Fan Lau Fort old and fascinating protected historical site
Fan Lau Fort developed during the Ming and Qing dynasties
Fan Lau Fort
Fan Lau Fort faced the terrible irony of being captured by pirates
For Hong Kong’s avid hikers, there is a treasure trove of historical sites to explore. One such location, Fan Lau Fort is tucked away in the southwestern tip of Lantau Island.
The choice spot is an entry point into the Pearl River Estuary, thereby granting access into mainland China. Fan Lau Fort – built by the Qing government, once occupied by pirates, and now a protected historical monument – stands to this day.
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Fan Lau Fort was one of many fortifications proposed and developed during the Ming and Qing dynasties.
Eager to control increasing trade deals with the West and protect themselves from the troubles of pirates that attacked the southern China seas and coastal regions, military commanders realized that maritime defences were of key importance.
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As rulers did not have a sizable navy to defend the waters, these fortifications were crucial. The development of Fan Lau Fort in particular was proposed in 1717, with construction taking place twelve years later during the reign of the Yongzheng Emperor.
During its construction, the Macau Gazetter announced that the fort, originally named Tai Yu Shan Fort, was one of two such defence posts established on Lantau Island. The original name was changed during the middle or later part of the Qing dynasty to Kai Yik Fort.
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Situated on a cliff perched between seventy and 116 metres above sea level, Fan Lau provided an unobstructed vantage point. The fort’s construction was supervised by Yeung Lin, the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi provinces at the time.
This particular fort, along with Nan Tou Fort and Chi Wan Fort in Shenzhen, were the most important coastal fortifications in Xinan county. In its active years, Fan Lau Fort was under the command of the Right Wing of Dapang Battalion.
At some point between 1729 and 1810, the fort faced the terrible irony of being captured by the very pirates it was meant to repel. Military strategies to recapture the fort forced the pirates to yield it to the imperial soldiers in 1810.
The fort was guarded by 48 soldiers
The government set about quickly refurbishing the fortification, making it part of a key group of defensive positions in the surrounding area. In the reign of Emperor Jianqing (1796 – 1821), the fort was guarded by forty-eight soldiers led by one lieutenant.
When it was an active site, Fan Lau was armed with eight cannons, and the fort was divided into twenty barracks for the residing military personnel.
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By 1842, under the terms of the Treaty of Nanjing, the Chinese government ceded Hong Kong to the British Empire. When British officers surveyed the various Hong Kong islands, they found Fan Lau Fort unguarded.
Fifty-six years later, when the British government was granted a lease over the New Territories, Fan Lau Fort was wholly abandoned and in ruin, a fate similar to many military fortifications that guarded the coastline.
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Its decrepit state was further exacerbated through years of local pillaging, with villagers taking stones from the walls to repurpose for construction projects. Without a sense of purpose, the site was quickly overrun by the thick foliage that surrounds it.
On 13 November 1981, Fan Lau Fort was reintroduced to the public imagination. It was designated a declared monument, with primary restoration works carried out in early 1985 and further work taking place in 1990.
Fan Lau Hiking Trail branches off of Lantau Hiking Trail No. 7
Fan Lau Fort is a key feature on the Fan Lau Hiking Trail, which branches off of Lantau Hiking Trail No. 7. Knowing the history and the steep nature of hikes around Lantau Island, we opted to wait for the perfect day to visit this piece of Hong Kong’s history.
After a week of grey skies and harsh winds, a sunny weekend saw a steady sea of people streaming into Lantau Island to make the most of the sunshine and warm weather. Starting off in Tung Chung, we veered away from the serpentine bus line and headed to the taxi stand.
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The 45-minute drive took us through low-lying villages, surrounded by lush mountains and rocky cliffs. The closer we got to the Lantau Hiking Trail, the more the road ceded to the natural movement of the island.
Our taxi driver was a cheery, talkative sort, explaining to us how cows and buffalo were a common sight on the roads. He provided helpful details on how to start our hiking venture and wished us the best of luck as we parted ways.
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As we set upon the part of the trail that was inaccessible to cars, butterflies flitted about the air or rested on the sidewalk. The clear blue sky and sea, their dividing line a hazy blur, was seen in glimpses through a continuous wall of trees. Chinese pine trees stood tall and spindly.
Besides the natural splendour, we marvelled at the infrastructure to the right side. In the summer seasons, heavy rains and typhoons turn natural landscapes into flood and landslide zones.
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To combat this, over the years the government has made concentrated efforts to minimize risk. Complex drainage systems and concrete faces have been added to steep mountainsides and along the hiking trails.
Areas at risk of becoming sites for landslides are regularly monitored. Every now and then, teams must be sent out into the islands to unplug the drains of mud, grass and flowers that have built up and out of these pipes.
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For the first hour of our walk, we enjoyed the wide, paved pathway and easy slopes of the Lantau Hiking Trail. When the path diverted and we had to switch onto the Fan Lau path, things became considerably more difficult.
Like the route into most of the campsites that we passed by, the first staircase to Fan Lau Fort was comprised of thick stones specifically designed to function as steps and made for a steady descent lined by trees on either side.
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We passed by few hikers as we went on, a stark contrast to the long tentacles of day hikers at bus stops – Fan Lau was clearly not on their hiking agendas.
The path itself ranged in the sophistication of its layout. Older parts of the path, comprised of walking steps to the right and a smooth downward slope to the left, ran past flood ways designed to safely channel torrents of rainwater away from pedestrians.
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Small, beautiful flowers basked in the sun, from pinkish-orange rhododendrons to countless bushes of snowy-white Hong Kong hawthorn.
Besides vibrant greenery, we caught sight of stunning beaches – popular secluded spots for occasional campers.
There is a wide stretch of beach along Fan Lau Country Trail
Jagged cliff faces were covered in shrubs and grass, the grey-red rocks and overlapping greenery creating a bold contrast to the ocean waves surrounding them. We took our time, preferring caution over speed.
With some hefty steps on the trail and pebbles dotted everywhere, a single misstep could have led to a problem not easily overcome.
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Thankfully, our hike went without incident, and in the last hour of our trek to the fort, the gentle roar of the shore and the wide expanse of the surrounding area set us at ease.
When we reached the wide stretch of beach along Fan Lau Country Trail (its name unknown), there was a final little path tucked away among the thicket of trees. The path led us past two abandoned structures – the first comprised of grey brick, the second was constructed with smooth boulders.
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A very deliberate staircase of large rocks led us up and past a colossal, cracked boulder until we finally arrived at the fort itself. Situated next to the mouth of the fort was a stone staircase that led to the platform on top of the south wall.
The ground inside and outside of the fort was largely laid over with brickwork that had faded over the years. Grass grew in many of the cracks between the bricks, as well as small white flowers. Its exterior walls, comprised of semi-dressed stone and bricks that were once green, stand at five metres in height.
The entrance gate, located on the east wall, had been fitted with an upper lintel and a threshold, both granite in construction. At a dimension of forty-six by twenty-one metres, its compact design made the fort suited for little else than the garrisoning of troops.
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The fortification’s latest name, Fan Lau, refers to its physical surrounding. Literally meaning “division of flows”, the name Fan Lau describes the colour shift of the waters as they transform from a clear green into a muddy brown, which occurs when the pacific sea currents meet the Pearl River Estuary.
After exploring and taking photographs, we wasted no time in starting our hike back to the starting point. All in all, the journey to the abandoned fort took us three hours, and another two hours to return to the highway.
Strenuous? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely.
Text & Photos Victoria Mae Martyn
