What resonates most with people in Tuen Mun is the traffic jam on Tuen Mun Highway.
Tuen Mun people often say with a smile that the time they spend on transportation every day is enough to fly around Taiwan.
However, how many people know that Tuen Mun in the 1980s was like a deserted island. In the era when the subway, light rail and even the Tuen Mun Highway were not completed, the residents of Tuen Mun could only rely on the Castle Peak Road to enter and exit the urban area.
Although the traffic in Tuen Mun was inconvenient at that time, the area was full of opportunities.
Many older generations of neighbors saw the development potential of Tuen Mun and resolutely moved in from the urban area, becoming the first generation of "reclaimer cattle" in the area.
There is a story behind every old neighbor. Li Jianxin, who was over 70 years old, went through the end of the western clothing industry and moved to Tuen Mun to support his family. Strangers live together and share kitchen and toilet. In order to improve the living environment of the family, they choose to move to Tuen Mun.
The reasons for moving to Tuen Mun are different, but they are also the pioneers of Tuen Mun who have worked hard for many years to create the current bustling new town.
Recently, they have brought their personal experiences to the theatre through oral history plays, hoping to give the audience a deeper understanding of Tuen Mun.
Li Jianxin, 76, is a first-generation Tuen Mun neighborhood. He moved to Tuen Mun in 1976.
As a dressmaker, Li Jianxin had a stable income at the time, and he continued to work during good times. "Every day, except for meals, I wear my car clothes. I will be squatting all day long, and I will continue to do it when I wake up."
He mentioned that during the North-South Vietnam War, foreign navy motherships parked in Wan Chai for a long time from 1969 to 1970. The soldiers were generally more forthright and willing to spend money on various commodities, thus bringing about the most glorious time of the western clothing industry.
Li Jianxin, 76, is a first-generation Tuen Mun neighborhood. He moved to Tuen Mun in 1976.
As a dressmaker, Li Jianxin had a stable income at that time, and he did not stop at good times.
(Photo by Zeng Fengting)
In Tuen Mun, there is no work, and if you are willing to do it, you will have to do it. It is only artificial.
The first generation of Tuen Mun Neighbors Li Jianxin
But with the departure of the navy, the factories also moved north one after another, and the clothing industry came to an end.
Li Jianxin, who relied on the craftsmanship of western clothes for a living, lost his job immediately. As the breadwinner of his family, he decided to move to Tuen Mun with his family in order to find another way out.
Li Jianxin recalled that there was nothing in Tuen Mun at that time, and because of this, he changed his career to join the engineering industry and participated in various infrastructure constructions in Tuen Mun. ".
With the departure of the navy, factories also moved northwards, and the clothing industry came to an end.
Li Jianxin (left), who relied on the craftsmanship of western clothing for a living, lost his job immediately. As the breadwinner of his family, he decided to move to Tuen Mun with his family. He also changed his career to join the engineering industry and participated in various infrastructure constructions in Tuen Mun.
(Pictures provided by respondents)
The first generation of Tuen Mun people built their homes from scratch
When Li Jianxin’s family first arrived in Tuen Mun, they went to live in Jingtouxia Village.
In the past, Li Jianxin had no fixed home. In order to give his family a comfortable place of his own, he gritted his teeth and built a home from scratch. Before retiring, he also participated in many infrastructure projects in Tuen Mun, such as Tai Hing, the oldest housing estate in Tuen Mun. Construction of villages, west rail lines, water conservancy facilities and extension of Castle Peak Road, etc.
"There is a story behind the three holy unicorn stone"
Among the many construction projects, the most unforgettable project for him was the widening of the section from Sanshengxu to Tunxing on Castle Peak Road, where accidents frequently occurred.
Li Jianxin pointed out that at that time, in order to widen the highway, the workers carried out blasting works in the Sansheng section, but strange things happened one after another before the construction started. A boy passed away unexpectedly."
After the incident, it was believed that the official's son was killed under the influence of the unicorn stone.
About the "there is a period of ancient" behind the three holy unicorn stones in Tuen Mun, it is related to the tradition of the residents to deposit their souls.
(online picture)
In order to carry out the widening work, the workers still needed to remove the unicorn stone. However, when they were carrying out the stone work, some people reported that they saw a red liquid flowing down.
Strange things happened frequently, and finally no one dared to remove the unicorn stone.
Related works even bypassed it so that the stone remains in place today.
Li Jianxin explained that Sansheng was once a fishing village, and most of the residents were engaged in fishing.
When they go to sea, in order to ensure a safe return, they will put their souls in the unicorn stone, hoping to bring people back safely.
Li Jianxin believes that because the unicorn stone has been deposited in the soul and has a protective function, no one is allowed to move it.
Sansheng used to be a fishing village, and most of the residents were engaged in fishing.
When they go to sea, in order to return safely, they will deposit their souls in the unicorn stone, hoping to bring people back safely.
Jianxin believes that because the unicorn stone has been deposited in the soul and has a protective function, no one is allowed to move it.
(Pictures provided by respondents)
Another Tuen Mun veteran, Toh Shuk Kwan, moved to Tuen Mun in 1983 and became the first batch of residents to settle in Shan Shan Village.
"At that time, there were three Mountain View, and I lived in the first one."
Shuqun used to be a full-time car clothing worker before she got married. She also experienced the glory days of the textile industry. Shuqun made a lot of money and even joked that she was a rich woman back then.
At that time, Shuqun earned a monthly salary ranging from 800 yuan to 1,000 yuan, but the monthly income of white-collar workers at that time was only more than 300 yuan.
Li Jianxin, who was on the side, also said, "It's really a lot. You can buy a dry fried beef river for 8 cents at that time."
Shuqun continued, "At that time, each pair of trousers for the Navy was changed for $1. It's a pity that the younger generation didn't know what to think, and you can buy a floor even if you don't want to save money."
I used to be intimidated by my friends before, but after moving into Tuen Mun, I was so impatient.
At that time, when they (friends) entered Tuen Mun, it was like a trip.
The first generation of Tuen Mun Neighbors To Shuk Kwan
Shuqun used to be a full-time car clothing worker before she got married. She also experienced the glory days of the textile industry. Shuqun made a lot of money and even joked that she was a rich woman back then.
At that time, Shuqun earned a monthly salary ranging from 800 yuan to 1,000 yuan, but the monthly income of white-collar workers at that time was only more than 300 yuan.
Li Jianxin, who was on the side, also said, "It's really a lot. You can buy a dry fried beef river for 8 cents at that time."
(Photo by Zeng Fengting)
Moving to Tuen Mun in the 1980s was like being isolated from the world
Good times don't last. With the decline of the textile industry and the focus on family due to marriage, Shuqun gradually faded out of car clothing work.
Before moving into Tuen Mun, Shukun lived in a pre-planned room in Kowloon and needed to share the kitchen and toilet with other residents. "The living environment at that time was not that good, so I wanted to scare off public housing because Tuen Mun was so remote at the time. The meeting will be easy."
Shukun really got her wish in the public housing lottery and moved to Tuen Mun.
Although the living environment has been improved, the transportation in Tuen Mun is inconvenient, and they are trapped in the area in disguise. Tuen Mun is like a trip."
In addition to the social impact, there were only one vegetable stall and one meat stall in the village at that time, and other livelihood supplies stores were not available.
Shuqun pointed out that at that time, it was often necessary to go shopping in other places in the district. Since the young railway was not yet built (the light rail was only opened after 1988), Shuqun had to turn into an infantryman, passing through large and small construction sites and bad land , detouring to Xinxu to buy daily necessities, and walking through these places with one bag and two bags in hand has become her daily routine.
Shuqun once worked as a lingerie clerk in the Tuen Mun Town Plaza, and tried to run a flower shop, but in the millennium, her business gradually declined and she was finally forced to change her career.
Du Shukwan and Li Jianxin, the first batch of Tuen Mun residents in their 70s, participated in the "Jockey Club "Lion Rock Legend" Oral History Drama Project organized by the Chung Ying Theatre Company and donated by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust in recent months. Training, stand up on the stage to appeal in person and tell the story of your past.
Kin Sun and Sook Kwan hope to use this platform to introduce the old Tuen Mun from a first-person perspective.
Elders learn performance skills to improve memory and reaction
Xiao Junjie, the resident drama instructor of Chung Ying Theatre Company, pointed out that the first generation of Tuen Mun’s old neighborhoods are getting old. The historical drama resonates with the community and broadens the public's understanding of the realities of the past in various districts.
He described that during the practice process, many elders unexpectedly discovered that they were able to master performance skills, which also helped improve their memory and reactions.
Xiao Junjie (right), the resident drama instructor of Chung Ying Theatre Company, pointed out that the first generation of Tuen Mun’s old neighborhoods are getting old. It is hoped that the oral history drama will resonate with the community and broaden the public's understanding of the realities of the past in various districts.
Jiang Qianying (left), the education and outreach manager of the Chung Ying Theatre Company, pointed out that the current plan is expected to be carried out in nine districts, and Tuen Mun is one of the stops.
(Photo by Zeng Fengting)
Jiang Qianying, the education and outreach manager of Chung Ying Theatre Company, pointed out that the current plan is expected to be carried out in nine districts, and Tuen Mun is one of the stops.
Although the plan was affected by the epidemic and it was difficult to reserve a suitable performance venue, it was able to proceed smoothly despite the difficulties. Last month, two performances were successfully held at Shouson Theatre, Wanchai Arts Center.
Jiang Qianying hopes to expand related plans to the 18 districts in the future. In addition to oral history dramas, she also hopes to leave valuable history and stories in different ways, such as exhibitions of old objects.
Learn more: https://oralhistorytheatre.hk/programmes/
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