慶春約七村位於哪裏？

 

慶春約七村包括荔枝窩、梅子林、蛤塘、小灘、牛屎湖、三椏和鎖羅盆，位於新界東北部沙頭角地區。前往慶春約七村，可以乘坐街渡從沙頭角前往荔枝窩，或從烏蛟騰或鹿頸步行前往各村。

 

在地理位置上，荔枝窩坐落七村中央，村外亦有一個廣場方便聚集，因此成為慶春約各類主要活動的基地，由此可經小徑通往鄰近六村。

 

從荔枝窩往西南面的半山步行半小時，便可到達隱藏於林間的的梅子林，這裏是荔枝窩曾氏祖先最初居住的地方，祖先來自廣東清溪木古。梅子林東南面不遠處則是由范氏在吊燈籠山麓之北建立的蛤塘。

 

從荔枝窩岸邊朝東南方經過紅樹林前行，可抵達小灘與三椏，再翻過海拔141米的牛屎湖山，就是另一條依傍海灣而建的鄉村牛屎湖。雖然同樣姓曾，三椏的祖先來自山東，從烏蛟騰步行約45分鐘亦可到達三椏。

 

從荔枝窩碼頭右轉，步行約45分鐘，可到達位處荔枝窩西北山脊後方，與其他六村距離較遠的鎖羅盆。所謂「盆」，意指廣闊的山谷或盆地，鎖羅盆地形狹長，東北面的海灣朝向鴨洲海，是荔枝窩黃氏族人遷徙後定居之地。

 

Where are the Seven Villages of the Hing Chun Alliance?

 

The seven villages of the Hing Chun Alliance are Lai Chi Wo, Mui Tsz Lam, Kop Tong, Siu Tan, Ngau Shi Wu, Sam A and So Lo Pun. They are local communities in the Sha Tau Kok area of the Northeast New Territories. To visit the Hing Chun Alliance villages, take the kaito ferry at Sha Tau Kok to Lai Chi Wo, or hike there from Wu Kau Tang or Luk Keng.

 

Geographically, Lai Chi Wo is the centre of the seven villages. The big square in front of the village is a good place for gatherings and has long been a base for major alliance activities. Visitors can access the six neighbouring villages via rural paths from Lai Chi Wo.

 

Following the uphill footpath to the southwest of Lai Chi Wo will take you to Mui Tsz Lam, set deep in the forest, in about half an hour. This was where the ancestors of the Lai Chi Wo Tsang clan first settled. Their ancestors came from Mugu, Qingxi, Guangdong Province. Not far southeast of Mui Tsz Lam is Kop Tong, a village north of the Tiu Tang Lung foothills built by the Fan clan.

 

Walk southeast from the Lai Chi Wo shore via the mangrove forest, you will reach Siu Tan and Sam A. Beyond the 141-metre Ngau Shi Wu Peak is another rural seaside community ─ Ngau Shi Wu. Sam A villagers are also named Tsang, but their ancestors came from Shandong. To reach Sam A, you can also walk for about 45 minutes from Wu Kau Tang.

 

Turn right at the Lai Chi Wo Pier and walk for about 45 minutes to So Lo Pun, which is set at the back of the northwest ridge of Lai Chi Wo. It is quite far from the other six villages. Pun refers to a vast valley or basin. The local terrain is long and narrow, and the bay in the northeast faces the Ap Chau Hoi. So Lo Pun was the first village the Wong clan of Lai Chi Wo established when they migrated.