View source for Tung Chung Battery

{{Use Hong Kong English|date=April 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2019}}

{{Infobox historic site
| name = Tung Chung Battery
| native_name = 東涌小炮台
| native_language = Chinese
| image = HK TungChungBattery.JPG
| caption = Tung Chung Battery
| location = [[Lantau Island]], [[Hong Kong]]
| built = {{Start date and age|1817}}
| demolished = 
| architect =
| architecture =
| governing_body = 
| owner =
| designation1 = HK Declared Monument
| designation1_offname =
| designation1_date = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1983|11|11}}
| designation1_number = 22
}}
{{Chinese
|t=東涌小炮台
|s=东涌小炮台
|y=Dūng chūng síu paau tòih
|j=Dung1 cung1 siu2 paau3 toi4
|p=Dōngchōng Xiǎo Pàotái
}}

'''Tung Chung Battery''' is a former [[artillery battery]] located on [[Lantau Island]] in [[Hong Kong]].  Named after [[Tung Chung|the eponymous district]] it is situated in, it was built in 1817, twenty-four years before the [[British Empire|British]] took possession of [[British Hong Kong|Hong Kong]].  It was rediscovered in 1980 and is a [[Declared monuments of Hong Kong|declared monument of Hong Kong]].

==History==
Construction of the Tung Chung Battery was completed in 1817.<ref name=AMO>{{cite web |title=Tung Chung Battery, Lantau Island – Declared Monuments |url=http://www.amo.gov.hk/en/monuments_22.php |accessdate=10 March 2013 |work=Antiquities and Monuments Office |publisher=Government of Hong Kong}}</ref>  Located a kilometre north of the [[Tung Chung Fort]],<ref name=LP>{{cite book |last1=Stone |first1=Andrew |date=1 February 2010 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iBEcsjbPPFMC&q=tung+chung+battery+1817&pg=PA139 |title=Hong Kong & Macau 14 |publisher=Lonely Planet |last2=Chen |first2=Piera |last3=Chow |first3=Chung Wah |pages=145 |isbn=9781741792256 |accessdate=17 March 2013}}</ref> its purpose was to protect [[Tung Chung Bay]]<ref name=SCMP>{{cite news |last=Currie |first=Mike |date=7 December 1997 |title=Lantau's memories for the keeping |url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:CMP1&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=133B62FA7A60ABF0&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=105B9A93AF33E3E3 |accessdate=17 March 2013 |page=3 |newspaper=South China Morning Post}} '''{{subscription required}}'''</ref> from pirates that threatened the coasts and seas of southern China.  At the time, [[Qing dynasty|China]] did not have a large navy, and thus, relied on the development of forts as an alternative way to defend its coast.<ref name=landscapes>{{cite book |last1=Owen |first1=Bernie |year=2007 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4sO5vlJ7ETcC&q=tung+chung+battery&pg=PA164 |title=Hong Kong Landscapes: Shaping the Barren Rock |publisher=Hong Kong University Press |last2=Shaw |first2=Raynor |pages=164 |isbn=9789622098473 |accessdate=17 March 2013}}</ref>

The [[Coastal defence and fortification|coastal fortification]] consisted of two [[coastal artillery]] cannon emplacements that guarded the Bay, along with seven guard houses.  The site of the battery was chosen because it was located on a cliff that overlooked the water.  This provided excellent views of the sea and a clear vantage point in case of a potential naval attack.<ref name=landscapes/>

The construction of the battery was recorded in the ''Guangdong Annals'', which recounted how two forts were built at the base of the "Rocky Lion Hill"<ref name=AMO/>—the literal translation of Shek She ({{zh|t=石師|labels=no}}).

==Rediscovery==
[[File:Tung Chung Battery, 2013-09-08.jpg|thumb|Tung Chung Battery in 2013]]
After having been buried underneath thick foliage for approximately a century, the battery was rediscovered in 1980.<ref name=LP/>  All that remained was an L-shaped wall that contained a corner platform; according to the [[Antiquities and Monuments Office]] (AMO), this was most likely utilized as a gun emplacement.  After the discovery, the government undertook restoration work on the historic site.<ref name=AMO/>  The battery was [[Declared monuments of Hong Kong|declared a monument]] on 11 November 1983.<ref>{{cite web |date=1 January 1999 |title=Annex I Listing of Declared Monuments |url=http://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/textonly/english/environmentinhk/eia_planning/sea/annex_i.html |accessdate=10 March 2013 |work=Environmental Protection Department |publisher=Government of Hong Kong |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091028021126/http://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/environmentinhk/eia_planning/sea/annex_i.html |archivedate=28 October 2009}}</ref>  In November 1997, the site was included in the AMO's celebration tour of historic sites in [[North Lantau New Town|North Lantau]] as part of the Year of Heritage.  The festivities culminated in a traditional [[Cantonese opera]] performed at the [[Tung Chung Fort]].<ref>{{cite news |date=29 November 1997 |title=Free fort opera 'sells out' |url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:CMP1&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=133B62B423A47360&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=105B9A93AF33E3E3 |accessdate=17 March 2013 |page=4 |newspaper=South China Morning Post}} '''{{subscription required}}'''</ref>  Due to the [[Airport Core Programme|amount of development]] that has taken place, the battery now faces towards [[Hong Kong International Airport]], instead of [[Chek Lap Kok]] island and an open [[Tung Chung Bay]] as it used to.<ref name=SCMP/>

==See also==
*[[Military of Hong Kong]]
*[[Tung Chung Fort]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Portal bar|Hong Kong|Architecture}}
{{Commons category|Tung Chung Battery}}
* [http://www.epd.gov.hk/eia/register/report/eiareport/eia_1742009/pdf/Section%2011%20Cultural%20Heritage/Fig/Figure%2011.11.pdf March 2009 picture of Tung Chung Battery] ''[[Environmental Protection Department]]'' (scroll down)
{{Lantau Island}}
{{Islands District}}

{{Coord|22.287314|113.935478 |display=title}}

[[Category:Archaeological sites in Hong Kong]]
[[Category:Declared monuments of Hong Kong]]
[[Category:Tung Chung]]
[[Category:Forts in Hong Kong]]
[[Category:Artillery battery fortifications]]