Tuen Mun

:"For districts of Hong Kong, see Tuen Mun District.":"For a new town in Hong Kong, see Tuen Mun New Town."Tuen Mun (zh-c|c=屯門/屯门, Jyutping: Tyun4 Mun4) is a market town near the mouth of Tuen Mun River and Castle Peak Bay in the New Territories, Hong Kong. It was one of the earliest settlements in Hong Kong which can be dated back to the Neolithic period. In the more recent past, it was home to many Tanka fishermen who gathered at the Castle Peak Bay.

History

Early settlement can be dated back to the Neolithic period. On the mouth of the Pearl River and on the route to its inner capital city, Guangzhou, Tuen Mun was a place for harbouring ships on international trade routes.

In the Tang dynasty, a navy town, Tuen Mun Tsang (屯門鎮) was established in Nam Tau, which lies across Deep Bay. Tuen Mun and the rest of Hong Kong was under its protection.

A major clan, To (陶), brought the name Tuen Mun to the area. They migrated from Jiangxi and established a village Tuen Mun Tsuen (屯門村) late in the Yuan Dynasty. As more and more villages were established, the village was renamed to Tuen Mun Tai Tsuen (屯門大村), which means the largest village. As yet more villages were established, a market town of Tuen Mun Hui (屯門墟) was established. This town lies where present-day Tuen Mun Kau Hui is situated.

Portuguese colonists had occupied the town in 1514 and were expelled by the Ming dynasty navy in 1521.

Tuen Mun remained an important town of coastal defense until the start of British rule in 1899. When the British took over the New Territories from the Qing government in this year, the area was renamed Castle Peak, and Tuen Mun Hui to Tsing Shan Hui (青山墟) or Castle Peak Hui. The name Tuen Mun, however, continued to be used by those living in the area.

In 1965, a "Castle Peak New Town" was planned. It was later renamed to Tuen Mun New Town and implemented from 1970 and many buildings are on the reclamation on the Castle Peak Bay. Its name was officially changed back to Tuen Mun in 1972. [http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Field/2299/40.htm]

Facilities

The markets in the town were Tuen Mun Kau Hui (屯門舊墟), Tuen Mun San Hui (屯門新墟) and Sam Shing Hui (三聖墟).

There are a substantial amount of government facillities also, including a magistrates court, registration office and other governmental office. Leisure facillities include several sports complex, a multi-story central library supplemented by two others, and a theatrical and concert venus in the shape of Tuen Mun Town Hall.

Transportation

Tuen Mun is served extensively by zones 1-3 of the MTR Light Rail, the initial phase of which was completed and operational on 18 September 1988. The government decided that services between town centres and settlements would be provided solely by a Light Rail Transit (LRT) system, while feeder buses operated by the KCRC (now operated by MTR after the takeover in 2007) would connect remote sites to the network, replacing KMB's equivalent services where applicable. The North-west Railway, as it was then known, was thus established according to the [http://www.legislation.gov.hk/blis_ind.nsf/D2769881999F47B3482564840019D2F9/7BC06F55BF59A3BDC825648300292B27?OpenDocument Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation Ordinance] .

The system consisted of two big and three small loops serving most of the public housing estates in northern Tuen Mun. Three branches: one to On Ting Estate in the southeast, one to the Tuen Mun Ferry Pier in the southwest, and another northern branch all the way into the town of Yuen Long along Castle Peak Road.

With the West Rail Line opened in 20 December 2003 the Light Rail have also taken the role of feeder services. However, although the journey from Tuen Mun to Nam Cheong in western Kowloon takes only 30 minutes, most commuters prefer to take the many bus routes linking central Kowloon and Hong Kong and this satellite town.

The town is also served by ferry services to Tung Chung (being discontinued July 2008 and replaced by KMB route T39) and mainland destinations such as Zhuhai and Shekou, Shenzhen. All services departs from Tuen Mun Ferry Pier.

On the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Corridor, Cross Border Shuttle Services to Shekou is operated by Citybus on route B3, which departs from Tuen Mun Ferry Pier and B3X which departs from Tuen Mun Town Plaza, 5 minutes walk from Tuen Mun.Residents can also take Green Minibus service 44B(1) to Lok Ma Chau which departs from Tuen Mun Ferry Pier.

Private ferries is also available in sporadic times in the public pier, 15 minutes walk from the Tuen Mun Ferry Pier.

Public utilities

Numerous facilities are located in western Tuen Mun, like Castle Peak Power Station and Black Point Power Station.

Education institutions

*Lingnan University (Hong Kong)

External links

* [http://www.centamap.com/gc/home.aspx?x=815401&y=828736&sx=815401.06904&sy=828736.63176&z=6 Centalink Map of Tuen Mun]
* [http://www.library.ln.edu.hk/projects/tmheritage/event02.html Timeline of Tuen Mun's development (Chinese)]