Prehistoric Hong Kong
Encyclopedia
Prehistoric Hong Kong is the period between the arrival of the first humans in the modern Hong Kong
region and the start of recorded in Chinese history
. The history of the region is
reckoned to begin in 214 BC with Qin Shi Huang
defeating the Baiyue tribes and creating the Jiaozhou
province. The prehistorical period can be divided into Stone Age
and Bronze Age
. Archaeology evidence suggests the earliest human settlement was in the Chek Lap Kok
area dating back to 33,000 - 37,000 BC.
settlement in Hong Kong was found at Wong Tei Tung
in Sham Chung
beside the Three Fathoms Cove
in Sai Kung Peninsula
. There were 6000 artifacts
found in a slope in the area and jointly confirmed by the Hong Kong Archaeological Society
and Centre for Lingnan Archaeology of Zhongshan University. It is believed that the Three Fathom Cove was a river valley
during that period and ancient people collected stone tools from the lithic manufacturing site in Wong Tei Tung to the settlement in near Tolo Harbour
and Mirs Bay
.
Hong Kong is located on the coast of South China
. Unlike northern China, the settlers in this area were the Che people
(輋族). Excavated Neolithic
artifacts suggest a difference from northern Chinese Stone-Age cultures, including the Longshan
. Excavated sites in Hong Kong were largely located on the western shores of Hong Kong. This location was most likely chosen to avoid strong winds from the southeast and to collect food from the nearby shores. Settlement can be found in Cheung Chau
, Lantau Island
and Lamma Island
.
Evidences of using fire were found from Chung Hom Kok
on the Hong Kong Island
. In late Neolithic, their settlement extends from shores to the hills nearby.
Stone circles
were found in Fan Lau
and other areas in Hong Kong. Its purpose is still unidentified but some suggests it is related to worship.
brought an influx of Yuet people from north into the area. They probably avoided the instabilities at the north and went south. Bronze
fishing, combat and ritual tools were excavated on Lantau Island and Lamma Island. Ma Wan
was the earliest settlement with direct evidents in Hong Kong. Another one is Lung Kwu Tan
. Bronze tools were found on Lantau Island, Cheung Chau, Chek Lap Kok
as well. Regular holes on ground were found in Ha Pak Nai. It is believed they are the foundation of grand houses of that period.
Yuet people were competing and assimilating with indigenous Che people. It is believed that there were wars between them. Qin Shi Huang
of the Qin Dynasty
sent large numbers of soldiers and Qin subjects to Guangdong
and made the competition harder.
There are still no written documents or artefacts related to Qin rules and early Han Dynasty
rules. The excavation of Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb of later Han dynasty effectivly brings Hong Kong out of prehistory.
Eight rock carvings
have been discovered and listed a declared monuments
:
All are believed to date back to what was the Bronze Age
in northern China, approximately Shang Dynasty
in China
. The carvings are also believed to have been intended to pacify the bad weather
.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
region and the start of recorded in Chinese history
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
. The history of the region is
reckoned to begin in 214 BC with Qin Shi Huang
Qin Shi Huang
Qin Shi Huang , personal name Ying Zheng , was king of the Chinese State of Qin from 246 BC to 221 BC during the Warring States Period. He became the first emperor of a unified China in 221 BC...
defeating the Baiyue tribes and creating the Jiaozhou
Jiaozhou (region)
Jiaozhou is an ancient Chinese region. The territory defined by the region has been changed in different eras. Normally included modern North Vietnam and Guangxi...
province. The prehistorical period can be divided into Stone Age
Stone Age
The Stone Age is a broad prehistoric period, lasting about 2.5 million years , during which humans and their predecessor species in the genus Homo, as well as the earlier partly contemporary genera Australopithecus and Paranthropus, widely used exclusively stone as their hard material in the...
and Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
. Archaeology evidence suggests the earliest human settlement was in the Chek Lap Kok
Chek Lap Kok
Chek Lap Kok was an island in the western waters of Hong Kong. Together with the smaller Lam Chau, it was leveled and merged via land reclamation into the platform for the current Hong Kong International Airport, which opened for commercial operations in 1998...
area dating back to 33,000 - 37,000 BC.
Palaeolithic
Evidence of an Upper PaleolithicUpper Paleolithic
The Upper Paleolithic is the third and last subdivision of the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age as it is understood in Europe, Africa and Asia. Very broadly it dates to between 40,000 and 10,000 years ago, roughly coinciding with the appearance of behavioral modernity and before the advent of...
settlement in Hong Kong was found at Wong Tei Tung
Wong Tei Tung
Wong Tei Tung is an area of Upper Paleolithic settlement in Hong Kong. It is located near Sham Chung, beside Three Fathoms Cove of Sai Kung Peninsula.The findings were discovered by the Hong Kong Archaeological Society.-External links:* ....
in Sham Chung
Sham Chung
Sham Chung is an area of Neolithic settlement in Hong Kong. It is located near Wong Tei Tung beside Three Fathoms Cove of Sai Kung Peninsula....
beside the Three Fathoms Cove
Three Fathoms Cove
Three Fathoms Cove or Kei Ling Ha Hoi is a cove in Tai Po District, Hong Kong. It is surrounded by Shap Sze Heung , Kei Ling Ha , Yung Shue O , Wong Tei Tung and Sham Chung . Most of its east shore constitutes part of the Sai Kung West Country Park.The cove's north is connected to Tolo Harbour...
in Sai Kung Peninsula
Sai Kung Peninsula
Sai Kung Peninsula is a peninsula in the easternmost part of the New Territories in Hong Kong. Its name comes from Sai Kung Town in the central southern area of the peninsula...
. There were 6000 artifacts
Artifact (archaeology)
An artifact or artefact is "something made or given shape by man, such as a tool or a work of art, esp an object of archaeological interest"...
found in a slope in the area and jointly confirmed by the Hong Kong Archaeological Society
Hong Kong Archaeological Society
Hong Kong Archaeological Society is a government funded organization dedicated to carry out excavation and preserve archaeological heritage in Hong Kong...
and Centre for Lingnan Archaeology of Zhongshan University. It is believed that the Three Fathom Cove was a river valley
River Valley
River Valley is the name of an urban planning area within the Central Area, Singapore's central business district.The River Valley Planning Area is defined by the region bounded by Orchard Boulevard, Devonshire Road and Eber Road to the north, Oxley Rise and Mohamed Sultan Road to the east, Martin...
during that period and ancient people collected stone tools from the lithic manufacturing site in Wong Tei Tung to the settlement in near Tolo Harbour
Tolo Harbour
Tolo Harbour , or Tai Po Hoi is a sheltered harbour in northeast New Territories of Hong Kong.-Geography:Tide Cove aka...
and Mirs Bay
Mirs Bay
Mirs Bay is a bay in the northeast of Crooked Island and Sai Kung Peninsula of Hong Kong. Ping Chau stands in the midst of the bay...
.
Neolithic
Northern and southern China
Northern China and southern China are two approximate regions within China. The exact boundary between these two regions has never been precisely defined...
. Unlike northern China, the settlers in this area were the Che people
Che people
The Che people are a branch of the Yao people found in the Guangdong and Jiangxi provinces of China. Outside of those areas, they are also known as the She people.-History:...
(輋族). Excavated Neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
artifacts suggest a difference from northern Chinese Stone-Age cultures, including the Longshan
Longshan
Longshan may refer to the following in mainland China or Taiwan:*Longshan culture , late Neolithic culture, centred on the central and lower reaches of the Yellow River*Longshan County , of Xiangxi, Hunan*Longshan District , Liaoyuan, Jilin...
. Excavated sites in Hong Kong were largely located on the western shores of Hong Kong. This location was most likely chosen to avoid strong winds from the southeast and to collect food from the nearby shores. Settlement can be found in Cheung Chau
Cheung Chau
Cheung Chau is a small island 10 km southwest of Hong Kong Island, is nicknamed as the 'dumbbell island' for its shape. It has been inhabited for longer than most other places in the territory of Hong Kong, with a population of about 23,000 up to 2006...
, Lantau Island
Lantau Island
Lantau Island , based on the old local name of Lantau Peak , is the largest island in Hong Kong, located at the mouth of the Pearl River. Administratively, most of Lantau Island is part of the Islands District of Hong Kong...
and Lamma Island
Lamma Island
Lamma Island , also known as Pok Liu Chau or simply Pok Liu , is the third largest island in Hong Kong. Administratively, it is part of the Islands District.-Name:...
.
Evidences of using fire were found from Chung Hom Kok
Chung Hom Kok
Chung Hom Kok is an area in the southern Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. It is a popular site for barbecue and swimming with a beach and lifeguard services available from April to October. West of Stanley, Chung Hom Kok is referred to the southern most point on a peninsula...
on the Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island is an island in the southern part of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km², as of 2008...
. In late Neolithic, their settlement extends from shores to the hills nearby.
Stone circles
Stone Circles (Hong Kong)
Stone Circles can be found in Hong Kong as Hong Kong is rich in Neolithic and Bronze Age artifacts.-Lo Ah Tsai Stone Circle:Lo Ah Tsai Stone Circle was discovered in the northern part of Lamma Island by K M A Barnett, District Commissioner of the New Territories in 1956...
were found in Fan Lau
Fan Lau
Fan Lau is peninsula and area in the southwest tip of Lantau Island in Hong Kong. It is also the southwest end the territory of Hong Kong. The very end of the tip is Fan Lau Kok . The peninsula separates water into Fan Lau Tung Wan in the east, and Fan Lau Sai Wan and Fan Lau Miu Wan Fan Lau...
and other areas in Hong Kong. Its purpose is still unidentified but some suggests it is related to worship.
Bronze Age
The coming of the Warring States PeriodWarring States Period
The Warring States Period , also known as the Era of Warring States, or the Warring Kingdoms period, covers the Iron Age period from about 475 BC to the reunification of China under the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC...
brought an influx of Yuet people from north into the area. They probably avoided the instabilities at the north and went south. Bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
fishing, combat and ritual tools were excavated on Lantau Island and Lamma Island. Ma Wan
Ma Wan
Ma Wan is an island of Hong Kong, located between Lantau Island and Tsing Yi Island, with an area of 0.97 km². Administratively, it is part of Tsuen Wan District....
was the earliest settlement with direct evidents in Hong Kong. Another one is Lung Kwu Tan
Lung Kwu Tan
Lung Kwu Tan is an area located in the western part of Tuen Mun District, Hong Kong.-Geography:The area is located at the southwest of Castle Peak and consists of Lung Kwu Tan and Lung Kwu Sheung Tan.-Features:...
. Bronze tools were found on Lantau Island, Cheung Chau, Chek Lap Kok
Chek Lap Kok
Chek Lap Kok was an island in the western waters of Hong Kong. Together with the smaller Lam Chau, it was leveled and merged via land reclamation into the platform for the current Hong Kong International Airport, which opened for commercial operations in 1998...
as well. Regular holes on ground were found in Ha Pak Nai. It is believed they are the foundation of grand houses of that period.
Yuet people were competing and assimilating with indigenous Che people. It is believed that there were wars between them. Qin Shi Huang
Qin Shi Huang
Qin Shi Huang , personal name Ying Zheng , was king of the Chinese State of Qin from 246 BC to 221 BC during the Warring States Period. He became the first emperor of a unified China in 221 BC...
of the Qin Dynasty
Qin Dynasty
The Qin Dynasty was the first imperial dynasty of China, lasting from 221 to 207 BC. The Qin state derived its name from its heartland of Qin, in modern-day Shaanxi. The strength of the Qin state was greatly increased by the legalist reforms of Shang Yang in the 4th century BC, during the Warring...
sent large numbers of soldiers and Qin subjects to Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
and made the competition harder.
There are still no written documents or artefacts related to Qin rules and early Han Dynasty
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
rules. The excavation of Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb of later Han dynasty effectivly brings Hong Kong out of prehistory.
Rock Carvings
Petroglyph
Petroglyphs are pictogram and logogram images created by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, carving, and abrading. Outside North America, scholars often use terms such as "carving", "engraving", or other descriptions of the technique to refer to such images...
have been discovered and listed a declared monuments
Declared monuments of Hong Kong
Declared monuments of Hong Kong are places, structures or buildings legally declared to be "protected". In Hong Kong, declaring a monument requires consulting the Antiquities Advisory Board, the approval of the Chief Executive as well as the publication of the notice in government gazette.As of 12...
:
- Po Toi IslandPo ToiPo Toi is the main island of the Po Toi Islands and the southern-most island of Hong Kong, with an area of 3.69 km².-Name:...
- Tung Lung Island
- Kau Sai ChauKau Sai ChauKau Sai Chau is an island located off the coast of Sai Kung of Hong Kong, with an area of 6.70 km², making it the 6th largest island of Hong Kong.-Geography:...
- Cheung ChauCheung ChauCheung Chau is a small island 10 km southwest of Hong Kong Island, is nicknamed as the 'dumbbell island' for its shape. It has been inhabited for longer than most other places in the territory of Hong Kong, with a population of about 23,000 up to 2006...
- Shek PikShek PikShek Pik is an area located along the southwestern coast of Lantau Island, Hong Kong. When the Shek Pik Reservoir was built, villages at Shek Pik were demolished and the villagers were relocated to other parts of Lantau Island and to Tsuen Wan...
on Lantau Island - Wong Chuk HangWong Chuk HangWong Chuk Hang is an industrial and residential town to the east of Aberdeen and to the north of Nam Long Shan and to the west of Shouson Hill, on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong...
- Big Wave BayBig Wave Bay, Hong Kong IslandBig Wave Bay or Tai Long Wan is a bay in the Southern District of Hong Kong. It is located on the eastern coast of Hong Kong Island, south of Cape Collinson and north of Shek O....
on Hong Kong IslandHong Kong IslandHong Kong Island is an island in the southern part of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km², as of 2008... - Lung Ha Wan (龍蝦灣) in Sai Kung
All are believed to date back to what was the Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
in northern China, approximately Shang Dynasty
Shang Dynasty
The Shang Dynasty or Yin Dynasty was, according to traditional sources, the second Chinese dynasty, after the Xia. They ruled in the northeastern regions of the area known as "China proper" in the Yellow River valley...
in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. The carvings are also believed to have been intended to pacify the bad weather
Weather
Weather is the state of the atmosphere, to the degree that it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloudy. Most weather phenomena occur in the troposphere, just below the stratosphere. Weather refers, generally, to day-to-day temperature and precipitation activity, whereas climate...
.