Deep Bay, Hong Kong
Encyclopedia
Deep Bay is a bay
off the northwest coast of Lau Fau Shan
, Hong Kong
. It is surrounded to the north by Shenzhen
proper and west by the peninsula of Nantau, China
. It is also known as Hau Hoi Wan in Hong Kong, and Shenzhen Bay in China.
The name of Shenzhen Bay came much later, at least after the establishment of Shenzhen Special Economic Zone
in 1980. The name is becoming more and more notable after a hotel was named Shenzhen Bay. While the government of Shenzhen uses the name widely, the people and government in Hong Kong continue use the local name (后海灣).
from the surroundings are injected to the bay, formed by a large sheer with a shallow shore of wetland
s. The margin of fresh water and salt water
forms a valuable habitat for a wide variety of life.
The bay's northern shore used to be lined with marsh
es. As Shenzhen began to develop into a major urban centre, the northern shoreline was reclaimed
to provide land for buildings. Some departments had tried to preserve the endangered environment but mistakenly introduced foreign species of mangrove
, which threatened their indigenous counterparts.
The marshes remain largely intact along the southern part of the bay, which is under Hong Kong's jurisdiction. Mai Po is an important habitat
for migrating birds
in the area. Pools of former fishing farming is another attraction to birds.
and oyster
s. Lau Fau Shan is particularly famous for oysters in Hong Kong. From Lau Fau Shan to Mai Po, the villagers made use of the special environment forms pools to cultivate fishes. A by-product of the cultivation, greasyback shrimp (基圍蝦), is also a delicacy in Hong Kong.
and mainland China
. In order to halt large influx of refugees from mainland China, the Hong Kong Government established border control and compulsory registration of Hong Kong residents was carried out.
As a result, it was harder to migrate to Hong Kong than before and thus many crossed the border illegally. Deep Bay became the main access for illegal immigrants because border controls were harder to enforce at sea. It was relatively easy to cross the bay and there were major roads to the urban centres of Hong Kong. The rural town of Lau Fau Shan was the major landing point.
Bay
A bay is an area of water mostly surrounded by land. Bays generally have calmer waters than the surrounding sea, due to the surrounding land blocking some waves and often reducing winds. Bays also exist as an inlet in a lake or pond. A large bay may be called a gulf, a sea, a sound, or a bight...
off the northwest coast of Lau Fau Shan
Lau Fau Shan
Lau Fau Shan is an area in the New Territories of Hong Kong. It is at the shore of Deep Bay, near Tin Shui Wai and facing Shekou in Shenzhen, China. It is traditionally famous for fresh oysters. About 100 tons were harvested every year, some for consumption in Hong Kong restaurants and some for...
, Hong Kong
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...
. It is surrounded to the north by Shenzhen
Shenzhen
Shenzhen is a major city in the south of Southern China's Guangdong Province, situated immediately north of Hong Kong. The area became China's first—and one of the most successful—Special Economic Zones...
proper and west by the peninsula of Nantau, 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...
. It is also known as Hau Hoi Wan in Hong Kong, and Shenzhen Bay in China.
Name
The local Cantonese name of the bay is Hau Hoi Wan (後海灣), which mean the back (sea) bay. It is opposite to another bay, Tsin Hoi Wan (前海灣), which means front (sea) bay, on the other side of Nantau Peninsula. The Chinese character 后 (Hau, lit. queen) in 后海灣 is the homonym of 後 (Hau, lit. back), and also its simplified character. Some attribute the character 后 (Hau) to the goddess of mercy and sea, Tin Hau (天后).The name of Shenzhen Bay came much later, at least after the establishment of Shenzhen Special Economic Zone
Shenzhen Special Economic Zone
Shenzhen Special Economic Zone , established in May 1980, is the first special economic zone in the People's Republic of China...
in 1980. The name is becoming more and more notable after a hotel was named Shenzhen Bay. While the government of Shenzhen uses the name widely, the people and government in Hong Kong continue use the local name (后海灣).
Ecology
As the bay is largely enclosed by lands, fresh waterFresh Water
Fresh Water is the debut album by Australian rock and blues singer Alison McCallum, released in 1972. Rare for an Australian artist at the time, it came in a gatefold sleeve...
from the surroundings are injected to the bay, formed by a large sheer with a shallow shore of wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
s. The margin of fresh water and salt water
Seawater
Seawater is water from a sea or ocean. On average, seawater in the world's oceans has a salinity of about 3.5% . This means that every kilogram of seawater has approximately of dissolved salts . The average density of seawater at the ocean surface is 1.025 g/ml...
forms a valuable habitat for a wide variety of life.
The bay's northern shore used to be lined with marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
es. As Shenzhen began to develop into a major urban centre, the northern shoreline was reclaimed
Land reclamation in Hong Kong
Land is in short supply in Hong Kong, and land reclamation has been conducted there since the mid-19th century.-Projects:One of the earliest and famous project was the Praya Reclamation Scheme, which added 50 to of land in 1890 during the second phase of construction...
to provide land for buildings. Some departments had tried to preserve the endangered environment but mistakenly introduced foreign species of mangrove
Mangrove
Mangroves are various kinds of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics – mainly between latitudes N and S...
, which threatened their indigenous counterparts.
The marshes remain largely intact along the southern part of the bay, which is under Hong Kong's jurisdiction. Mai Po is an important habitat
Habitat (ecology)
A habitat is an ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular species of animal, plant or other type of organism...
for migrating birds
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
in the area. Pools of former fishing farming is another attraction to birds.
Agriculture and fisheries
The ecology of the bay made the bay rich in fishFish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
and oyster
Oyster
The word oyster is used as a common name for a number of distinct groups of bivalve molluscs which live in marine or brackish habitats. The valves are highly calcified....
s. Lau Fau Shan is particularly famous for oysters in Hong Kong. From Lau Fau Shan to Mai Po, the villagers made use of the special environment forms pools to cultivate fishes. A by-product of the cultivation, greasyback shrimp (基圍蝦), is also a delicacy in Hong Kong.
Illegal immigrants
Before 1949, Chinese people were free to travel between Hong KongHong 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...
and mainland China
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
. In order to halt large influx of refugees from mainland China, the Hong Kong Government established border control and compulsory registration of Hong Kong residents was carried out.
As a result, it was harder to migrate to Hong Kong than before and thus many crossed the border illegally. Deep Bay became the main access for illegal immigrants because border controls were harder to enforce at sea. It was relatively easy to cross the bay and there were major roads to the urban centres of Hong Kong. The rural town of Lau Fau Shan was the major landing point.