Ghost Island in Hong Kong Return to Life

The ghost island Yim-Ting-Tsai was once the birthplace of a prosperous Hakka community, a clan that migrated from North China centuries ago. People settled on an empty island and started developing salt deposits to make a living.

When more than a century ago the mine was closed due to the growing competition from Vietnam and China, most of the inhabitants turned to agriculture and fishing.

In the 40s of the last century it was believed that the island is home to between 500 and 1200 people. But in the 1960s, more and more families moved to Kowloon or the UK to get a good education after primary school. The last of the inhabitants of Yim-Tin-Tsai emigrated in the 1990s. It is interesting that all the houses remained intact.

But for a handful of rural residents, the island was something special - a unique aspect of Hong Kong's history and culture, which can not be forgotten.

New beginnings

If the travelers visited this place ten years ago, they would not have found anything other than overgrown weeds, crumbling houses and dusty fields. This was the area in front of Colin Chan, who returned to the island in 40 years.

The ancestors of this man settled on the island more than 300 years ago. As a resident of the eighth generation, he lived in Yim-Ting-Tsai until he was seven years old. His family moved to Sai-Kung, and then to the UK, where he was educated.

In 1999, Colin was elected headman of the village and began what became his lifelong mission, the resurrection of the island. For the first few years, he focused on creating a network of villagers from around the world, hoping to organize a community of like-minded descendants and volunteers who would help restore Yim-Ting-Tsai.

A real impulse was given in 2003, when the Catholic Church canonized Josef Freynademz, an influential missionary who lived here 200 years ago. After the news was scattered, Catholics from around the world determined a small island for pilgrimage, and Colin decided to ensure the arrival of believers by a warm welcome.

The Living Museum

Together with a committee of 10 former villagers, Colin raised money to create a center for tourists. In 2004, the charitable foundation donated funds through the Catholic Church to update the historic chapel of the island. Originally built in 1890 by Catholic missionaries, it is one of the oldest of its kind in Hong Kong.

Driven by recognition, the villagers organized a regular ferry schedule to allow travelers to get to the island. They intended to demonstrate the unique history of the village. So the living museum was organized.

The trail of heritage was rebuilt, the houses of the Hakka ancestors were restored, a museum of household chemistry and ceramics was created, and even an organic farm is located at the foot of the church.

Salt of the earth

The island revived at a rapid pace. After a number of successful repairs, the committee drew attention to the old salt mines of the island. What was just a dusty field for garbage a decade ago became a full salt project, in which there is an educational center for visitors.

In 2015, the restored saline fields were recognized by UNESCO for the preservation of this industrial heritage of Hong Kong, which is estimated to be more than 2,000 years old.

Today the salt mines sparkle in the sun, surrounded by elegant plantings of mangrove trees. They do not produce enough salt to be commercially viable, but the only ones functioning in Hong Kong act as a nostalgic link to the past.

In 2016, the island was visited by about 34,000 visitors, most of whom wanted to learn about the salt mines, explore the heritage path, take a walk around the island or just find a quiet place for meditation.

Walking through the village, visitors get an idea of the community that once lived here. And, in spite of the fact that many village houses are emptied and become unfit for habitation, they are of great interest for tourists.