dynasty and was renovated to its current scale during the Guangxu era. The most recent renovation took place in 1988. The temple contains inscribed stone tablets documenting its history, and the open space in front of the temple is used for cooking basin meals. Additionally, the Liu Ancestral Hall in Lung Kwu Sheung Tan was publicly rated on January 9, 2007, and is currently listed as a Grade III Historic Building by the Antiquities and Monuments Office. Built in the late Qing Dynasty and recently restored, this two-courtyard structure faces the sea and backs onto the hills, enshrining the ancestors of the local Hakka Liu clan. Nearby lies the ancestral tomb of Ruoxu Zu, the 18th-generation ancestor of the Tang Clan of Ping Shan (Ruoxu Study Room is named after him).

Lung Kwu Tan has been the site of numerous archaeological discoveries, collectively referred to as the Sandbar Site. This area, formed approximately 6,000 years ago, features a sandbar about 100 meters long. First discovered in April 1989, it underwent multiple rescue excavations by scholars before the construction of the Lung Kwu Tan Power Plant in 1993.

Lung Kwu Tan Village

Lung Kwu Tan Village can be subdivided into five parts: North Long, South Long, Duk Mei Chung, Sha Po Kong, and Lung Tsai. Hoi Heung Lou Village has been abandoned. The village is predominantly inhabited by the Liu clan, with a population of around 200 people, and is said to be one of the oldest villages in Hong Kong. The village houses several ancestral halls, a Tin Hau Temple, and a Guanyin Hall. The late Lau Wong-fat, a former chairman of the Heung Yee Kuk and recipient of the Grand Bauhinia Medal, was from this village and also served as its village head. Nearby is the Emperor Rock, which shares historical similarities with the Sung Wong Toi monument.

Transportation Guide

Location: Lung Kwu Tan Road, Tuen Mun District, Hong Kong

Transport: Take KMB Route K52 (via Tuen Mun Ferry Pier and Tuen Mun Town Centre) to Tuen Ma Line Tuen Mun Station.