Tai Wai (Chinese: 大圍 ) is an area in the New Territories, Hong Kong, located between Sha Tin and the Lion Rock, within the Sha Tin District. With three rapid transit stations, one of which an interchange station serving two lines, five bus termini and several trunk roads and tunnels connecting it to other parts of the New Territories, such as Tsuen Wan, and Kowloon, Tai Wai is an important transport node in Hong Kong.

Geography

Tai Wai occupies the southwestern end of the Sha Tin Valley. The Sha Tin area is located directly northeast of Tai Wai. Hill ranges separate Tai Wai from New Kowloon in the south, and from Tsuen Wan in the west. The Tai Wai Nullah, sometimes referred to as the upper stream of Shing Mun River, flows through Tai Wai, where it joins the Shing Mun River. The Shing Mun River then flows in a southwest–northeast direction across the Sha Tin Valley towards Tolo Harbour.

History

Sprouting from traditional farming villages growing rice, vegetables and fruits, such as choy sum, Chinese broccoli, bamboo, banana, peach, and lychee, Tai Wai area once functioned as a light suburban industrial park in the 1970s. Few factory buildings are still in use, mostly as warehouses. The current urbanization of the area is the consequence of the development of Sha Tin New Town that started in the 1970s. Tai Wai Village, where the name of the area came from, was the largest and oldest walled village in Sha Tin. It was built in 1574 during the Ming dynasty, and was called Chik Chuen Wai at the time. It was originally made up of 16 families, Wai, Chan , Ng , Yeung , Wong , Lee , Hui , Cheng , Tong , Yuen , Yau , Lam , Lok , Tam , Mok and Choy. The Wai family, being the largest family, is thought to be the direct descendants of the famous founder general of the Han dynasty, Han Xin, who purportedly fled there to escape executions ordered by Emperor Gao of Han's empress Empress Lü Zhi. The Han descendants changed their surname into Wai by splitting the word Han in two halves and took up the character on the right hand side, Wai (韋). The Cheng family, on the other hand, originated from a place called Xingyang in Zhengzhou, Henan which is the place where Chang'e supposedly flew to the Moon. It is also the birthplace of Li Shangyin, one of the most famous poets in the late Tang dynasty. Tai Wai appears on the "Map of the San-On District", published in 1866 by Simeone Volonteri. The first public housing estate built in the area was Mei Lam Estate, with the first two blocks of its Phase 1 completed in 1981. Tai Wai station opened in August 1983.

Electoral constituencies

Tai Wai in Sha Tin District, as defined at the time of the 2015 Hong Kong District Council elections. They are: Chun Fung (, R10), Sun Tin Wai (, R11), Chui Tin (, R12), Hin Ka (, R13), Lower Shing Mun (, R14), Wan Shing (, R15), Keng Hau (, R16), Tin Sum (, R17), Chui Ka (, R18), Tai Wai (, R19), Chung Tin (, R20).

Demographics

Tai Wai is composed largely of low to medium income households of different ethnic backgrounds ranging from local Chinese to Westerners. According to the 2016 Population By-census, the number of persons living in Tai Wai was as follows:

Housing

A large part of the population of Tai Wai lives in public housing estates. Privately owned apartment blocks are also common and higher income luxury housing is also available in various parts of Tai Wai. Hundreds of three-storey village houses (some western styled, others more traditional) can be found in the villages of the area.

Public housing

The table below lists all the public housing estates in Tai Wai, including Public Rental Housing (Public), Home Ownership Scheme (HOS), Tenants Purchase Scheme (TPS) and Private Sector Participation Scheme (PSPS).

Private housing estates

Festival City

Festival City is a HK$20 billion residential development project by Cheung Kong and MTR Corporation located above the Tai Wai (Station) Maintenance Centre. Phase I was completed in September 2010, Phase II in October 2011, and Phase III in August 2012. The plan was to build 12 50-stories high residential towers with a total construction area of 313,955 square meters as well as 25,890 square meters for the general public's use. It offers 4,264 flats to families, two schools and one community facility. This residential project raised the population of Tai Wai significantly. The controversy of this project is that the 12 towers would create an urban heat island effect and block off the air flow of the area.

Other estates

Other private housing estates in Tai Wai include:

Villages

A number of villages exist in Tai Wai and most of them are surrounded by the towers of housing estates. Traditional village layout and some historic buildings can still be found. Ha Keng Hau, Sheung Keng Hau and Hin Tin are three adjacent villages located along Hin Keng Street, along a northeast–southwest direction. Hin Keng Estate, located northeast of the villages and across Hin Keng Street, was named after them. Villages in the vicinity of Che Kung Temple: Other villages in Tai Wai include:

Retail

Several public housing estates have a shopping centre. The only private shopping centre was Grandeur Shopping Arcade, located within Grandeur Garden, along Tai Wai Road , until The Wai shopping mall opened in 2023. The Wai opened on July 22, 2023. Located on top of Tai Wai Station and below the Pavilia Farm residential complex, the shopping mall covers an area 650,000sq ft across four floors. At the time of its opening, The Wai housed the largest of the then 43 Market Place supermarkets in Hong Kong, covering an area over 20,000sq ft.

Recreational

Sports venues

Sports venues in Tai Wai include:

Sports centres

There are three indoor public sport centres in Tai Wai: Che Kung Temple Sports Centre (opened in 2020), Hin Keng Sports Centre (opened in 1988) and Mei Lam Sports Centre (opened in 1986). They are located in or next to major estates, namely Chun Shek Estate, Hin Keng Estate and Mei Lam Estate. They offer a wide range of facilities including a fitness centre with weight training and cardiovascular equipment, squash courts as well as badminton courts. These sport centres are owned and operated by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department; however, the facilities are charged prior to booking with several exceptions.

Swimming pool

Hin Tin Swimming Pool (顯田游泳池) is the only public swimming pool in Tai Wai. Opened in 1992, it is operated by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. It is located along Che Kung Miu Road, between Tai Wai station and Hin Keng station.

Cycling

The Tai Wai Cycling Park, where beginners could practice their cycling skills, was demolished in 2001 to make way for the railway terminus of the Ma On Shan Line. A number of bicycle rental shops can be found in Tai Wai and bicycle lanes run along the Shing Mun River and link Tai Wai to Tai Po, Ma On Shan and Plover Cove Reservoir.

Hiking

Hiking is also a popular activity in Tai Wai. Situated at the end of a valley, Tai Wai is surrounded by country parks: Shing Mun (north), Kam Shan (west), Lion Rock (south) and Ma On Shan (southeast). Sections of the Wilson Trail and the MacLehose Trail run across the hills near Tai Wai.

Food

Some sources mention Tai Wai as being famous for its chicken porridges and roast baby pigeon.

Schools

Tai Wai is in Primary One Admission (POA) School Net 88. Within the school net are multiple aided schools (operated independently but funded with government money) and Shatin Government Primary School (沙田官立小學). Tai Wai has multiple primary and secondary schools, mostly public, some with religious background. They include:

Religion

Temples

Christian institutions

Other structures and facilities

Other historic or otherwise notable buildings and structures in Tai Wai include:

Transport

MTR

Tai Wai station is on the East Rail line and the Tuen Ma line of the MTR. The northward termini of the East Rail line, Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau stations, located at the border with Shenzhen, are about 30 minutes away. The station was opened in 1983 and its expansion for the Ma On Shan line was completed in September 2004. Che Kung Temple station of the Tuen Ma line is also located in the Tai Wai area. It opened in 2004. In 2002, KCRC won the bid to plan, build and operate the Sha Tin to Central Link, and in 2004 it submitted the Draft Final Proposal to the Government. The March 2008 MTR-KCR revised proposal includes the extension of East Rail line across Victoria Harbour to Hong Kong Island and the extension of Ma On Shan line to West Rail line via East Kowloon. The Tai Wai to Hung Hom section was fully completed in 2021 and the Cross Harbour section was completed in 2022. As part of this project, a new station was built in the Tai Wai area, Hin Keng station, which opened in February 2020.

Road connections

Tai Wai is the main gateway of tunnels and roads connecting the New Territories to Kowloon as well as Tsuen Wan due to its convenient location. In the early 20th century and until the Lion Rock Tunnel, the first road tunnel in Hong Kong, was built in 1967, Tai Po Road was the main road connecting Tai Wai and the New Territories to Kowloon. Tai Po Road to this day remains as the only toll-free road connecting the two areas. The tunnels are: Lion Rock Tunnel (1967), Shing Mun Tunnels (1990) and Sha Tin Heights Tunnel (2008). Sha Tin Heights Tunnel opened in March 2008 to lessen the traffic of the Kowloon Tunnels and Tai Po Road. It is part of Route 8 that connects Tai Wai to the airport over the Stonecutters Bridge and through the Nam Wan Tunnel.

Bus

A large percentage of the bus routes that go past Tai Wai are circular routes which both start and terminate in Sha Tin. There are also long-distance routes that go past famous Hong Kong landmarks and attractions. They include 170, which goes to Ocean Park; E42 goes to the airport (via Tung Chung) and R42 to Disneyland. There are 5 major bus termini in Tai Wai:

Minibus

Many green minibus (GMB) routes that pass Tai Wai go around all parts of Sha Tin to provide feeder services for major public transport operators such as the MTR. Routes such as 481B go to the Tsuen Wan area via Shing Mun Tunnel offering a fast but cheap alternative to buses and the MTR. Residents' buses also operate at Tai Wai station. Union Hospital's free shuttle bus also operates from there at 10-minute frequencies.