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Project Category
Research Activities on Countryside Conservation & Revitalisation
Community-based Narratives and Public Experiential Engagement for Cultural and Historical Heritage Conservation and Revitalisation of Yim Tin Tsai, Sai Kung
Proponent:
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Site:
Yim Tin Tsai
Project Description
The project is an action-based research aimed to generate valuable records and information about culture and history of Yim Tin Tsai, Sai Kung through community-based narratives and public experiential engagement. With villager and stakeholder's consultation, literature review and secondary research, 183 village stories were collected across different living aspects such as rituals, religion and village school life for the creation of "Yim Tin Tsai Story Map". The project provided valuable reference to countryside conservation and revitalisation. The research team also organised public activities to generate public understanding of storytelling experiences. The main findings are: (1) Positive impressions from the majority of participants were recorded for sensory experiences in Yim Tin Tsai, especially for visual senses; and (2) Positive responses were recorded from the participants of "Yim Tin Tsai cultural and historical story walks", which mainly reflect in aspects of attitude, memory, behavioural intention and well-being.
Grant Approved
HK$2,632,500
Project Duration
01/01/2022-30/06/2024
How To Get There
1 | Sai Kung Kaito Ferry |
• Tuesday – Sunday & Public Holidays (09:00 – 15:00), closed on Monday
Project Update
The project has been completed.
Project Outcome
Interviewed 38 villagers and stakeholders of Yim Tin Tsai, and gathered 183 narrative stories and experiences of cultural and historical heritage of Yim Tin Tsai. This served as a successful case for sustainable community development for Hong Kong's villages and rural environments.
Recorded and mapped the hidden narratives of local Hakka culture, livelihoods and villager activities in Yim Tin Tsai for conservation, revitalisation and sustainable countryside development through a community-public engagement process. A set of "Yim Tin Tsai Narrative Map" was published.
Explored the perceptions, impressions and experiences of vistors in response to village stories through an active and participatory approach.
Trained "Youth Storytellers" based on stories shared by villagers and local community stakeholders. Engaged the general public through "Visitor Storytelling Platforms", "Cultural and Historical Story Walks in Yim Tin Tsai" and seminars to foster conservation and trans-generational values of Hong Kong's countryside.
Project Website & Social Media Platform
Project Video
Have you ever thought about experiencing the culture and history of Yim Tin Tsai using multiple senses? The project team has specially produced a series of short videos centred around the five senses (visual, olfactory, gustatory, tactile, and auditory), sharing intriguing sensory stories and snippets of village life of Yim Tin Tsai, to guide everyone to collectively experience the interactions between villagers and missionaries, the unique customs of the Hakka people, and the joy of venturing into the mountains and the sea! The first video features an introduction of the historical background of Yim Tin Tsai, and an interview with Mr. Chan, a villager who shared his thoughts on the revitalisation of Yim Tin Tsai. The project team also shares the reasons for the project and some highlights of the project activities. Without further ado, let's delve into the stories of Yim Tin Tsai!
"Food is people's paramount concern". Apart from satisfying people's energy needs, food can also serve as a camera lens to explore the dietary culture, lifestyle habits, and relationships behind an individual or a community. Yim Tin Tsai is a typical Hakka village that has been inhabited for around 300 years, yet still preserves its traditional food culture. Food serves as a silent yet flowing storyteller. Yim Tin Tsai is not just about salt! So if you are curious ... what food-related utensils and stories are there in the Yim Tin Tsai Heritage Exhibition Centre? About a bowl with eight corners? Or a "Cha-kwo" (rice cake) that needs to be steamed for 15 hours, let's join the journey with villager Rose Chan and learn about the story behind the tastes of Yim Tin Tsai.
What are the pleasant sounds of Yim Tin Tsai? This video introduces important sounds heard on the island from different perspectives, including cultural and religious. Let us guide you to open your ears and experience this unique auditory journey!
What does Yim Tin Tsai look like in your eyes? After understanding the impressions of the participants of the cultural and historical storytelling walks, it was found that the visual sense left the most profound impression on them. Whether it's century-old camphor trees, typical Hakka village houses, or salt fields surrounded by mangroves, the intuitive perception brought by vision separates the island from the bustling scenes of high-rise buildings and busy streets in the city centre. This short video will take you on a journey starting from Sai Kung Pier, surrounded by islands, paddling kayaks, before entering the colourful world of Yim Tin Tsai!
This video revolves around the sense of touch. Let's feel the temperature of Yim Tin Tsai with our skins, reach out to stroke the mottled walls of Yim Tin Tsai, and enjoy the charm of this village's unique nature and history through our sense of touch. Perhaps from the moment you step onto Yim Tin Tsai’s pier, you can already see the Hakka village houses, hear the sound of waves crashing against the shore, smell the sea water, and even taste the delicious Hakka Steamed Glutinous Rice Cake and Kiln Chicken. Together, let's walk into the vibrant touchable world of Yim Tin Tsai!
This summary video captures moments from the past two and a half years of the project that seemed to pass in the blink of an eye. Each visit to Yim Tin Tsai holds invaluable memories. Time passes swiftly, and the project team have finally harvested the bountiful fruits of stories. The video takes you through an overview of the project and the key activities, such as the 'Village Narrative Workshop,' 'Visitor Storytelling Platform,' and 'Cultural and Historical Story Walks in Yim Tin Tsai'. The main project deliverble "Yim Tin Tsai Narrative Map" was also introduced to draw you back into the past of Yim Tin Tsai through colourful story illustrations and audio navigations. The popular project activity 'Cultural and Historical Story Walks in Yim Tin Tsai' from story collection, itinerary design, to narrative-based guiding coupled with multi-sensory elements. These were meticulously arranged by a group of youth storytellers recruited from local tertiary institutions and trained by the project team. If you want to discover the intriguing stories of Yim Tin Tsai, you must watch this video to hear the details shared by the youth storytellers and immerse yourself in the stories that villagers experienced at various locations. The project team has also invited villagers from Yim Tin Tsai to share the actual benefits of the project on the village, such as using different representaion forms of storytelling to interpret and inherit the livelihood and cultural landscape of the village tangibly, connecting villagers and the public across different generations and regions.
