Villages and Market Towns in Hong Kong: Settlement and History

by Patrick H. Hase

Ever since he came to Hong Kong some 50 years ago, Patrick Hase has researched the local history of Hong Kong, and especially of the New Territories villages and market towns. Written documentation for the study of these communities has been lacking, so much of the research was conducted by way of oral interviews with village elders, conducted during 1980s and 1990s, seeking their memories of what the villages were like in their youth, a century and more ago, and what they remembered of what their grandparents had told them of the history of the community before modernization, urbanization, and high-technology changed those communities forever.

740 pages, Paperback

First published April 29, 2025

Reviews

[StephanHK · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent book for anyone interested in the history of Hong Kong and the San On district. I've learned a lot about the origins of Sham Shui Po, Mong Kok, Tsim Sha Tsui, and other small villages on the Kowloon side. I found the descriptions of the temples and their locations particularly fascinating, even though they are now hidden amid the urban landscape.

The book also covers the development of Lantau, Sai Kung, and Cheung Chau, as well as the salt trade and stone quarries in eastern Kowloon. While the research is extensive, it can sometimes make the book challenging to read for someone like me who isn't an expert.