Yuen Long District (formerly

romanise Romanization or romanisation, in linguistics, is the conversion of text from a different writing system to the Roman (Latin) script, or a system for doing so. Methods of romanization include transliteration, for representing written text, and ...

d as Un Long) is one of the

district A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivision ...

s of

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 List of cities in China, city and Special administrative regions of China, special ...

. Located in the northwest of 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 ...

, it had a population of 662,000 in 2021

Geography

Yuen Long District contains the largest alluvial plain in Hong Kong, the Yuen Long-Kam Tin plain. With an area of 144 km², the district covers many traditional villages including Ping Shan Heung, Ha Tsuen Heung, Kam Tin Heung, Fung Kat Heung, Pat Heung, San Tin Heung and Shap Pat Heung, as well as Yuen Long Town and Tin Shui Wai. Two

new towns A planned community, planned city, planned town, or planned settlement is any community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed on previously undeveloped land. This contrasts with settlements that evolve ...

have been developed within this district. Yuen Long New Town was developed from the traditional market town of Yuen Long Town from the late 1970s. Tin Shui Wai New Town has developed since the early 1990s, and is built on land reclaimed from former fish ponds once common in the district.

History

According to archaeological findings, there were inhabitants settled in the district around 3,500 years ago. The ruling clan of the Tang Clan () lived there in

Kam Tin Kam Tin, or Kam Tin Heung, is an area in the New Territories, Hong Kong. It lies on a flat alluvial plain north of Tai Mo Shan mountain and east of Yuen Long town. It was formerly known as Sham Tin (岑田). Administratively, it is part o ...

. Like Tai Po, Yuen Long used to be a traditional

market town A market town is a settlement most common in Europe that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the Middle Ages, a market right, which allowed it to host a regular market; this distinguished it from a village or city. In Britain, small rural ...

. In 1898 the area of the modern day Yuen Long District was leased to the colonial British Hong Kong government by the Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory. A 6 days war was broke out between the British army and the militia from Tang and other villages. The iron doors of the walled villages of Tang were looted to UK as spoils of war. They are returned to Tang later, but according to urban legends, the mixed up which doors belongs to which walled villages, nowadays the two sides of the door of Kat Hing Wai are not identical in design. After the war, the colonial government had established a different approach to administrate the New Territories, which established the district office. Yuen Long was under the District Office North headquartered in Tai Po. A branch office was later stationed in Yuen Long permanently. The history of the modern day Yuen Long administrative district (despite a few government departments does not map their service area according to the boundary of the District) can be trace back to Yuen Long District Office (previously known as now known as of

Home Affairs Department The Home Affairs Department is an executive agency in the government of Hong Kong responsible for internal affairs of the territory. It reports to the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau, headed by the Secretary for Home Affairs. Purpose The D ...

; English name unchanged) of the "New Territories Administration" department of the British colonial government. A reform was held in 1980s that not only the New Territories has their District Offices, but whole HK is grid into Districts, with formal election was held for the councillors of the District Councils. The latest election of the Yuen Long District Council was held in 2019 and scheduled to be held again in 2023.

Culture

Special festivals

The Tin Hau Festival () is on the 23rd of the third month of the

lunar calendar A lunar calendar is a calendar based on the monthly cycles of the Moon's phases ( synodic months, lunations), in contrast to solar calendars, whose annual cycles are based only directly on the solar year. The most commonly used calendar, t ...

. It celebrates the birth of a local deity, Tin Hau. During the day, residents from various walled villages set off at Fung Cheung Road, go via Kau Yuk Road and the Yuen Long Stadium, and end at Tai Shu Ha Tin Hau Temple, which has a 300-year history.

Cuisine

Poon choi Poon choi or puhn choi (pronounced: pun4 coi3 in Cantonese), pén cài in pinyin, is a traditional Cantonese festival meal composed of many layers of different ingredients. It is served in large wooden, porcelain or metal basins called ''poo ...

() * Sweetheart cake ()

Popular scenic spots

Hong Kong Wetland Park

Hong Kong Wetland Park () is located at the northern part of Tin Shui Wai. It was intended to be an ecological mitigation area (EMA) for the

wetlands A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The p ...

lost due to Tin Shui Wai New Town development. In 1998, a project named as "International Wetland Park and Visitor Centre Feasibility Study" was initiated by the

Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (; formerly the Agriculture and Fisheries Department () before 2000, of the Hong Kong Government is responsible for agriculture and fisheries in Hong Kong, conservation projects and iss ...

and the Hong Kong Tourism Board with a view to expanding the EMA to a wetland ecotourism attraction. After concluding that it was feasible to develop a wetland park at the EMA site without compromising its intended ecological mitigation functions and the development of the Wetland Park will also enhance the ecological function of the EMA to a world-class conservation, education and tourism facility, the concerned parties started the Wetland Park Project, which is regarded as one of the Millennium projects by the Administrations.

Kat Hing Wai

Kat Hing Wai () in Kam Tin is one of the Yuen Long's best-known walled villages. It is the ancestral home of the Tangs, one of the "Five Great Clans" in the territory. Built by the Tangs 500 years ago, it is a rectangular walled village with an area of 100 metres by 90 metres. As a family stronghold, Kat Hing Wai has served the Tangs well through centuries. In the

Qing Dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...

, a five-metre high blue brick wall and four cannon towers were added to defend bandits. Route:

Tuen Ma line The Tuen Ma line () is a rapid transit line that forms part of the Mass Transit Railway (MTR) system in Hong Kong. Coloured brown on the map, the Tuen Ma line is in length, making it the longest line of the MTR network. It has a total o ...

Kam Sheung Road station or KMB routes 54, 64K and 77K

Nam Sang Wai

Nam Sang Wai () covers a roughly triangular area. It is bordered by the Shan Pui River in the west, separating it from Yuen Long Industrial Estate, the Kam Tin River in the east and a branch of the Kam Tin River in the south. It is home to many birds, including seagulls, Northern Pintails (Anas acuta), Yellow-nib Ducks (Anas poecilorhyncha) and Black-faced Spoonbills (Platalea minor). Flora includes reeds and mangroves.

Mai Po Marshes

Mai Po Marshes () is located in the centre of the wetland and has achieved international significance as a stopping and feeding place for migratory birds along the East Asian-Australian Flyway. The birdwatching season runs from October to May and more than 300 types of birds have been recorded in the area, many of them are rarely seen anywhere outside the region. Visitors may go to Mai Po via the following ways: * From

Central Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known a ...

or Causeway Bay take route 968 to Yuen Long (West) Bus terminal, then change taxi. * From Sheung Shui station, take Bus 76K or red minibus 17 to Mai Po village, then walk to the Marsh (about 20 minutes). On 30 January 2004, the government suspended public visits to the Mai Po wetland reserve as a supposed measure to protect people from the avian flu (H5N1).

Ping Shan Heritage Trail

Ping Shan Heritage Trail Ping Shan Heritage Trail is a heritage trail located in the Ping Shan area of Yuen Long District, in Hong Kong. The trail was inaugurated on 12 December 1993 and was the first of its kind in Hong Kong. It passes through the villages ...

(), inaugurated on 12 December 1993, was designed to link several historic buildings and monuments owned by the Tang clan in Ping Shan (including Tsui Sing Lau Pagoda 聚星樓 and Tang Ancestral Hall 鄧氏宗祠) by a 1 km trail. Route: LRT Ping Shan stop, Hang Mei Tsuen stop or West Rail line

Tin Shui Wai station Tin Shui Wai () is an MTR station on the , located in Ping Shan near Tin Shui Wai New Town, Yuen Long District. It is the only heavy rail station serving Tin Shui Wai, which has a population of around 300,000. History On 20 December 2003 ...

Tai Fu Tai

Tai Fu Tai Mansion Tai Fu Tai Mansion is a residence located in Wing Ping Tsuen, San Tin near Lok Ma Chau, north of Yuen Long, Hong Kong. History It was probably built in 1865 in the reign of the Qing Dynasty. It was built as a residence by Man Chung-luen () who ...

() in

San Tin San Tin () is a loosely defined area in Yuen Long District in New Territories, Hong Kong that is part of the San Tin constituency. Unlike Hong Kong's highly urbanised areas, San Tin is sparsely populated due to its marshlands. San Tin is l ...

was probably built in 1865 in the reign of the Qing Dynasty. It is a richly embellished residence situated on a spacious ground, with a large open space in the front and a garden at the back. The whole compound is surrounded by a green-brick wall. It is a fine example of traditional Chinese dwellings of the scholar-gentry class and is certainly one of the most elegant buildings throughout the territory. Route: KMB Bus 76K to San Tin

Tai Lam Country Park

Tai Lam Country Park sits in the western New Territories with an area of 54 km². Tai Lam has a small area of porphyry in the northeast; for the remaining area, it is composed of highly erodible decomposed

granite Granite () is a coarse-grained ( phaneritic) intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly cools and solidifies un ...

. In 1952, afforestation started as a measure to protect the water catchment area. In spite of the poor soil conditions and the setbacks of fire damage over the years, mature stands of '' Acacia confusa'', '' Lophostemon confertus'', '' Pinus massoniana'', ''

Pinus elliottii ''Pinus elliottii'', commonly known as slash pine,Family, P. P. (1990). Pinus elliottii Engelm. slash pine. ''Silvics of North America: Conifers'', (654), 338. is a conifer tree native to the Southeastern United States. Slash pine is named after ...

'' and

Eucalyptus ''Eucalyptus'' () is a genus of over seven hundred species of flowering trees, shrubs or mallees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Along with several other genera in the tribe Eucalypteae, including '' Corymbia'', they are commonly known as ...

species now cover most of the area. In addition, the plantations also offer a good habitat for birds,

pangolin Pangolins, sometimes known as scaly anteaters, are mammals of the order Pholidota (, from Ancient Greek ϕολιδωτός – "clad in scales"). The one extant family, the Manidae, has three genera: '' Manis'', ''Phataginus'', and '' Smuts ...

s, Chinese leopard cat, and

barking deer Barking may refer to: Places * Barking, London, a town in East London, England ** London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, a local government district covering the town of Barking ** Municipal Borough of Barking, a historical local government dist ...

. Nevertheless, Tai Lam is an excellent place for

outdoor activities Outdoor recreation or outdoor activity refers to recreation done outside, most commonly in natural settings. The activities that encompass outdoor recreation vary depending on the physical environment they are being carried out in. These activiti ...

because of its remoteness.

Yuen Long Park

Yuen Long Park Yuen Long Park, formerly called Yuen Long Town Park, is located in Yuen Long, New Territories, Hong Kong. It is managed by Leisure and Cultural Services Department. History The park was a natural woodland at Shui Ngau Ling, Yuen Long. Th ...

() is a park at Yuen Long Town with recreational facilities. There is a 7-storey pagoda enclosing an

aviary An aviary is a large enclosure for confining birds, although bats may also be considered for display. Unlike birdcages, aviaries allow birds a larger living space where they can fly; hence, aviaries are also sometimes known as flight cages. Avi ...

, which has become a landmark of Yuen Long. Route: LRT Shui Pin Wai stop, LWB bus E34 or KMB Bus 68X, 268B, 268C, 268X, 269D, 276, 276P, B1, 68E (get off the bus at ''Yuen Long Park''.)

Leisure and cultural facilities

Ping Shan Tin Shui Wai Cultural and Leisure Building 201203

* Yuen Long Theatre was opened in May 2000. This modern performing arts venue has become a centre for the arts in the New Territories northwest. The Theatre is situated at Yuen Long Tai Yuk Road in the vicinity of Yuen Long Park, Yuen Long Stadium and the Public Swimming Pool. The bamboo courtyard is a focus within the foyer, which creates an ambiance of serenity and tranquility. * Yuen Long Town Hall is located in Kau Yuk Road, near Yuen Long Police Station. It is to organise courses and leisure activities. There is also study room. * Yuen Long Swimming Pool is situated at Tai Yuk Road. There are 5 Standard swimming pools for four seasons. * Tin Shui Wai Swimming Pool and Tin Shui Wai Sports Centre are situated at 1 Tin Pak Road. There are 3 swimming pools for four seasons and a children swimming pool opened during summer. * Yuen Long Public Library is on the first floor of Yuen Long Government Offices, 2 Kiu Lok Square, Yuen Long. * Ping Shan Tin Shui Wai Public Library is at Ping Shan Tin Shui Wai Leisure and Cultural Building, 1 Tsui Sing Road, Tin Shui Wai. * TSW Pegasus and Yuen Long District SA are both

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly ...

teams based in

Yuen Long Stadium Yuen Long Stadium () is a multi-purpose stadium in Yuen Long, New Territories, Hong Kong. It is the current home ground of Hong Kong Premier League club Pegasus and the former home ground of Yuen Long. History Originally a piece of vacant ...

Transport

Located in the northwest of the New Territories, Yuen Long has a well-developed public transport network. It is easily accessible from different parts of Hong Kong by bus, mini-bus or railway. * Bus services provided by

Kowloon Motor Bus The Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited (KMB) is a bus company operating franchised services in Hong Kong. It is the largest bus company in Hong Kong by fleet size and number of bus routes. It is a subsidiary of Transport International. ...

, Citybus and MTR *

and Light Rail services provided by

MTR The Mass Transit Railway (MTR) is a major public transport network serving :Hong Kong. Operated by the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL), it consists of heavy rail, light rail, and feeder bus service centred on a 10-line rapid transit network ...

Public light bus The public light bus or minibus is a public transport service in Hong Kong. It uses minibuses to serve areas that standard Hong Kong bus lines cannot reach efficiently. The vehicles are colloquially known by the code-switch ' (Van Jái) lite ...

es * Taxis, including the New Territories taxis (green taxis) and public taxis (public taxis). The Hong Kong–Shenzhen Western Corridor bridge () is the fourth cross-border route between Hong Kong and mainland China. It was completed and opened in 2007, and is 5.5 km long. It starts at Ngau Hom Shek (), located at the northwest of Yuen Long, and ends in

Shekou Shekou () is an area at the southern tip of Nanshan District, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China. It faces Yuen Long, Hong Kong across the Shenzhen Bay. It has been designated as a Free Trade Zone by the government, alongside Qianhai, Hen ...