Hexagonal volcanic tuffs at East Dam of High Island Reservoir 1

High Island or Leung Shuen Wan Chau () is a former island located in the southeast of

Sai Kung Peninsula The Sai Kung Peninsula () is a peninsula in the easternmost part of the New Territories in Hong Kong. Its name comes from Sai Kung Town in the central southern area of the peninsula. The southern part of the peninsula is administrated by Sai ...

Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...

. It historically had an area of 8.511 km² and was the 4th largest island of Hong Kong in 1960. The island is now connected to the peninsula by two dams crossing the former Kwun Mun Channel (), thereby forming the

High Island Reservoir The High Island Reservoir, located in the far south eastern part of the Sai Kung Peninsula, was opened in 1978 helping to alleviate water scarcity, water shortage problems in Hong Kong. Its water capacity is approximately 273 million cubic ...

. The dams were constructed between 1969 and 1979. The former island is under the jurisdiction of the

Sai Kung District Sai Kung District is one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China. The district comprises the southern half of the Sai Kung Peninsula, the Clear Water Bay Peninsula in the New Territories and a strip of lan ...

Etymology

Geologically,

high islands Geologically, a high island or volcanic island is an island of volcanic origin. The term can be used to distinguish such islands from low islands, which are formed from sedimentation or the uplifting of coral reefs (which have often formed ...

are islands of volcanic origin. The term can be used to distinguish such islands from low islands, which are formed from sedimentation or the uplifting of coral reefs (which have often formed on sunken volcanos).

Geography

High Island is located in the southeast of

, east of

Port Shelter Port Shelter, known in Cantonese as Ngau Mei Hoi (), is a harbour south of Sai Kung Peninsula in Hong Kong. The water body connects to Inner Port Shelter (known in Cantonese as Sai Kung Hoi; ), as well as Hebe Haven (), Rocky Harbour () and o ...

Kau Sai Chau Kau Sai Chau is an island located off the coast of Sai Kung Peninsula, Hong Kong, with an area of 6.70km², making it the 6th largest island of Hong Kong. It is under the administration of Sai Kung District. The island was formerly known ...

Jin Island Jin Island or Tiu Chung Chau () is an island in the Port Shelter, the New Territories, Hong Kong. Administratively it is part of the Sai Kung District. Geography Jin Island is located south of the larger island of Kau Sai Chau, from which it ...

, Tai Tau Chau, and

Bay Islet Bay Islet or See Chau () is an uninhabited island in Sai Kung District, Hong Kong. Geography Bay Islet is located in Rocky Harbour, also known as Leung Shuen Wan Hoi, and is separated from Jin Island Jin Island or Tiu Chung Chau () is an isl ...

, north of

Town Island Town Island (, Fo Tau Fan Chau), also known as Dawn Island is an island in the New Territories of Hong Kong. It is located south of the former High Island, in the Sai Kung District of the territory. A drug rehabilitation centre was established o ...

Bluff Island Bluff Island may refer to the following islands: *Bluff Island (Andaman and Nicobar Islands) *Bluff Island (Antarctica), Prydz Bay, Antarctica *Bluff Island (Hong Kong) Bluff Island, indigenously known as Sha Tong Hau Shan (), also known as Ung Kon ...

Basalt Island Basalt Island or Fo Shek Chau () is an island of Hong Kong and administratively part of the Sai Kung District. Together with Wang Chau and Bluff Island, it forms the Ung Kong () Group and is part of Hong Kong Global Geopark. Geography Basalt ...

, Wang Chau,

Wong Nai Chau Wong Nai Chau ( is the name of three islands in Hong Kong: * Wong Nai Chau, within Yan Chau Tong Marine Park, in North District * Wong Nai Chau, off Yeung Chau, in North District * Wong Nai Chau in Sai Kung District Sai Kung District i ...

, and

Kong Tau Pai Kong may refer to: Places * Kong Empire (1710–1895), a former African state covering north-eastern Côte d'Ivoire and much of Burkina Faso * Kong, Iran, a city on the Persian Gulf * Kong, Shandong (), a town in Laoling, Shandong, China * Kong ...

, as well as west of

Po Pin Chau Po Pin Chau () is an island in Hong Kong. Off the eastern coast of the East Dam of the High Island Reservoir, the island is known for its hexagonal columnar jointing po po pooiong. The island was originally a cape connected to the mainland, but ...

and

Conic Island Conic Island or Fan Tsang Chau () is a small uninhabited island in Sai Kung District, Hong Kong. Its Chinese name derives from it being in the shape of Zeng (), a crockery used in ancient times in steaming rice. There is a small lighthouse a ...

. The body of water to the southwest of the former island is called Rocky Harbour or Leung Shuen Wan Hoi ().

Villages

There are four villages on High Island, namely: Pak A (), Tung A (), Sha Kiu () and Pak Lap (). They are all located along the west coast. In 2006, a few dozen people lived in these four villages, and about 100 people lived in designated fish culture zones. Another settlement, Tai She Wan () is located further west along the coast. Pak A, Tung A, Pak Lap and Tai She Wan are recognized villages under the

New Territories The New Territories is one of the three main regions of Hong Kong, alongside Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula. It makes up 86.2% of Hong Kong's territory, and contains around half of the population of Hong Kong. Historically, it ...

Small House Policy The Small House Policy (SHP, ) was introduced in 1972 in Hong Kong. The objective was to improve the then prevailing low standard of housing in the rural areas of the New Territories. The Policy allows an indigenous male villager who is 18 ye ...

. At the time of the 1911 census, the population of Pak A was 164. The number of males was 76.

Geology

High Island features columnar-jointed volcanic tuff. Most of the columns are sub-vertical, straight-sided and parallel. This type of volcanic rock covers a large area around

in the eastern part of Hong Kong, including

and Tai Long Wan.

Features

The water body near Leung Shuen Wan is a designated fish culture zone and its shores feature several seafood restaurants.

Tin Hau Temple

There is a

Tin Hau Temple Tin Hau temples in Hong Kong are dedicated to Tin Hau (Mazu). Over 100 temples are dedicated (at least partially) to Tin Hau in Hong Kong. A list of these temples can be found below. Famous temples Famous Tin Hau temples in Hong Kong include: ...

() on High Island, located between Pak A and Tung A. Built in 1741, it is one of the two temples which have a marine parade to celebrate the

Tin Hau Festival Mazu or Matsu is a Chinese sea goddess also known by several other names and titles. She is the deified form of the legendary figure Lin Mo or Lin Moniang, a Fujianese shamaness whose life span is traditionally dated from 960 to 987. ...

(). The other is the Tin Hau Temple in

Tap Mun Grass Island or Tap Mun is an island in Hong Kong, located in the northeastern part of the territory. Its area is . Administratively, it is part of the Tai Po District. There are about 100 people living on the island, and feral cattle are know ...

which has it once every ten years.

Antiquities Advisory Board The Antiquities Advisory Board (AAB) is a statutory body of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region with the responsibility of advising the Antiquities Authority on any matters relating to antiquities and monuments. The AAB was establish ...

. Historic Building Appraisal
Tin Hau Temple, Leung Shuen Wan
/ref> The Tin Hau Festival at High Island takes place every two years. The religious ceremony lasts six days and the marine parade is held on the eve of Tin Hau's birthday. Other deities including

Kwan Tai Guan Yu (; ), courtesy name Yunchang, was a Chinese military general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. Along with Zhang Fei, he shared a brotherly relationship with Liu Bei and accompanied him on m ...

and

Kwun Yam Guanyin () is a Bodhisattva associated with compassion. She is the East Asian representation of Avalokiteśvara ( sa, अवलोकितेश्वर) and has been adopted by other Eastern religions, including Chinese folk religion. She w ...

are also worshipped at the temple. The temple was listed as a Grade II historic building in 1996, and as a Grade III historic building since 2010.

Antiquities and Monuments Office The Antiquities and Monuments Office (AMO) was established in 1976 under the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance to protect and preserve Hong Kong's historic monuments. Housed in the Former Kowloon British School, the AMO is responsible for iden ...

List of the Historic Buildings in Building Assessment

Refugee camp

The High Island Detention Centre was a

refugee camp A refugee camp is a temporary settlement built to receive refugees and people in refugee-like situations. Refugee camps usually accommodate displaced people who have fled their home country, but camps are also made for internally displaced peo ...

built near West Dam of the reservoir for hosting

refugee A refugee, conventionally speaking, is a displaced person who has crossed national borders and who cannot or is unwilling to return home due to well-founded fear of persecution.

s and boat people from Vietnam. The area is now a flat piece of grassland that is grazed by

cows Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus ''Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult mal ...

. It has a pavilion that leads out of the strip of land.

Education

Leung Shuen Wan is in Primary One Admission (POA) School Net 95. Within the school net are multiple aided schools (operated independently but funded with government money) and one government school: Tseung Kwan O Government Primary School (將軍澳官立小學).

Conservation

High Island is part of the

Sai Kung East Country Park Sai Kung East Country Park () is a country park on the Sai Kung Peninsula in Hong Kong, measuring . It opened in 1978 and has features including: * High Island Reservoir * High Island * Pak Tam Au * Sheung Yiu * Wong Shek Pier * Beaches of T ...

. The eastern part of High Island is part of the Sai Kung Volcanic Rock Region of the Hong Kong Geopark. The High Island Special Area () covers 3.9 hectares and was designated in 2011. It includes the two islands

and

and no part of High Island proper. The geology of the area is characterised by

volcanic rock Volcanic rock (often shortened to volcanics in scientific contexts) is a rock formed from lava erupted from a volcano. In other words, it differs from other igneous rock by being of volcanic origin. Like all rock types, the concept of volcanic r ...

s of the

Cretaceous The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era, as well as the longest. At around 79 million years, it is the longest geological period of th ...

period.

Transport

There are public piers in Pak A, Tung A and Sha Kiu, but there is no public ferry service to High Island. Sai Kung Man Yee Road () runs through the northern part of High Island, roughly along High Island Reservoir, from West Dam to East Dam. The 9A minibus route is the only public transportation that can reach the East Dam of the High Island Reservoir, meanwhile urban taxis and new territories taxis are also allowed in Sai Kung Man Yee Road.

References

External links

Delineation of area of existing village Pak A (Sai Kung) for election of resident representative (2019 to 2022)

Delineation of area of existing village Pak Lap (Sai Kung) for election of resident representative (2019 to 2022)

Delineation of area of existing village Tai She Wan (Sai Kung) for election of resident representative (2019 to 2022)

Delineation of area of existing village Tung A (Sai Kung) for election of resident representative (2019 to 2022)
(includes Sha Kiu)

*

Pictures of Tin Hau Temple, Leung Shuen Wan
{{Coord, 22, 21, 30, N, 114, 21, 17, E, display=title, type:isle Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark Islands of Hong Kong Sai Kung Peninsula