Heritage work:
Chief Secretary Carrie Lam (centre) officiates at the saltpan revitalisation ground-breaking ceremony at Yim Tin Tsai Village, Sai Kung.
Heritage work:
Chief Secretary Carrie Lam (centre) officiates at the saltpan revitalisation ground-breaking ceremony at Yim Tin Tsai Village, Sai Kung.
Salt-making island to be revitalised
March 17, 2013
Chief Secretary Carrie Lam and Vicar General of the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong Dominic Chan officiated at the Yim Tin Tsai Saltpan revitalisation ground-breaking ceremony today.
Yim Tin Tsai is a small offshore island in Sai Kung, which is a 15-minute boat ride from the town centre. A group of villagers and a conservation group have been striving to preserve the cultural heritage and ecological aspects of Yim Tin Tsai, and saltpan revitalisation work has begun.
Yim Tin Tsai is a Hakka village with a history of about 300 years. Many villagers used to make a living producing salt, until the commodity became less valuable and the saltpans were eventually abandoned.
Since the 19th century, most of the villagers here have been Catholic. Unlike other traditional villages in Hong Kong, there is no clan hall. The island’s St. Joseph Chapel has a history of over 100 years, and is well-preserved.
The revitalisation of the saltpan is part of a heritage conservation project at Yim Tin Tsai, which is expected to be completed in September.
Other potential future projects for the island include an experience of rural life, experiments in solar salt-making, a Chinese herbal learning center and environmental art education.
