Issue of enquiry

Our issue of enquiry is the differences between living in northern part and southern part in Cheung Chau. In google map, we observed settlements on southern part is much more than the northern part. We are interested to find out the hidden reasons. In this report, we would like to analyze why people choose to live in southern part of Cheung Chau than northern part in four aspects.

Sources of information

1st hand sources of information
















Here is the toutist attractions' distribution of Cheung Chau from 長洲地圖. http://www.pbasehk.com/inmate/cheungchaumap/001_G_001


























Here is the Cheng Chau's settlement distribution from Midland Realty(香港美聯地產). http://www.midlandmap.hk/map_hk/

It is Tin Hau temple, many tourism go to see that.



This picture is in front of Tin Hau temple. Many fault line we can see in there.Many tourism go to see Tin Hau temple and go to see that.


This is little great wall (小長城). Under this, we can see the rock.
This rock is very famous called vase rock(花瓶石).
















Both of these pictures are in NetTim. Here are many line of weakness.

















2nd hand sources of information

1.From maps, we saw facilities of two parts in Cheung Chau have many differences. Facilities in northern part are much fewer and dangerous when compared with those in the southern part. This applies to the amount of tourist attraction.

2.From a book called 離島十徑遊, it introduces many useful herb medicine which can found in southern part of Cheung Chau.

3.From the Cheung Chau’s contour map, we saw northern part’s contour lines is much closer than southern part’s. That reply the northern part is steeper than southern part.

Comparison between two parts~1.Herb medicine

Oxalis corniculata L. 酸味草
Grow in : side of pavement or farmland
Effectiveness : heal sprain, high blood pressure

Achyranthes aspera L. 倒扣草

Grow in : side of pavement

Effectiveness : heal cold, fever etc

Do you know what it is?

The above herb medicals that we introduced to you can be find in southern part of Cheung Chau.Walking along Sai Wan in southern part, there are many useful herb medicines you can find. Those herb medicines can heal many common diseases, such as sprain, cold, fever etc. And it is easy to find. Because of herb medicine, they can save medical expenses or even sell it to the tourists. It become one of the earning income option. But in northern part, it probably can’t be found. It is because we haven’t seen any northern part’s herb medical in books, internet etc.
We believed it is one of the reasons they chose living in southern part rather than northern part.

Comparison between two parts~2.Facilities

Social facilities are important for human settlement. We believed it is the greatest factor affecting people’s choice. In the northern part, its major facilities, factories, are problem-making! There are sewage treatment works and wireless transmitting station. When sewage treatment works is working, it will produce air pollution, noise pollution and water pollution. This will be seriously disturb local people living and damage their health. Moreover, wireless transmitting station produced much radiation to the round surface. If the buildings built near the wireless transmitting station, it will can be cancer inducing. We think no one would risk their health.Conversely, there are many user-oriented facilities in the southern part of Cheung Chau. For examples, they are hospital, churches and schools, stadium etc. This facilities will enhance convenience for their living.
The facilities in northern part of Cheung Chau will disturb or even damage to local people. However, the facilities in southern part of Cheung Chau not only make it more convenient to local people, and also provide places for entertainmant. As mentioned above, southern part of Cheung Chau is more favourable for settlement when compared with the northern part of Cheung Chau.

Comparison between two parts~3.Tourism

In the northern part, there are only have Sin Kung Tung, Pak Tai Temple and Tin Hau temple. But in the southern part, there are many tourist places for us to visit. For examples, there are Cheung Po Tsai Cave, Nam Tam Wan, Tin Hau temples, Hung Shing temples etc.
Cheung Po Tsai Cave is a well-known place in Cheung Chau, many people pass though the cave for adventure. This provides job opportunities for local residents. They can be tourist guide or ferry service providers. In Nam Tam Wan, we can see a wide range of rocks, many geologist and teachers bring students go there learning and observing the rocks. Tin Hau temple which is build at over one hundred years ago. Many believer worship those “GOD” and visit the oldest copper clock.
All these tourist attractions attract many people to visit the southern part of Cheung Chau. In this case, it will lead to increase desire of the local residents to run a small business and make a profit from the tourists. Some of the local residents want to do their business more conveniently , they will choose living in the southern part rather than northern part of Cheung Chau. That is why the southern part of Cheung Chau has more settlement than the northern part of Cheung Chau.

Comparison between two parts~4.Landscape

contour map of southern part of Cheung Chau:

contour map of northern part of Cheung Chau :

From the Cheung Chau’s contour map drew by The Survey and Mapping Office, we saw contour lines in two parts have many differences.
First of all, every contour line in northern part is very close to each other, and its highest point is 95meters. The closely spacing contour lines mean the slope is steep. Steep slope is not suitable for building houses. The evidence is that Cheung Kwai Estate and Pak She San Estate are build on the only one flatland. In the other areas of the northern part are rarely seen buildings. Furthermore people must take a risk of landslides. In raining days, steep slope is the main factors causes landslides.
To the contrary, contour lines in southern part are further apart from each other, that means slopes in southern part are gentle and there are more flatland. It is suitable for building, hence southern part has much more settlement then that of the northern part. Besides, highest point in the southern part is 60 meters. It is shorter than northern part by 35 meters.

Conclusion

From the four aspects : tourism, herb medical, landscape and facilities, we’ve known different reasons why Cheung Chau settlements is much more in southern part than the northern part. Main factors affect their choice if the places is safe or not. As the northern part has some disturbing facilities, and steep slopes which can intensify landslides, and there are fewer tourist attractions and no herb medicine. Thus, residents generally choose to live in southern part rather than the northern part.

List of references

Books:
1. 劉李林(2007)。香港海岸洞穴圖鑑。創造廣告印刷(香港)有限公司。
2. 李甯漢、鄭金順(2004)。 離島草藥十徑遊。(香港)商務印書館
3. 沈思(2007)。 香港離島風物志。離島區議會。　　　

Websites:
4. 空間無限 擷取於2010年4月25日http://space.qoos.com/?viewnews-135256
5. 長洲地圖 擷取於 2010 年 6 月 23 日
http://www.pbasehk.com/inmate/cheungchaumap/001_G_001
6. 美聯香港地圖 擷取於 2010 年 6 月 23 日
http://www.midlandmap.hk/map_hk/

Photo:
7. 香港自然生態論壇。 擷取於2010年5月1日http://www.hkwildlife.net/viewthread.php?
8. Google Map。擷取於2010年5月1日
http://maps.google.com/

Map:
9. 測繪處。大嶼山與長洲地圖。擷取於2010年5月3日