Hong Kong's historic Tin Sam Tsuen village faces eviction for Northern Metropolis
After 360 years, 50 families must leave their ancestral homes for a megaproject.
Tin Sam Tsuen, a historic village in Hong Kong's far-flung Hung Shui Kiu area, is set to be levelled as part of the Northern Metropolis megaproject. The village, characterized by traditional brick houses and a clan hall with green and white walls, has been home to about 50 households for over 360 years. Residents like Chan Ho-yee, whose family has lived there for generations, recall communal rituals: Chinese New Year visits to the ancestral house, flowing banquets for weddings, and poon choi feasts during festivals. The Chan clan's ancestral hall has been a hub for shared meals across 20 to 30 tables.
The eviction stems from the Hung Shui Kiu and Ha Tsuen New Development Area, a key component of Hong Kong's Northern Metropolis plan to create new towns and economic hubs. For residents, the loss is more than physical; it erases a living heritage of community bonds and cultural practices. As the deadline approaches, villagers express helplessness, with some still hoping for a last-minute reprieve. The case highlights the broader tension between urban development and the preservation of indigenous villages in Hong Kong, where centuries-old traditions clash with modern infrastructure needs.
- Tin Sam Tsuen has been home to the Chan clan for over 360 years, with about 50 households.
- The village is being demolished for the Hung Shui Kiu and Ha Tsuen New Development Area under the Northern Metropolis megaproject.
- Resident Chan Ho-yee recalls flowing banquets, poon choi feasts, and communal rituals held in the ancestral hall.
Why It Matters
The eviction erases centuries of indigenous heritage, symbolizing the fraught balance between urban expansion and cultural preservation in Hong Kong.