Ng Fat Chuen
Ng Fat Chuen
A farmer in the city with strong sentiment to rural lives
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A sickle used by Nga Tsin Wai Villagers
A sickle used by Nga Tsin Wai Villagers
Nga Tsin Wai is located in front of a chain of peaks in Kowloon. Village women often climbed the hillside in groups for grass cutting before the 1960s.-Artifact provided by Ng Chin Hung, photo taken by HKMP Team (2012)
A sickle used by Nga Tsin Wai Villagers
Nga Tsin Wai is located in front of a chain of peaks in Kowloon. Village women often climbed the hillside in groups for grass cutting before the 1960s.-Artifact provided by Ng Chin Hung, photo taken by HKMP Team (2012)
An involuntary change of lifestyle under urbanization
Due to gradual development of Wong Tai Sin, Ng Fat Chuen was forced to give up agricutlural lives. In the past Ng Fat Chuen’s family grew vegetables in Wong Tai Sin. In 1957, the government resumed the land in Wong Tai Sin for development purposes. Ng's family moved to Ma Chai Hang Ma Chai Hang (the present Tin Ma Court and Tsui Chuk Garden). After the move, the Ng family ceased to grow vegetables and all they could do was to raise pigs. In 1969, the government again resumed the land in Ma Chai Hang and asked the Ng family to move to a settlement in Sau Mau Ping. Ng Fat Chuen refused to accept this arrangement because the place was quite remote. The Squatter Control and Clearance Office was finally sent in to demolish Ng’s pig house, but Ng insisted in staying and resisted the demolition with the support of his neighbours. The riot police was later called in, and finally both sides agreed to compromise. Ng Fat Chuen moved into the settlement in Tsz Wan Shan instead, while the government provided his family with furniture and water pipe system in the new place, in addition to half a shop unit in Lei Cheng Uk Estate. When the neighbours learnt they grew no more vegetables, they secretly hung some cabbage hearts on their door. Ng Fat Chuen’s mother knew the skill of bone setting and offered free massages to farmers who had arm and leg injuries, which earned the friendship of her neighbours.