Ma On Shan Village "Mountain Lab" Project

Proponent: Evangelical Lutheran Church Social Service - Hong Kong

Site: Ma On Shan

Project Description

The Ma On Shan Iron Mine was once one of the largest mines in Hong Kong. The mining history for over half a century cultivated a unique mining village community and rich cultural assets in adjacent areas.

The Ma On Shan Village witnessed the rise and fall of Ma On Shan Iron Mine and demonstrated the process of forming a mining village community. Ma On Shan Village "Mountain Lab" Project intensively explores the historical and cultural assets contained in the mining village through oral history interviews and transforms them into materials for organising various promotional activities. Ultimately, the project aims to convey the importance and value of the history and culture of the mining village community and its related landscapes to the public, with the goal of restoring the unique living culture of the mining village community.

Grant Approved

HK$2,654,600

Project Duration

01/06/2023 - 30/11/2025

How To Get There

1 | Non-franchised Bus |

• Take non-franchised public bus No. NR84 from Ma On Shan Station (On Luk Street outside Sunshine City) to Ma On Shan Village

Project Update

The project was completed on 30 November 2025.

Project Outcome

This project conducted an in-depth exploration of the historical and cultural backgrounds of the four distinct clusters in the former Ma On Shan Village: the Peak District, Ma On Bridge District, Upper and Lower Mid-levels District, and the Pier District via oral history interviews with the former villagers.

Based on the historical and cultural backgrounds collected, the PO developed sets of activities including the Local Mining Guided Tours, Mountain Hut Living Experience Camp, Mining School, Mining Village Life and Culture Workshop, etc. to engage the public to the daily lives of Ma On Shan Village. Most participants agreed that the project’s diverse activities effectively enhanced their understanding of mining culture and expressed a strong willingness to share the stories of the Ma On Shan mining village with their families and friends.

Moreover, the PO has produced 2 animations, 12 audio guided tours, 12 online broadcast and 2 booklets about the former mining lives and culture of Ma On Shan Village. These materials were uploaded to open media platforms, such as YouTube and Facebook for free public access. This provides a foundation for sustaining the project’s impact by continuing to engage the public even after the project ends.