Tiu Keng Leng

Originally called “Diu Keng Leng”, or “hanging the neck hill” in Chinese, this is an area in Sai Kung district in the northeast New Territories.

First established on June 26, 1950, Tiu Keng Leng was once a refugee village that housed former Kuomintang officials and supporters who escaped from the mainland to avoid persecution by the Chinese Communist Party.

Fleeing by ferry from Mao Zedong’s newly established People’s Republic of China, 7,000 nationalist refugees arrived at the once abandoned place.

According to a long-time urban legend, the area was named after retired Canadian official Albert Herbert Rennie, who was said to have hanged himself in 1908. Another version states, however, that his failing business had prompted him to jump into the sea at Lei Yue Mun, located several kilometres away.

The earliest traceable name of the area was “Chiu Keng Leng”, or “ridge of mirror reflection” – derived by the Tanka residents, or boatpeople, who were inspired by the tranquillity of the adjacent waters.

The refugee encampment was shabby but self-sufficient with its own management and schooling system.

In 1961, the Hong Kong government declared Tiu Keng Leng a part of the Resettlement Department, thus allowing the then slum-like area to develop facilities and infrastructure. With its strong ties to the Taiwanese government, the area was sometimes referred to as ‘Little Taiwan’, and considered a stronghold against the spread of Communism during the cold war.

The original Tiu Keng Leng village was cleared before the city’s handover from British to Chinese rule in 1997. Residents were evicted to make space for developing the Tseung Kwan O New Town. There are also three old public housing estates in the area: Kin Ming Estate, Choi Ming Court and Shin Ming Estate.

In recent years the area has been redeveloped as a modern high-rise residential district. In 2006, Metro Town, a nine-tower, private housing estate was built atop the shopping mall podium and Tiu Keng Leng MTR station. Developed jointly by Cheung Kong Holdings, Nan Fung Group and the MTR Corporation, it provides about 3,700 private flats.

Source: https://www.scmp.com/news/

Bride’s Pool

In the warm light of day, this sun-dappled pool and waterfall located near Tai Mei Tuk in Plover Cove Country park paint quite the idyllic picture. However, when darkness and thunderstorms encroach, the once pleasant spot turns eerie.

According to legend, a bride was being carried in a sedan to meet her groom during a thunderstorm. But as the entourage passed by the water, one of the four porters slipped in the rain and the group was washed into the swollen pool, where the woman drowned due to her heavy clothing. Villagers were never able to recover her body or carriage. Until now, some have claimed to have seen a woman dressed in a red cheongsam brushing her hair at the nearby Mirror Pool.

Allegedly named after this tragically deceased bride, Bride’s Pool is thought to be one of the most haunted places in Hong Kong. Rumour has it the evil spirits of Bride’s Pool drag their victims into the water to ease their loneliness. It is believed the bride’s spirit constantly wanders the area, especially a section of winding road nicknamed “deadly curve”, where a number of fatal accidents have been reported.

In February, a car slammed into a tree on Bride’s Pool Road and exploded into flames. Last November, a 12-year-old boy was hospitalised after a biking accident on Bride’s Pool Nature Trail. As a result of these accidents and many more, the Civil Aid Service and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department included Bride’s Pool Waterfall on the city’s list of “black spots”, or high-risk locations. Still, the place remains popular among tourists and local residents alike for hiking, barbecues, and swimming.

Source: https://www.scmp.com/