Land Archaeology
10.3.7 The investigation of known and unknown archaeological sites in the
assessment area was carried out through two phases: desktop study and field
survey.
10.3.8 The desktop
study examined all available written material that recorded previously
discovered archaeological sites or artifacts in the assessment area, in order to
find informative clues to identify the archaeological potential. Besides,
graphic data such as aerial photos, topographic maps, and old maps were also
analysed to identify landform and features meriting close attention.
10.3.9 The field
survey was carried out using three methods: field walking, auger drilling and
test pit excavation. Field walking covered the entire impact area. Besides
collecting and quantifying artifacts left on the surface, special attention were
paid to the landforms and features to locate potential site settings, and to
terrace walls and face cutting on slopes revealing stratigraphy.
10.3.10 Auger drilling
is an effective way to reveal soil type and stratigraphy of natural and cultural
deposits in a large area. All the 50 augers were applied. In the area of the
already identified Tai O Archaeological Site. Generally, each auger was drilled
to the sterile layer unless there were large roots and cobbles in the soil or
the water level was high. The data from augering in the assessment area were
tabulated in Table 4 of Appendix 10A.
10.3.11 Test pit
excavation is the most reliable way to determine the dating and nature of an
archaeological site. Within the boundary of the Tai O Archaeological Site, three
test pits of 2m x 2m in original size were excavated. In general, each test pit
was dug to the sterile layer. Data from test pit excavation were recorded in
Table 5 of Appendix 10A.
10.3.12 Cultural
relics collected from surface and test pit excavation were tabulated in Table 6
of Appendix 10A on the basis of ceramic types.
10.4
Desktop Study of the Tai O Area
Geographic Setting
10.4.1 The proposed Effluent Export Pipeline is distributed in the western
end of the Lantau Island from Ngong Ping in the east to Tai O in the west. In
the entire alignment, the Tai O area is the one rich with historical and
archaeological record and therefore is the focus of the desktop study. The
fieldwork following the desktop study was carried out along the entire alignment
but only fruitful in three areas, namely Wang Hang Tsuen and Hang Mei, Kwun Yam
Shan and Ngong Ping (Figure 1 of Appendix
10B).
10.4.2 The Tai O area
is composed of a large flat seashore plain flanked by a series of hills, with
the Fu Shan in the west stretching out into the ocean, the Sze Shan in the north
and the Fung Shan in the south. The Tai O River runs out the valley between the
Sze Shan and the Fung Shan and further northward along the hillfoot into the
ocean.
10.4.3 The solid rock
base in this area was formed during the ancient geological periods from the
Palaeozoic Era to late Mesozoic Era. The present topography of this area was
shaped since the Pleistocene. The hill slopes were covered slope or terraced
deposits formed from the late Pleistocene to early Holocene. The present
seashore was gradually formed up during the Holocene (Figure 2 of Appendix
10B).
10.4.4 From the
hillfoot to the present coastline, the western end of the proposed alignment
runs along Tai O Road in a flat area. On the southern side of the road were
distributed school, playground, parking lot and a series of ponds. On the
northern side of the road was a patches of residential buildings. The present
landscape, however, was only shaped in the middle of the past century.
10.4.5 Comparing the
aerial photo taken in 1956 (Plate 1 of Appendix
10C) with that in 2000 (Plate 2
of Appendix 10C), it is obvious that the flat area at Tai O was wet lands and
salt fields till the mid-1050s. Further comparing the 1956 photo with a old map
made in 1969 (Figure 3 of Appendix 10B), it becomes clear that the salt fields
were disused by late 1960s. Only after then, this flat area began to be explored
as a dry land. According to local residents, the residential buildings and other
facility structures were mainly built during the 1980s, and the current dry
lands which were 2 to 3 metres above the water level of the ponds all resulted
from the land reclamation of past decades.
10.4.6 It should be
noted that some local names have also been changed through time. Several decades
ago, the name Hang Mei was assigned to the place to the north of Tai O Road and
Tai O River, but it is now moved to the hillfoot to the south of Tai O Road in
opposite to Wang Hang Tsuen across the road. Also, the place called San Tsuen
was named Chung Uk during the mid-20th century.
Historical Review
10.4.7 According to the local legend, Tai O eye witnessed the exile of the
Southern Song Court and defeated army late 13th century. The Yeung Hau Old
Temple at Po Chu Tam in Tai O was the place to worship one of the generals of
the Song Court 1. But, the first time when the name of Tai O appeared in the
historical documents was during the Ming dynasty 2. During the following Qing
dynasty, Tai O had already became a busy trading port and famous salt making
fields 3.
10.4.8 The historical
life of Tai O from the Ming dynasty to the first half of the 20th century was
reflected by over a dozen historic buildings and two dozens of ruins scattered
in the Tai O area (Table 1 and Table 2 of Appendix
10A). These buildings and
ruins were all distributed along the hillfoot strips above the original
seashore. This indicates that the identification unknown historical and
archaeological remains in the assessment area should also be carried out in the
similar geographic setting.
Archaeological
Review
10.4.9 The Tai O area
is almost entirely included within the boundary of the Tai O Archaeological Site
(Figure 4 of Appendix 10B). This archaeological site was first identified in the
early 1970s, with the discovery of three kilns probably dated to the Tang
dynasty. These kilns were located on the rock basis on the seashore and had been
destroyed by the 1980s 4. In the recent past, archaeological investigation was
conducted on the Tai O site during the 1997-98 territory wide archaeological
survey, and an archaeological excavation was undertaken on the Kat Hing Street
in 2000. But the information from the recent archaeological works is currently
unavailable.
10.4.10 In summary,
the desktop study of the Tai O area indicated that the Tai O area is rich with
historical and archaeological remains, but the distribution of cultural heritage
is restricted to the hillfoot area beyond the old coastline before the 1960s.
Within the boundary of the proposed sewerage pipeline, the similar topographic
setting can only be located in the easternmost section of the Tai O
Archaeological Site at today's Wang Hang Tsuen and Hang Mei.
10.5
Survey at Wang Hang Tsuen and Hang Mei
10.5.1 The area of Wang Hang Tsuen and Hang Mei was the focus of
archaeological survey. All of the 50 augers and three test pits were allocated
in this area. The results of augering and test pit excavating were tabulated in
Table 4 and Table 5 of Appendix 10A. Cultural remains discovered from this area
include 10 stone ruins, three historic graves and a large number of graves with
uncertain original burying date, and some ceramic sherds from the three test
pits (Figure 5 of Appendix 10B)
10.5.2 According to
the result of augering, this area was shallow with soil sediment and the top
layers were usually mixed with cobbles or rubbles. The majority of the augers
were applied along a long and narrow deserted field at Heng Mei between the
hillfoot and the river course. Except in a few cases that Qing or later ceramic
sherds were retrieved from the auger, the augering in this area identified no
significant cultural deposits.
Historic Ruins
10.5.3 A deserted house structure was identified at Wang Hang Tsuen and
numbered Ruin 1. This ruin, only 30 metres to the north of Tai O Road, was
originally a residential compound, including a raised platform protected by
stone walls and at least two rooms (Figure 6 of Appendix
10B, Plate 3 - 1 and 3
- 2 of Appendix 10C).
10.5.4 The main room
left was about 3 metres on each side and around 3 metres high. Judging from the
round dents lined up in the middle of the wall, wooden beams were used to bear
the floor board and the house should be two-floored originally (Plate 3 - 3 of
Appendix 10C). The walls of this house ruin were made of rammed earth mixed with
rock bits, coarse sand grains and some ceramic sherds (Plate 3 - 4 of
Appendix 10C).
10.5.5 The house was
probably used for a continuous period of time. Several pieces of large cement
boards found in the front of the yard should be dated much later than the
original building of the house structure (Plate 3 - 5 of
Appendix 10C). As found
in numerous cases in Hong Kong that residential places of the Ming - Qing times
were usually surrounded by bamboo trees, this compound was also accompanied by
bushes of bamboo trees on one side (Plate 3 - 6 of
Appendix 10C).
10.5.6 According to a
local resident in his mid-fifties, this structure had already been deserted like
this when he was a child. Ceramic remains collected from the walls all dated to
the Qing period. Therefore, Ruin 1 should be dated from the Qing dynasty to the
early 20th century.
10.5.7 Beside Ruin 1,
several stone walls were identified along the hillfoot at Heng Mei. These walls
were all piled up with roughly cut rocks and no mortar, lime or other structural
material was found associated.
10.5.8 Judging from
the shape the stone walls, they were remains of either house like structures or
slope protection walls. Ruin 3 (Plate 4 - 1 of
Appendix 10C) and Ruin 8 (Plate 4
- 3 of
Appendix 10C) were samples of house like structures with straight or
round corners. Ruin 5 was the longest straight stone wall in this area with a
length of 39 metres (Plate 4 - 2 of
Appendix 10C).
10.5.9 The function of
the straight stone walls should be to protect the hill or terrace slopes from
soil erosion and collapsing. In the mountainous areas, the protected slopes
could be used either as agricultural fields or activity platforms such as house
foundation. Besides, stone walls could also used to protect the banks of river
courses. Stonewalls with similar style were found at Tong Tu Shan in northern
New Territories and these walls were dated to from the early Qing dynasty to
early 20th century 5. This date could also be applied to the wall ruins at Hang
Mei.
Graves
10.5.10 A large burial site was located at Wang Hang Tsuen on the lower
slope of the hill. Over 100 graves were counted at this site but only three
graves were found with a certain pre-war date (Plate 4 - 4, 4 - 5 and 4 -6 of
Appendix 10C). There were also 30 graves rebuilt after 1950 but their original
burying dates were uncertain, including the possibility of being buried the
first time before 1950.
10.5.11 The majority
of the graves were built with bricks covered by a cement or mortar layer.
Funerary type of the graves included both singular and joint ones. The burial
site was lack of a regulated arrangement and the deceased bore many different
family names. Therefore, this burial site should be a public cemetery instead of
a family or clan cemetery.
Test Pit Excavation
10.5.12 Three test pits were allocated nearby Ruin 1 at Wang Hang Tsuen. The
purpose of the excavation was to identify if any underground features close or
within the boundary of the proposed alignment. Test pit T1 and T2 were located
around 10 metres away from Tai O Road. T3 was placed on the platform of Ruin 1
in order to identify reliable strata and artifacts to date Ruin 1 more
accurately and to reveal the stratigraphy of this site.
10.5.13 The
stratigraphic profiles of the test pits were presented in Figure 7 of Appendix
10B. Description of the types of deposits and associated remains from the three
test pits were recorded in Table 5 of Appendix
10A.
10.5.14 The top
deposits above the sterile layer in T1 and T2 were shallow and mixed with
rubbles (Plate 5 - 1 to 5 - 4 of
Appendix 10C). A pile of ceramic sherds were
found on the surface of the bottom layer C704 in T1, and named as a separate
context C703. There might be some cultural layers at this location as indicated
by C703, but these layers very likely had been disturbed or even demolished by
the construction of the road and other human activities.
10.5.15 The deposit of
T3 was deeper than that of T1 and T2 (Plate 5 - 5 and 5 - 6 of
Appendix 10C).
But all the layers above the sterile deposit except the bottom one C712 had been
disturbed in the recent past, and this was indicated by the glass pieces
associated with other early ceramic remains.
Cultural Relics
10.5.16 All the cultural relics collected either from surface gathering or
excavation were ceramic remains, including blue-and-white, glazed or unglazed
stoneware and flat or curved tiles. Blue-and-white porcelain wares were the
majority of the collected artifacts and they were all dated to the Qing dynasty.
10.5.17 A large group
of porcelain wares were collected under a stone wall (R13) at Sun Tsuen in the
Tai O area. Blue-and-white wares mainly included bowls and plates. The painted
motifs include entwining vines associated with character "happiness"
(Plate 6 - 1 of
Appendix 10C) and bat associated with character "good
luck" (Plate 6 - 2 of
Appendix 10C). A shadowy blue plate was special. The
glaze of the ware was smooth and shining, and a mark with characters of Jiaqing
was painted at the bottom (Plate 6 - 3 of
Appendix 10C).
10.5.18 The
blue-and-white wares from excavation share the stylistic characteristics of the
same kind gathered from surface (Plate 7 of
Appendix 10C). A fine red ware
probably in a jar shape was also retrieved from excavation and this piece was
incised with characters of Qianlong, the reign title of an early Qing emperor
(1736 - 1795). This piece was the only one self-dated in the entire collection
(Plate 8 - 1 of
Appendix 10C). Besides, glazed coarse house wares and tiles were
also found from the test pits in large amount (Plate 8 - 2 and 8 - 3 of
Appendix 10C).
10.5.19 The resources
of the ceramics discovered from the Tai O site were complex. These wares came
from not only the Tai Po kiln in the eastern New Territories 6, 7, but more
often from the mainland, including Guangdong 8, Fujian 9 and Jingdezhen of
Jiangxi 10. The complexity of resources of ceramic wares used by ordinary
households reflects from one aspect the developed trading activities at Tai O as
described by the historical documents.
10.5.20 In summary,
Wang Hang Tsuen and Hang Mei were sites of cultural heritage dated to the Qing
dynasty within the boundary of the Tai O Archaeological Sites. But the area
within the boundary of the proposed pipeline alignment has already been
disturbed or lack of significant cultural deposits. The structure Ruin 1 is
located around 30 metres away from Tai O road, and if the alignment is designed
on the northern side of the road this ruin should be protected during the entire
process of construction.
10.6
Survey at Kwun Yam Shan
10.6.1 The area of Kwun Yam Shan refers to the valley underneath the
northern slope of Kwun Yam Shan in the middle section of the proposed alignment
(Figure 8 of Appendix 10B). The field survey in this area identified a series of
stone walls similar to those found at Hang Mei (Plate 9 - 1 and 9 - 2 of
Appendix 10C) and a historic grave dated to 1929 (Plate 9 - 3 of
Appendix 10C)
10.6.2 The grave is
located on the slope and would not be affected by the proposed project. The
stone walls were distributed in the valley and slightly away from the alignment.
Indirect impact should be prevented in order to protect these ruins.
10.7
Survey at Ngong Ping
10.7.1 The Ngong Ping area refers to
the terraces and slopes distributed to the north and west of the Po Lin
Monastery at Ngong Ping. The Po Lin Monastery was originally built in the 1920s
and 1930s and has become one of most famous Buddhist temples in Hong Kong and
surrounding area (Plate 10 -1 of
Appendix 10C).
10.7.2 Besides the Po Lin Monastery
and its associated structures inside the compound, the team also identified 23
buildings and structures in this area that were either dated pre-1950 or dated
post-1950 but with potential cultural or architectural significance (Table 1 of Appendix
10A). Except an old gate of the Po Lin Monastery (Plate 11 - 1 to 11 - 4
of
Appendix 10C) and an old grave dated 1929 (Plate 11 - 5 of
Appendix 10C) which were located far away from the Monastery, all
other buildings were distributed near the works area of Ngong Ping Sewerage
(Figure 9 of Appendix 10B).
10.7.3 The most important historic building located during the survey was 普明禪院(B29),
a residence for female Buddhist practioners. This building was not only one of
the earliest structures in the Po Lin Monastery setting (formally built in 1915)
but also the best preserved structure among all the identified historic
buildings, which therefore provided a set of architectural features for the team
to identify other potential historic buildings.
10.7.4 B29 was composed of three connected rooms which were built in 1915, 1918
and 1922 respectively (Plate 12 of Appendix
10B). The building was renovated in 1964 (Plate 13 - 1of Appendix 10B),
but the main structure remained in the same style and an old iron bell cast in
1926 was still kept inside (Plate 13 - 4 of Appendix
10B) along with the Buddhist statues worshiped in the central room
(Plate 13 - 3 of Appendix 10B).
The following architectural features represented by B29 provided useful clues to
identify other historic buildings in the area:
10.7.5 The identification of other historic buildings was based on observation
of the above features and further assisted by references to the Gazettee of the
Lantau Island 11 and also interviews with local residents. The name,
co-ordinates, altitude and measurement when available, description of basic
features such as material and shape, dating and additional description of each
identified buildings were listed in Table 1 of Appendix
10A. The photographs of each other identified buildings beside B29 were
placed in Plate 14 - 18 of
Appendix 10C.
10.7.6 The Po Lin Monastery and
associated historic buildings are highly valued with their historical, cultural
and religious significance. Therefore, the Monastery and associated features
should be all protected from any physical impact caused by the proposed
construction.
10.8 Impact Assessment
10.8.1 Field survey was conducted during March, April 2002 and August
2002. The survey team walked over the entire Project area, applied 50 auger
drills and excavated three test pits. In the areas close to the alignment, the
team identified 39 buildings, 36 stone ruins and five graves that were dated to
pre-war or post-war but with potential cultural or architectural significance
and retrieved a large number of cultural relics. These cultural remains will not
be directly affected by the proposed Project, but some stone ruins specified
below and all the historic buildings at Ngong Ping should be protected from
potential indirect impact caused by the project.
10.8.2 The survey team has identified
a series of historic ruins at Wang Hang Tsuen, Heng Mei and Kwun Yam Shan and
over 20 historic buildings at Ngong Ping and some of these ruins and buildings
are located close to the proposed alignment (see Figures 5, 8 and 9 of Appendix
10B). However, the Project would not directly affect any of these
buildings and ruins as none of the identified sites is located within the works
area of the proposed sewerage system. The entire construction workforce should
be informed of the locations of these historic remains. Special attention should
be given during the entire process of project construction to avoid any damage
to these historical remains. Construction sites which are close to these
historical structures should be posted with notices at conspicuous locations to
remind the workers not to make any disturbance to the structures. It is
recommended to avoid the use of mechanical equipment in any works area which is
less then 5 m away from the boundary of the identified sites of cultural
heritage. Manual construction method should be adopted in such areas to minimize
the potential indirect impacts due to the vibration generated from the
construction works. With the above mitigation measures in place, it is not
anticipated that there would be any adverse effect on the identified sites of
cultural heritage.
10.9
Conclusion
10.9.1 The cultural heritage assessment concluded that the Project would not
affect any sites of cultural heritage, including historic buildings and
structures, pre-war graves, landscape features and archaeological sites. The
survey team however has identified a series of historic ruins at Wang Hang Tsuen,
Heng Mei and Kwun Yam Shan and over 20 historic buildings at Ngong Ping. Some of
these ruins and buildings are located close to the proposed alignment (see
Figures 5, 8 and 9 of Appendix 10B).
The entire construction workforce should be informed of the locations of these
historic ruins and buildings and special attention should be given during the
entire process of project construction to avoid any damage to these historical
remains. Construction sites which are close to these historical structures
should be posted with notices at conspicuous locations to remind the workers not
to make any disturbance to the structures. It is recommended to avoid the use of
powered mechanical equipment in any works area which is less then 5 m away from
the boundary of the identified sites of cultural heritage. With the above
mitigation measures in place, it is not anticipated that there would be any
adverse effect on the identified sites of cultural heritage.
10.10
References
1. Wong Wai King, Love Stories of the Fishing Village (Hong Kong:
Stepforward Multimedia Co. Ltd., 2000), p. 114 - 117.
2. Kwok Fei,
"Coastal Map of Kwuang Tung" (late 16th century), in Hal Empson,
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3. 吳灞陵：《今日大嶼山》(香港華僑日報出版社，1963
年)，頁2
4. B. A. V. Peacock
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