Yuen Long
| Yuen Long | |||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 元朗 | ||||||||||
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Yuen Long (Chinese: 元朗), formerly Un Long, is an area and town on the Yuen Long Plain located in the New Territories West, Hong Kong, China. To its west lie Hung Shui Kiu (洪水橋) and Ha Tsuen, to the south Shap Pat Heung and Tai Tong, to the east Au Tau and Kam Tin (錦田), and to the north Nam Sang Wai.
Name
The Cantonese name Yuen Long 元朗 in present-day conversation, "Yuen Long" may, depending on context, refer to the limits of the original market town, Yuen Long New Town, Yuen Long Plain or Yuen Long District.
Market town
The central part of Yuen Long was traditionally a market town in the area now known as Yuen Long San Hui (元朗新墟), in Yuen Long District in the New Territories West in Hong Kong. The site of the market town was situated centrally with regard to surrounding villages, allowing villagers a convenient location to sell their crops and fish.
The market is a place to allow people from villages in northwest New Territories to shop and trade. Like many market towns in Hong Kong, the market operates only on certain days each week.
Now, the central part of Yuen Long does not have that kind of market anymore. On the contrary, Modern shopping malls and various types of restaurants are established.
New towns
Two new towns have been developed in Yuen Long since the 1970s:
Yuen Long New Town was developed by the market town in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Tin Shui Wai New Town was established in the 1990s to the west of Yuen Long New Town, as separate from Yuen Long New Town. It is mostly residential.
There are Light Rail Transit and several bus routes serving between the two towns.
Housing estate
Private residential estate Fairview Park is located in the northeast part of Yuen Long.
History
The original Yuen Long Town was not located in the busiest place of present-day Yuen Long, namely Yuen Long Main Road (元朗大馬路), part of Castle Peak Road.
The earliest market in Yuen Long was situated south of the main road near Tai Kei Leng. In 1669 the market was moved north to the area near where the present-day MTR station is situated. This was done for political reasons. This area is now known as Yuen Long Kau Hui (元朗舊墟, lit. "old Yuen Long Town"). This market is sited south of a small hill. While it is far from the coast today, it was beside the seashore when the market was first built.
Cheung Shing Street, which separates Nam Pin Wai and Sai Pin Wai, divides the centre of the market. Temples were built for worship and to judge disputes.
After the British leased the New Territories in 1898, they built Castle Peak Road to connect major areas of the New Territories and Kowloon. The villagers proposed and moved the market town to the main road.
After the Second World War, Yuen Long Town dramatically increased in size, going from a small village into a large town known for its numerous cultural and sporting events.
Transport
The following information show transportation in Yuen Long.
Inside Yuen Long Town
Bus
- KMB Routes 68X, 68M, 968, 54, 76K, 77K, 264M, 269D, 263M, 276, 276P, 268B, 268C, 68A, 263M, 64K, 277, B1, N269, 869
- Route B1 to Lok Ma Chau Station Control Point, a customs checkpoint between Hong Kong and Shenzhen
- MTR Route K73, K65, K66, K68, K74, K73P
- LWB Route E34, N30
- NLB Route B2
Train
- MTR West Rail Line
- Light Rail 610, 614, 615 and 761P
Outside Yuen Long Town (except via Yuen Long Town)
Bus
- KMB Route 69M, 69X, 969, 276A, 276B, 269B, 269C, 51, 251M, N969
- MTR Route K75, K75P
Train
- MTR West Rail Line
- Light Rail 751, 705 and 706
Demographics
Yuen Long residents are mainly local Chinese with a sizable Hoa immigrants, Vietnamese Chinese from the 1970s to 1990s.
References
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 Shahe Subdistrict / Deep Bay |
Shatou Subdistrict Deep Bay / Mai Po |
San Tin | |
| Tin Shui Wai |  |
Ngau Tam Mei | ||
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| Ping Shan | Tai Tong | Kam Tin |
Coordinates: 22°26′40.09″N 114°01′32.88″E / 22.4444694°N 114.0258000°E