View source for Yim Tin Tsai (Sai Kung District)

{{Short description|Small offshore island in Hong Kong}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox islands
| name                              = Yim Tin Tze
| native_name                       = {{zh|t=鹽田梓／鹽田仔|l=Little Salt Field}}
| image_name                        = St Joseph's Chapel in Yim Tin Tsai.JPG
| image_caption                     = St. Joseph's Chapel on Yim Tin Tze
| image_alt                         =
| pushpin_map                       = Hong Kong
| pushpin_label                     =
| pushpin_label_position            =
| pushpin_map_alt                   =
| pushpin_relief                    =
| pushpin_map_caption               =
| coordinates                       = {{coord|22.3775|N|114.303174|E}}
| etymology                         =
| location                          = [[Port Shelter]], [[Sai Kung District]], Hong Kong
| archipelago                       =
| waterbody                         =
| total_islands                     =
| major_islands                     =
| area_km2                          = <!-- or |area_m2= or |area_ha= -->
| area_footnotes                    =
| rank                              =
| length_km                         = <!-- or |length_m=  -->
| length_footnotes                  =
| width_km                          = <!-- or |width_m=  -->
| width_footnotes                   =
| coastline_km                      = <!-- or |coastline_m=  -->
| coastline_footnotes               =
| elevation_m                       =
| elevation_footnotes               =
| highest_mount                     =
| country                           = Hong Kong SAR
| country_admin_divisions_title     =
| country_admin_divisions           =
| country_capital_type              =
| country_capital                   =
| country_largest_city_type         =
| country_largest_city              =
| country_capital_and_largest_city  =
| country_largest_city_population   =
| country_leader_title              =
| country_leader_name               =
| country_area_km2                  = <!-- or |country_area_m2= or |country_area_ha= -->
| demonym                           =
| population                        = 1+
| population_as_of                  = 2013
| population_footnotes              =
| population_rank =
| population_rank_max               =
| density_km2                       =
| density_rank =
| density_footnotes                 =
| languages                         =
| ethnic_groups                     =
| timezone1                         = [[Hong Kong Time|HKT]]
| utc_offset1                       = +8:00
| website                           =
}}
'''Yim Tin Tze''' (or '''Yim Tin Tsai''', {{zh|t=鹽田梓／鹽田仔|l=Little Salt Field}}) is a small offshore island in [[Sai Kung District]], Hong Kong.
As of 2013 there was at least one person living on the island again after a long absence of a permanent population.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bydCcudCYY8 |title=Yim Tin Tsai Revisited (Video) |publisher=YouTube |date=2015-12-21 |access-date=2015-12-21}}</ref>
==Geography==
[[File:Abandoned Salt Farm in Yim Tin Tsai.JPG|thumb|Abandoned salt farm on Yim Tin Tze]]
[[File:Chanchiming formerhouse.JPG|right|thumb|[[Dominic Chan|Rev. Dominic Chan Chi-ming]]'s former house on Yim Tin Tze.]]
[[File:Statue of St Joseph Freinademetz in St Joseph Chapel of Yim Tin Tsai.JPG|thumb|upright|Statue of [[Joseph Freinademetz]] in St. Joseph's Chapel.]]
The island has an area of 24&nbsp;hectares (49&nbsp;acres).<ref>Puwei Hu, Fuwu Xing, Lin Chen, Meina Wang, Faguo Wang, Hongfeng Chen. [http://pub.chinasciencejournal.com/article/getArticle.action?articleId=23974]{{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426020644/http://pub.chinasciencejournal.com/article/getArticle.action?articleId=23974|date=26 April 2012}} Vegetation and vascular plant diversity of islands surrounding Port Shelter, Hong Kong], [[China]]. ''Biodiversity Science'', 2011, V19(05): 605–609</ref> It is located in [[Port Shelter]], the harbour located south of [[Sai Kung Peninsula]] and east of the Sai Kung mainland.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legislation.gov.hk/blis_ind.nsf/da97f6a8ed400207482564820006b580/55dccb614c0c881a48256e540023d849?OpenDocument |title=Boundaries of Port Shelter Area |publisher=Legislation.gov.hk |access-date=17 February 2012}}</ref> It is connected by a [[Breakwater (structure)|breakwater]] in its southern part to the larger island of [[Kau Sai Chau]]. People can freely cross over to Kau Sai Chau and follow the walking trails as of 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBgApkIaCcQ |title=Yim Tin Tsai Ancestral Village (Video) |publisher=YouTube |date=2018-12-27 |access-date=2019-06-12}}</ref>
The smaller islands of [[Shek Chau, Sai Kung District|Shek Chau]] and [[Kwun Cham Wan]] are located off the coast of Yim Tin Tze, in the northwest and the southwest respectively.
==Administration==
Yim Tin Tze is a recognised village under the [[New Territories]] [[Small House Policy]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.landsd.gov.hk/doc/en/small-house/rv0909.pdf |title=List of Recognized Villages under the New Territories Small House Policy |last= |first= |date=September 2009 |website= |publisher=[[Lands Department]] |access-date= |quote=}}</ref>
==History==
[[Archaeological excavation]] reveals the island dates from the Eastern [[Han dynasty]] circa 100 [[Common Era|CE]]. The island was settled by members of the [[Hakka people|Hakka]]<ref name="Humble">{{cite web|url=http://www.exploresaikung.com/places/YimTinTsai.html |title=Humble Beginnings on Yim Tin Tsai |publisher=Exploresaikung.com |date=27 January 2012 |access-date=17 February 2012}}</ref> [[Chen (surname)|Chan]] (陳) [[Chinese clan|clan]] during the 19th century<ref name="Humble" /><ref name="Catho">[http://catholic.rel.cuhk.edu.hk/YTTe.html Yim Tin Tsai – Hakka Village and Catholicism]</ref><ref name="evangelisation">{{Cite web |url=http://evanlife.org.hk/ev_route/e_history_bk.pdf |title=The History of Evangelization in Hong Kong|access-date=29 June 2009 |archive-date=5 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180705175830/http://evanlife.org.hk/ev_route/e_history_bk.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> (other sources mention 300 years ago<ref name="YTT Village" />). The Chans came from Yim Tin (鹽田; [[pinyin]]: Yántián), now part of the [[Yantian District]] of [[Shenzhen]]. The new settlement was called ''Yim Tin Tsai'' in its memory.<ref name="YTT Village (Chinese)" /> Other members of the clan settled in [[Yim Tin Tsai (Tai Po District)|Yim Tin Tsai]] in [[Tai Po District|Tai Po]] and [[Ping Yeung]], in [[Ta Kwu Ling]], [[North District, Hong Kong|North District]].<ref name="evangelisation"/> At its peak, Yim Tin Tsai had 500 inhabitants<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.districtcouncils.gov.hk/sk_d/english/dchighlights.htm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070317072108/http://www.districtcouncils.gov.hk/sk_d/english/dchighlights.htm|url-status=dead|title=Local Characteristics of Sai Kung District|archivedate=17 March 2007}}</ref> (other sources mention 1,200<ref name="YTT Village (Chinese)">{{Cite web|url=http://www.travelinsaikung.org.hk/chinese/sea/yim_tin_tsai.shtml|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090714094229/http://www.travelinsaikung.org.hk/chinese/sea/yim_tin_tsai.shtml|url-status=dead|title=Yim Tin Tsai Village and St. Joseph's Chapel (Chinese version)|archivedate=14 July 2009}}</ref>).
Villagers lived on farming, fishing and salt-making. They farmed {{convert|6|acre|m2}} of salt field, the smallest of the five salt fields in Hong Kong at the time.<ref name="Humble" /> Other salt fields were in [[Tai O]], [[Lantau Island]], [[San Hui]] and [[Wong Ka Wai (Tuen Mun)|Wong Ka Wai]] in [[Tuen Mun]], [[Yim Liu Ha]] in [[Sha Tau Kok]] and Yim Tin Tsai in Tai Po.<ref name="evangelisation" />
Baptism of the island's residents started in 1866,<ref name="Catho" /> and by 1875, all villagers on the island were baptised.<ref name="Humble" /><ref name="YTT Village" /> In 1879 a chapel was set up by [[Joseph Freinademetz]] (who was [[Canonization|canonised]] in 2003).<ref name="YTT Village">{{Cite web|url=http://www.travelinsaikung.org.hk/english/sea/yim_tin_tsai.shtml|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080929183045/http://www.travelinsaikung.org.hk/english/sea/yim_tin_tsai.shtml|url-status=dead|title=Yim Tin Tsai Village and St. Joseph's Chapel|archivedate=29 September 2008}}</ref>
Ching Po School, the village school, closed down in the 1990s owing to a lack of students.<ref name="Humble" />
A groundbreaking ceremony was held on 17 March 2013 after the village was given approval to revitalise its abandoned salt fields. Chief Secretary [[Carrie Lam (politician)|Carrie Lam]] and then Vicar-General of the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong [[Dominic Chan]] officiated the ceremony. The event was recorded by the YouTube personality {{ill|Vincent Chan|zh|陳展熙}}, a descendant of the Chan clan.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=In0FmJbQ8qE |title=Yim Tin Tsai Ground Breaking Ceremony (Video) |publisher=YouTube |date=2013-05-22 |access-date=2013-10-09}}</ref>
==Features==
The current [[Historic churches of Sai Kung|St. Joseph's Chapel]] replaced the first chapel on Yim Tin Tsai. Built in Italian Romanesque style,<ref name="Humble" /> it was completed in 1890, with a school adjacent to it.<ref name="YTT Village" /> The chapel is a [[List of Grade III historic buildings in Hong Kong|Grade III historic building]].<ref name="AMO">{{cite web |url=http://www.amo.gov.hk/form/historical.pdf |title=List of Graded Buildings (Master List) 452 as at 6 Nov 09.xls|access-date=17 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110709224215/http://www.amo.gov.hk/form/historical.pdf |archive-date=9 July 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> It has been renovated three times, the last being in 2004.<ref name="Humble" /> [[Joseph Zen Ze-kiun|Cardinal Zen]] held a special mass in the chapel on 7 May 2006.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.royalasiaticsociety.org.hk/pdf/vnews_0506.pdf|title=RASHKB/AMO Volunteers Conservation Newsletter (May 2006)}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spike.com/video/yin-tim-tsai-village/2725524 |title=Video: TVB program about the mass held by Cardinal Zen at St. Joseph's Chapel |publisher=Spike.com |date=7 May 2006 |access-date=17 February 2012}}</ref>
The [[List of typhoon shelters in Hong Kong|Yim Tin Tsai Typhoon Shelter]], established in 1968, is located at the east of the island. It is bordered on the east by the northern part of Kau Sai Chau, and by breakwaters in the north and south.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mardep.gov.hk/en/pub_services/ocean/pdf/lpf_ts_ytt.pdf |title=Plan of Passage Area in Yim Tin Tsai Typhoon Shelter|access-date=17 February 2012}}</ref>
[[Mangrove]] is found off the breakwater linking Yim Tin Tsai and Kau Sai Chau.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.travelinsaikung.org.hk/english/sea/yim_tin_tsai_mangrove.shtml|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100805005225/http://www.travelinsaikung.org.hk/english/sea/yim_tin_tsai_mangrove.shtml|url-status=dead|title=The mangrove & the offshore islands in Sai Kung|archivedate=5 August 2010}}</ref>
The Louisa Landale Campsite, managed by the [[Hong Kong Girl Guides Association]], is located in the southern part of the island.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.amcham.org.hk/hongkong/lhk/lhk2008/CH20-p494-NT.pdf|title=AmCham Hong Kong: ''Living in Hong Kong''}}</ref>
Chan Man-hei, another descendant of the Chan clan, runs the Facebook group for the village.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/groups/115686154604/|title=Facebook Groups|website=www.facebook.com}}</ref>
==Conservation==
The rehabilitation of the abandoned 1890 St. Joseph's Chapel received an Award of Distinction as part of the 2005 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards.<ref>[http://www.unescobkk.org/culture/our-projects/empowerment-of-the-culture-profession/asia-pacific-heritage-awards-for-culture-heritage-conservation/previous-heritage-awards-2000-2008/2005/award-winners/ 2005 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award]</ref>
In 2011, it was rated as a Grade II historical building by the [[Antiquities Advisory Board]].<ref>{{cite news |last1= Basina |first1=Carby |title=Hong Kong's Yim Tin Tsai Island: 3 historical treasures of the living museum|url= https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/lifestyle/travel/912494/hong-kong-s-yim-tin-tsai-island-3-historical-treasures-of-the-living-museum/story/|accessdate=July 6, 2024 |publisher= [[GMA Integrated News]]|date=July 6, 2024}}</ref>
The revitalisation of the saltpans of Yim Tin Tsai received an Honourable Mention in the [[UNESCO Asia Pacific Heritage Awards|UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards]] for Cultural Heritage Conservation in 2015.<ref name="UNESCO">{{cite web |url=https://bangkok.unesco.org/sites/default/files/assets/article/Asia-Pacific%20Heritage%20Awards/files/2015-winners.pdf |title=Project profiles for 2015 UNESCO Heritage Award winners |last= |first= |date= |page=1 |website=[[UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation]] |publisher=[[UNESCO]] |access-date= |quote=}}</ref>
==Transport==
Yim Tin Tsai can be reached by private ferry from [[Sai Kung Town]].<ref name="YTT Village" />
==See also==
{{portal|Islands}}
* [[Islands and peninsulas of Hong Kong]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
{{Commons category|Yim Tin Tsai (Sai Kung)}}
* [https://www.had.gov.hk/rre/images/village_map1922/Q/q-sk-25.pdf Delineation of area of existing village Yim Tin Tsai (Sai Kung) for election of resident representative (2019 to 2022)]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090512144830/http://www.travelinsaikung.org.hk/english/sea/yim_tin_tsai_map.shtml Map of Yim Tin Tsai]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090511095232/http://www.exploresaikung.com/places/HowtoMakeSalt.html How They Made Salt in Yim Tin Tsai] (archive)
* [http://hongwrong.com/places-hong-kongs-abandoned-ghost-island/ Pictures of Yim Tin Tsai]
* [http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2101352470089720229hWJJZG Picture of the former village school]
{{Sai Kung District}}
[[Category:Islands of Hong Kong]]
[[Category:Sai Kung District]]
[[Category:Former populated places in Hong Kong]]
[[Category:Populated places in Hong Kong]]