Fo Tan


Fo Tan is an area of Sha Tin, New Territories, Hong Kong. It was developed as a light industrial area, but this activity has declined markedly in recent years. There are residential areas to the east, alongside the MTR line, and in the foothills to the west.

Etymology

Fo Tan is located around a river, the Fo Tan Nullah. Historically, a beach was revealed when the water receded. The area thus became known as "river beach". In Hakka, this was pronounced "Fo Tan". It was later mistakenly called "Fire Beach" due to similarities in pronunciation. This has further changed into "Fire Charcoal" which is in current use, again due to similarities in pronunciation.

Location

North East South West To the south is Sha Tin New Town, with the small community of Wo Che in between. To the north is Kau To and the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Nearby to the east is Sha Tin Racecourse while across the Shing Mun River is City One Shatin.

Artistic community

Since 2001, as most industrial businesses have closed and moved to mainland China, more than 70 units in the utilitarian industrial blocks have reopened as artists' studios, creating a vibrant if well hidden local arts scene. Every January, a festival, Fotanian - Open Studio Programme, sees many of the studios open to the public. Guided walks lead visitors to these normally private working studios, which encompass a wide range of media and styles. Fo Tan was chosen for artist spaces because the ceilings of the buildings are high and because it is in the middle of the New Territories.

Housing

Public housing estates

in Fo Tan include:
There are originally 24 Hakka villages in Fo Tan including:
has its head office in the Watson House in Fo Tan.

Education