Ma Wan - History

History

Remains have been found from the Mid-Neolithic Age (about 3000 BC), the late Neolithic Age (about 2000 BC), the early to late Bronze Age of coastal South China (1500-500 BC), the period of the Warring States to the Han Dynasty (206 BC -220 AD), the Tang Dynasty (618-917 AD) and the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911 AD).

Complete Neolithic human skeletal remains were found in tombs at Tung Wan Tsai in 1997. (Ref. The Antiquities and Monuments Office of the Home Affairs Bureau)

The prehistoric island had late neolithic inhabitants as proved by recent excavations. There were also inhabitants here during the Han Dynasty. More recently in the last 250 years it was a small fishing village named Tin Liu, only accessible by boats or ferries. It was founded by a Chan family from Tsing Yi island.

Ma Wan once had a Customs house, still recorded by a stone monument named "Kowloon Gate" monument. (see it near to the old Rural Committee). It ceased activity on October 4, 1899

Foreign visitors in 1794.

24 housing units donated by Americans in 1965 (see them on a top of a hill near to the Fishermen's association)

As of 1995, fish farming was the predominant economic activity on Ma Wan.

Ma Wan had a population of 800 in 2000. With the development of the Park Island apartment complex, villagers were rehoused in the northern part of the island. As part of the compensation package, they could choose either a 3-storey traditional village house of 2,100 sq ft or 3 separate units, each of 700 sq ft in one single block.