User:HGlynP/Man Kok Tsui

Man Kok Tsui (or Many Cornered Village) is a small rural village that sits on the tip of the Northern coastline of Silvermine Bay, Lantau Island, Hong Kong. Historical records show that there has been human habitation there for over five thousand years and the area is currently protected as an area of archaeological interest. Although the village used to be inhabited by some twenty families in the late sixties it has now dwindled significantly to just four families. Access to Man Kok Tsui is only possible by foot from Mui Wo; (a forty minute hike along the headland) or by boat, making use of the village's public jetty. Despite its apparent remoteness, the village is in fact only a few sea miles from Hong Kong island's crowded streets.

Location
Man Kok Tsui is situated in a sheltered valley between two rocky outcrops on the most Northerly corner of the Silvermine Bay.

Population
In 2014 the majority of the permanent population consisted of persons over the age of sixty, with the eldest being ninety two years old.

Archaeology
Artefacts dating back to the Bronze age have been discovered at Man Kok Tsui. Artefacts have ranged from pottery shards to almost complete vessels as well as stone hand tools. No evidence of permanent dwellings have been discovered but this is though to be because any such dwellings would have been made from wood based materials. Additionally, the land upon which the current village exists was in fact the sea bed during the Bronze age and has slowly over time risen upwards. As it has done so the artefacts discovered were quite possibly discarded items thrown from boats or floating dwellings.

Birds
The village is surrounded by hillsides and forested slopes and together with the cultivation of fresh farm produce by the villagers, there are often many different species of birds to be seen and heard.

Snakes
A wide range of snakes have been observed; from cobras to Bamboo Pit Vipers and the more harmless Red necked Keel Backs and the docile and tiny slug snakes.

In 2012 a Burmese Python measuring about eight feet in length was captured after it entered a chicken coop and helped itself to one of the hens.

In 2011 two large Rat snakes, each in excess of six feet were discovered fighting, in a banana plantation.

Rodents
Forest rats do live in the vegetable fields and hillsides but tend to stay away from the dwellings.

Amphibeans
In the warmer and more humid months many different kinds of frogs and toads have been observed.

Insects
The orchard trees attract cicadas, stink bugs and a wide range of butterflies.

Where the footpath to / from Mui Wo is overhung by trees it is not unusual to see large wood spider webs strong across the footpath with other fierce looking owners waiting to catch any unfortunate insect that makes use of the breeze the pathway creates.

On the ground, in amongst the leaf litter there can be some quite large and aggressive centipedes.

Agriculture
Agriculture consists of vegetable and fruit farming. The top soil is sandy, fertile and well drained. Unfortunately, due to it being a coastal location, the flat land is prone to flooding during Westerly travelling typhoon storm surges, particularly when combined with high tides. In previous years, additional fertiliser was added to the fields, recycled from a small homestead, chicken farm further down the coastline. This significantly increased the output and increased profit when the produce was sold at Mui Wo and neighbouring island markets. The increasing availability of produce from China has reduced the demand for local produce and currently the two remaining farms restrict production to an almost self sufficincy level.

Produce
Banana, Papaya, Chill, Cucumber, Sweet Potato, Sweet Corn, Marrow, Pineapple, Mango, Lychee, Long An, Bread fruit, Pandanas leaf, Mint, Ginger, Turmeric, Cabbage, Lettuce, Peanuts, Lime, Thai Basil, Galangal,