From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

San Tin (新田), or San Tin Heung (新田鄉), is an area located near Lok Ma Chau area in the New Territories, Hong Kong.

The area was largely developed by the clan with surname Man (文). According to their genealogical document, they are the descendant of the younger brother of folk hero Man Tin Cheung in the end of Song Dynasty. Their ancestors came to Hong Kong with the young emperors to avoid the chase by Mongolian invaders.

Contents 1 Geography 2 Areas in San Tin 3 Chieftains 4 Notable things in San Tin 5 External link

The area was originally marshes and not suitable for cultivation and thus few people lived in the area. The Man clan decided to settle in the area in 15th Century. They dried the marshes and filled it with soil bit by bit and turned them into 800 hectare of rice paddies. It is reflected by its name San Tin, which means new fields.

The San Tin areas are divided into nine villages within the area most notable areas are Wing Ping Tsuen (永平村), which is close to the Tai Fu Tai Mansion, and Fan Tin Tsuen (蕃田村).

The areas around San Tin are covered in wetlands hence their main products are cabbages (like Chinese cabbage or Kai-Lan) and ducks when the village was still a farming community.

Each village in the area got their own chieftain who take care of the ceremonial activities or tourist information, also they are the one who makes decisions if anything need to be changed in that area for example if a new house is allowed to be built or if a building need to be demolish. They also represent for the village when they go to gatherings with other villages from New Territories.

New chieftains are chosen through voting from the local area of the village when the current chieftain decide to retire from duty. Chieftainhood is not hereditary and can not past down to their children thus anybody from the village regardless of status or personal economy can apply as long as that person got the same surname from the village. Similar to democracy, however so far there hasn't been any female chieftain in any village around New Territories.

The village is famous Tai Fu Tai an ancestor house built around 1800 century and a memorial statue of Wen Tianxiang.

Also the village is famous for its unspoiled natural habitat and the village dish Poon Choi (literally translated as "Bowled dish" in which assorted meat and vegetable put into into an iron bowl with concentrated soya sauce). Once a year in Autumn every part of the San Tin village (and also other villagers in New Territories) will hold an annual Poon Choi festival in which everybody in the village (and also guest from outside the village) are eating the Poon Choi.

• Hong Kong government brochure