Villages in the New Territories – Muk Min Ha Village

Muk Min Ha Village once existed at Castle Peak Road in Tseun Wan. It was believed that inhabitants from Fujian Province, China first moved into Muk Min Ha Village about three hundred years ago. The village’s name derived from the cotton trees nearby (in Cantonese ‘Muk Min’ stands for ‘cotton tree’). Unlike other villages in the area, such as Yeung Uk Village or Sam Tung Uk Village, Muk Min Ha Village did not play a significant role in the history of Tsuen Wan. The villagers of Muk Min Ha lived a quiet agricultural life for many years.

Things changed after the war. The low-lying Muk Min Ha Village had always suffered from flooding during bad weather, due to difference in road levels caused by public works. The village flourished following a surge in population. A survey conducted in the 1950s recorded a population of approximately 5000 in Muk Min Ha Village. Some villagers set up squatter factories, which deteriorated the living condition.

The government determined to have the MTR construction work in Tsuen Wan commenced in 1978. Many people and factories were moved out, including those in Muk Min Ha Village, which was once regarded as ‘the most industrialised village’. The village was finally moved to the nearby Fu Yung Shan to make way for the construction.

The original site of the village now stood Nan Fung Centre near Tsuen Wan MTR station. The cotton tree blossom would never come back.