The sampan holds a special spot in Hong Kong's heritage. An island with roots as a small fishing port, it is not difficult to see why the traditional Chinese wooden boat became a symbol of the territory.
But as Hong Kong evolved into the global city of today, sampans became increasingly rare, though back in the 1950s they were a popular mode of marine transportation.
Sampan in Cantonese translates to "three planks" because it is built with one plank as its base and two others forming the sides. Typically, they measure up to 2.4 meters in length with an open deck design and ends curving upward. They are propelled by a single, long sculling oar, a yuloh, though are nowadays usually motorized
Originating in China, sampans were designed for fishing, carrying and trading goods and living. The multifunctional craft traveled all over Asia, from Japan to Singapore. They played a fundamental role in sea life in the mid to late 20th century.
The people who lived on sampans formed floating villages along the Guangdong and other coastlines.
They became known as sea dwellers, such as the Tanka people. The Tankas were one of the first groups from southern China to inhabit Hong Kong, living on vessels and surviving through fishing.
However, with Hong Kong's rapid development, larger and faster boats became the custom, and sampan manufacturing declined. They became impractical due to their constant costly need for repair.
Today, there are not many sampans around Hong Kong. The surviving boats are used for travel between islands, other vessels, and between piers. They are mainly regarded as tourist attractions, and many are still run by Tanka people.
The next time you are going to an outlying island consider enjoying a piece of history and hail a sampan.
Bernard Charnwut Chan is chairman of Tai Kwun Culture & Arts Co Ltd.
standard@bernardchan.com
