CTK_erythrina.JPG

Mon, 02/09/2015 - 11:38
Date picture taken
unknown

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Back in those days:

When Tai Choi Yuen was  a farming valley, CTK stands on the eastern ridge of the hillet just about midway between Boundary Stone #4 at Tin Fok and Boundary Stone #2 by Peak Rd near Nam She Tong. So CTK is just a stone's throw north of Boundary Stone #3 of Tai Choi Yuen, the farmer field

CTK was directly opposite to Goa San Cheun (the High Hill Village)

The site of CTK used to be next to and just  East of the Church of Christ in China. ( BTW, the church was a continuation of the mission church started by the London Missionary Society long long times ago ). Today's Yan Chak Yuen is the same lot of the former CTK. Address of the Church is #14 School Rd. This length of School Rd is a step way as if an extension of the Tai Sun Back Str. almost across the Peniel Church, #1 School Rd.

The gentleman with a bow tie is my Dad. About 40 feet behind him is the Church. You can see the Cross and the Bell hanging structure beyond the Erythrina tree on the right. Today the Church is a 2-story building since the early 1970s.

This hillet has quite a few points of interest: from west to east... Hung Shing Temple by the shore, Fong Pin Hospital, Cheung Chau Residents' Association and its Tropical Garden, the CCC Church,  Shun Tak District Assoc. and Yan Chak Yuen ( formerly the CTK). YCY has 5 blocks of flats, ie A,B,C,D, & E. Of course they are quite accesible to tourists too. The drop-off is at Tai Choi Yuen Rd.

The airspace above the Twin Erythrina Trees was right along the airliners let-down corridor roughly from Pak Cho Wan to Cheung Chau Police Station. That is on the same path of the old European Reservation Boundary Line of 1919. At CTK  times, it was so crazy and no surprise at all, day and night, one can seeing those passing jetliners streaking overhead with ear-thundering noises as low as about 250 feet. Quite exciting experience for all the boring village kids like us.

If you would pay a visit to the Church of Christ in China, many of them understand english and those elderly are quite likely familiar with this picture once they see it.

More stories about CTK are listed on gwulo's Mystery Rock on Cheung Chau page.

Regards

Tung

Dear Tung,

Thank you so much for your reply.

I'm the only foreigner and most likely the youngest (54y) member in a local Cheung Chau WhatsApp group called Dreamers who share island memories of days gone by.

Can I please share your picture and story with them as there is a high chance that some of the kids are in our group.

Regards,

Hans   

On the recent posting I made in the page of Mystery Rock on Cheung Chau of gwulo, I wrote some possible tracks or incidents could have happened on the pre- and early years of the colonial time. They were very much related to the hunting of the Pirate Cheung Po Tsai by both the Chinese Navy and the foreign counterpart during 1790s to 1805. They came to search for him on CC island. And the Hung Shing Temple area was just by the Local Custom and its warehouse aera. Western ship came to CC harbour too. All imports, goods or plants, could end up here. These twins Erythrina in the picture were older than the Colony here by the British, as you can see.

Yes, what I wrote may help others who might able to tell more...with evidences.

Thank you for sharing with your Dreamers group!  If they are around 63 or the like and was with CTK before, O my my my..they should take a closer look for themself or their peers.

Regards

Tung

Dear Mrs or Mr Tung Ling,

The initial response was really great and the comments flooding in.

Now my Dreamers are all curious who you are and where you currently life.

Please watch out for our local Cheung Chau Footprint Facebook page which will share your picture to get more information’s. 

https://www.facebook.com/FootprintOfCheungChau/ 

Regards,

Hans

Thanks Hans.

I left CC for oversea almost half a centry ago. So for now most feeling is out of my own nostalgia. To a kid or more correctly a boy, the simple life on CC island was quite a good one.

I am also extremely satisfied for the name of the beautiful beach of Tung Wan, it seems to be a Wan which is dedicated to my name. How can I be not grateful to this CC island? My thought to all CC islanders is......

Remember the Song - Edelweiss - in the Movie of 1960's Sound of Music, it is my feeling too...ie

(Shall we sing altogether the next line:)

Bless My Homeland Forever!!

Will share more soon...

Tung