Hung Gu
Hung Gu
A village woman who loves history
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Nga Tsin Wai as it once appeared on a government survey map
Nga Tsin Wai as it once appeared on a government survey map
The map shows the moat surrounding Nga Tsin Wai and the stone bridge at its gatehouse-A Survey Map hold by The Land Registry (Survey District No.1, Kowloon City Survey, Sheet No.3)
Nga Tsin Wai as it once appeared on a government survey map
The map shows the moat surrounding Nga Tsin Wai and the stone bridge at its gatehouse-A Survey Map hold by The Land Registry (Survey District No.1, Kowloon City Survey, Sheet No.3)
The now disappeared moat at Nga Tsin Wai
Hung Gu recalled that the moat surrounding Nga Tsin Wai was clean running with water from the nearby hills. As people kept fishes in the moat, it was also known as the fish pond. On one occasion, she went to the moat with friends for fun. As the moat bottom was covered with mud, one of the girls tripped and fell into the water when picking duckweeds in the water. The water was so deep that she was drowned. Her playmates on the shore shouted for help. Fortunately, a man who could swim jumped into the moat and saved her. Hung Gu and her playmates used to play the game of wedding. They carved the duckweeds into the shape of a roasted piglet (the real one was usually prepared for sacrificial offering) with a knife and dyed it red with incense sticks. They also made the bridal veil with worn clothes. When things were ready, they played the game of wedding. In the game, the bride and bridegroom knelt and bowed to the god of heaven and earth. Later, when the Japanese soldiers entered the village, they discovered that the fish pond water was murky and asked for the reasons. They held a meeting with the grandfather of Ng Siu Kei and suggested to discharge the fish pond water into the sea. The Japanese hired the villagers to dig the big gully (Kai Tak Nullah) and remunerated the villagers with the rice held in the worship cups. When the gully was completed, the Japanese filled the land outside the village and built a small airport of Kai Tak. They also filled the moat with soil.