A Step Back In Time - Exploring Hong Kong's Frontier Closed Area

04/08/2016

Frontier Closed area is a fenced border zone in Hong Kong established to prevent migrants from China and other illegal activities in 1951. For anyone to enter the area, a Closed Area Permit was required and development was tightly controlled within the area. 

Shenzhen's famous buildings including Diwang Building and KK100 as well as Man Kan To check point and Shenzhen River can be seen from the Hong Kong side at Nga Yiu Fort. Image: BWPI

Previously bare hillside aroud the Nga Yiu Fort has rapidly generated woodland cover . Photo: BWPI

Sixty years later and the Frontier Closed Area has long since passed its useful life, leaving behind a natural habitat largely untouched by humans and some of the most valuable undeveloped real estate in the world. In 2012, the Hong Kong government launched the first stage of a large-scale reduction in the area of the zone, allowing public access to 740 hectares of the 2,800 hectare cordon. In 2016, the area was finally reduced to just 450 hectares.

The second day of the annual Hong Kong University Development Case Studies course, Mr. Wilson and Professor Moses Ling lead students from Penn State and Hong Kong Universities into the New Territories to observe the old villages of indigenous inhabitants near the Hong Kong and Shenzhen border. The group visited the traditional walled villages including Muk Wu Village, Chow Tin Tsuen as well as being able to witness first hand one of the legendary MacIntosh Forts.
 

The traditional walled village being slowly replaced by new village housing. Image；BWPI

The front gate of Chow Tin Tsuen. Image: BWPI

A 3-floor building with a fusion of Lingnan style and western style. Image: BWPI

Refurbished building in Lei Uk. Image: BWPI

Walled villages in Hong Kong are characterised by row houses arranged in a square or rectangular block, where the parallel rows of houses are separated by narrow lanes. ​

​During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the area of Hong Kong was particularly vulnerable to pirates' attacks so that villagers built walls to protect themselves. Over time, the walls of most walled villages have been partly or totally demolished. 

A view from rooftops of Muk Wu Village shows coexistence of preservation and development. Image: BWPI

The front gate of Muk Wu Village. Image: BWPI

At the end of a narrow lane, the Tin Hau Temple in Muk Wu Village is under reconstruction. Image: BWPI

View of Shenzhen's Luohu district from Muk Wu Village Ancestor Hall. Image: BWPI

​Muk Wu Village is situated in the north of the New Territories across the Man Kam To border crossing point in Hong Kong. Inside the village, there are many representatives of Qing dynasty including the architecture, water wells and ancient kilns. The village's original settlers were: "To", "Wong" and "Yam", where "To" remained the dominant surname even at present. Today, there are only a handful of indigenous villagers living in Muk Wu. 

Students shows their intrest in the River Ganges Pumping Station and MacIntosh Fort can be seen at the top of the hill. Image: BWPI

Introduction board of Nga Yiu Fort shadowed by barbed wire. Image: BWPI

Fence of the border built along the Shenzhen river and in background view, NENT strategic landfill in Hong Kong can be seen as well. Image: BWPI

Consisting of seven observation posts, the MacIntosh Forts were built in Hong Kong at the border with China between 1949 and 1953, in order to safeguard the border against illegal immigrants, when there was an influx of refugees from China due to political instability. Six out of the seven Forts are now remotely controlled. They are not open to public.

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