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January 2022 - Shing Mun Reservoir
Shing Mun Reservoir is a reservoir in Hong Kong. It is located in Shing Mun, the area between Tsuen Wan and Sha Tin, in the New Territories.
Several hundreds years ago, the area around the reservoir was a dense forest with very few inhabitants. At least from 1646 to 1659, Southern Ming loyalist Li Wanrong (李萬榮), leading a cohort numbering in thousands, controlled Kowloon and much of today's New Territories, collecting taxes and fortifying villages, including erecting a fortress in the lower part of the Shing Mun River valley. Hence the area became known as Shing Mun or "fortified gate".
After 1669, when the Great Clearance imposed by the Kangxi Emperor of the Qing dynasty was rescinded, many Hakkas settled in this area, growing rice, tea and pineapples. In the early 20th century, there were seven villages in the area.
The Shing Mun Reservoir was built as part of the Shing Mun Water Supply Scheme formulated in 1923 to meet the increasing demand for fresh water due to the urbanisation of Kowloon. To a design by London dam engineers Messrs Binnie, Deacon & Gourley, construction began in 1933 of a dam 122 metres wide and 35 metres high which, upon completion, had a capacity of 4 billion litres. By the conclusion of Phase Three of the scheme in 1937, the dam had been extended to 85 metres in height and 13.6 billion litres capacity. The name Jubilee Reservoir (銀禧水塘) was designated to celebrate the Silver Jubilee (1935) of King George V of the United Kingdom, though the name has fallen into disuse.
The local inhabitants were resettled in other parts of the New Territories, and now some of the old villages are submerged. The remains of other villages and houses can be seen in the woods on the side of the reservoir. The remains of Gin Drinkers Line on the nearby hills show the defences of British forces against the Japanese invasion during World War II.
It is possible to see many troops of macaque monkeys around the picnic sites and in the woodland areas. To preserve the natural environment of the reservoir, its surrounding area is managed under Shing Mun Country Park. Two walking trails, Wilson Trail and MacLehose Trail, cross at the side of the reservoir.
Shing Mun Country Park commands a site of 1,400 hectares. From its northern edge in Lead Mine Pass, it extends to Shing Mun Road in the south. The western border lies in Tai Mo Shan, while Grassy Hill and Needle Hill mark the eastern margin. This idyllic sanctuary is nestled deep in the southeastern hills of Tai Mo Shan. Shielded by peaks and ridges on all sides, it is bestowed with lyrical scenery. For decades, it has been one of the best loved leisure destinations in Hong Kong. Funded by the Sir David Trench Fund for Recreation, the Government introduced a pilot programme for countryside recreation facilities in 1971. Designated in 1977, Shing Mun Country Park was one of the first country parks in the territory. Other country parks dated back to the same era are Kam Shan Country Park and Lion Rock Country Park.
In 1923, responding to urban Kowloon's pressing need for water supply, work began for the Shing Mun Reservoir. To make way for this monumental project, original villagers of the Shing Mun Valley were relocated to the New Territories. This impressive facility was eventually completed in 1937.