View source for Po Toi

{{Short description|Island in Hong Kong}}
{{Distinguish|text=[[Po Toi O]], a village in Sai Kung}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}
{{EngvarB|date=November 2018}}
{{Infobox islands
| name             = Po Toi
| local_name      = 蒲台島
| image_name       = HK Po Toi Island Public Pier view Ferry Oct-2012 Tai Wan.JPG
| image_caption    = [[Tsui Wah Ferry]] vessel arriving at Po Toi public pier
| map_image        = Po Toi - Hong Kong.svg
| map_caption      = Location of Po Toi Island within Hong Kong
| location         = <!-- mandatory, body of water where located -->
| area_km2         = 3.69
| length_km        = <!-- or |length_m=  -->
| width_km         = <!-- or |width_m=  -->
| coastline_km     = <!-- or |coastline_m=  -->
| elevation_m      = 
| highest_mount    = 
| country          = {{HKG}}
| population       = 
| population_as_of = 
}}
{{Infobox Chinese
|order=
|showflag=
|t=蒲台島
|s=蒲台岛
|j=Pou<sup>4</sup> toi<sup>4</sup> dou<sup>2</sup> 
|y=Pòuh tòih dóu
|p=Pútáidǎo
|t2=蒲苔島
|s2=蒲苔岛
|j2=Pou<sup>4</sup> toi<sup>4</sup> dou<sup>2</sup>
|y2=Pòuh tòih dóu
|p2=Pútáidǎo
}}

[[File:R38939140486_Palm_Cliff_(佛手崖),_resembling_the_shape_of_a_human_hand.JPG|thumb|Buddha's Palm Cliff ({{lang|zh-Hant-HK|佛手巖}}) resembles the shape of a human hand]]
[[File:HK Po Toi Island Tin Hau Temple red triangle flag Oct-2012.JPG|thumb|[[Tin Hau temples in Hong Kong|Tin Hau Temple]] on Po Toi.]]

'''Po Toi''' (commonly {{zh|蒲台島}}, originally {{zh|蒲苔島}}) is the main island of the [[Po Toi Islands]] and the southernmost<ref>{{Cite web|title=LCQ11: Public facilities on Po Toi Island|url=https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202109/29/P2021092900366.htm|access-date=2021-12-03|website=www.info.gov.hk}}</ref> island of Hong Kong, with an area of 3.69 [[1 E6 m2|km<sup>2</sup>]].<ref name="mapping">{{Citation
 | author=Lands Department
 | title=Hong Kong Geographic Data
 |date=February 2011
 | access-date=26 November 2011
 | url=http://www.landsd.gov.hk/mapping/en/publications/hk_geographic_data_sheet.pdf
 }}</ref>

==Name==
It is said that the island used to produce dried [[seaweed]]s ({{lang|zh-Hant-HK|苔}}), which were shaped like the [[cattail]] [[Tuffet|hassock]] ({{lang|zh-Hant-HK|蒲團}}) used by the monks for sitting; therefore the island was originally called 蒲苔島, the present common name being a [[corruption (linguistics)|corruption]]. Another explanation states that Po Toi looks like a floating platform ({{lang|zh-Hant-HK|浮台}}) when viewed from a distance on sea. 蒲 is another character meaning "to float" in the local dialect, thus giving the island its name.

==Administration==
Po Toi is a recognized village under the [[New Territories]] [[Small House Policy]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.landsd.gov.hk/doc/en/small-house/rv0909.pdf |title=List of Recognized Villages under the New Territories Small House Policy |last= |first= |date=September 2009 |website= |publisher=[[Lands Department]] |access-date= |quote=}}</ref>

==History==
The island historically had a maximum of about 1,000 fishermen and farmers, whose economic activity consisted mainly of fishing, farming and seaweed harvesting.<ref name="Tin Hau 1254"/> The population lived mainly in two villages, Chang Shek Pai ({{lang|zh-Hant-HK|長石排}}) and Shan Liu ({{lang|zh-Hant-HK|山寮}}). The population decreased sharply over the past decades, with the younger generations moving to the city.<ref name="Mo 1207"/>

==Features==
[[File:Rock carving at Po Toi Island.jpg|right|thumb|220px|Bronze age rock carvings]]
Po Toi is an important birding hotspot in Hong Kong, with over 350 species recorded.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://ebird.org/hotspot/L1239962?yr=all&m=&rank=mrec | title=Po Toi Island, HK - eBird Hotspot }}</ref> However the numbers are declining like elsewhere in Hong Kong, the rather degraded environmental situation around the village being one of the factors. 

Po Toi is famous for its rock formations, such as the Buddha's Palm Cliff ({{lang|zh-Hant-HK|佛手巖}}), the Coffin Rock ({{lang|zh-Hant-HK|棺材石}}), the Tortoise Rock ({{lang|zh-Hant-HK|靈龜上山}}) and the Monk Rock ({{lang|zh-Hant-HK|僧人石}}).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Draft Po Toi Islands Outline Zoning Plan No. S/I-PTI/D |url=https://www.info.gov.hk/tpb/en/papers/TPB/1079_tpb_9845.pdf|date=13 February 2015 |publisher=[[Town Planning Board]] }}</ref><ref>[http://www.com.cuhk.edu.hk/varsity/0612/travel2.htm "Rocks in Po Toi"], ''Varsity'', Issue 118, December 2006</ref><ref>Exploring Islands. [http://www.islandsdc.gov.hk/index.php?action=sight&did=10&sid=76&lang=en Po Toi sights: Supine Monk]</ref>

Ancient [[Prehistoric Hong Kong|rock carvings]] on the island, believed to date back to the [[Bronze Age]] (around 1500–700 BC),<ref>{{cite book |title= The Archaeology of Hong Kong|last= Meacham|first= William|year= 2008|publisher= [[Hong Kong University Press]]|isbn= 978-962-209-925-8|pages= 123–129}}</ref> were discovered in the 1960s. They have been listed as [[declared monuments of Hong Kong]]<ref>[[Antiquities and Monuments Office]]. [https://www.amo.gov.hk/en/monuments_06.php Rock Carving on Po Toi Island]</ref><ref>Exploring islands. [http://www.islandsdc.gov.hk/index.php?action=sight&did=10&sid=73 Po Toi sights: Rock Carving]</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Davis |first1=S.G. |last2=Edelstein |first2=Shirlee |last3=Madeleine H. |first3=Tang |date=26 September 1973 |title=Rock Carvings in Hong Kong and the New Territories |url=http://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/bitstream/handle/10125/16811/AP-v17n1-1-4.pdf;jsessionid=EE3BA49390611FCE0AAAEBB819E777BC?sequence=1 |journal=[[Asian Perspectives]] |volume=17 |issue=1 |pages=1–4 |doi= |access-date=}}</ref> since 1979.<ref name="EPD">[https://web.archive.org/web/20091028021126/http://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/environmentinhk/eia_planning/sea/annex_i.html Environment Protection Department – List of Declared Monuments as on 1 January 1999] (archive)</ref> These may be viewed on a spur-track on the track that runs between the main harbour (Tai Wan), and the lighthouse.

A [[Tin Hau temples in Hong Kong|Tin Hau Temple]] is located on Po Toi, facing the bay of Tai Wan ({{lang|zh-Hant-HK|大灣}}). While its construction date is unknown, it is documented that the temple was renovated in 1893.<ref name="Tin Hau 1254">[http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/ce/Museum/Monument/form/Brief_Information_on_proposed_Grade_Nil_Items.pdf Brief Information on proposed Grade Nil Items. Item #1254. Tin Hau Temple] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121015135424/http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/ce/Museum/Monument/form/Brief_Information_on_proposed_Grade_Nil_Items.pdf |date=15 October 2012 }}</ref><ref>Exploring islands. [http://www.islandsdc.gov.hk/index.php?action=sight&did=10&sid=79 Po Toi sights: Tin Hau Temple, Po Toi]</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Historic Building Appraisal, Tin Hau Temple |url=https://www.aab.gov.hk/filemanager/aab/common/historicbuilding/en/1254_Appraisal_En.pdf |website=Antiquities Advisory Board}}</ref>

Mo's Old House, or the "Deserted Mansion of Family Mo" ({{lang|zh-Hant-HK|巫氏廢宅}}), usually referred to as the "Haunted House",<ref>Exploring islands. [http://www.islandsdc.gov.hk/index.php?action=sight&did=10&sid=72 Po Toi sights: The Old Mansion of Family Mo]</ref> is a popular venue of "adventure" for the young visitors. The existing house was built in the 1930s at Chang Shek Pai and has fallen into ruins.<ref name="Mo 1207">[http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/ce/Museum/Monument/form/Brief_Information_on_proposed_Grade_Nil_Items.pdf Brief Information on proposed Grade Nil Items. Item #1207. Mo's Old House] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121015135424/http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/ce/Museum/Monument/form/Brief_Information_on_proposed_Grade_Nil_Items.pdf |date=15 October 2012 }}</ref>

There is a lighthouse on Po Toi also known as [[Po Toi Lighthouse|Nam Kok Tsui Lighthouse]].<ref>{{Cite rowlett|hkg}}</ref>

==Education==
Po Toi Island is in Primary One Admission (POA) School Net 96, which contains a single aided school, Northern Lamma School on [[Lamma Island]]; no government primary schools are in this net.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.edb.gov.hk/attachment/en/edu-system/primary-secondary/spa-systems/primary-1-admission/school-lists/2023dpnet-96b.pdf|title=POA School Net 96|publisher=[[Education Bureau]]|accessdate=2022-09-12}}</ref>

==Culture==
Festivals in Po Toi centre around the local [[Tin Hau temples in Hong Kong|Tin Hau Temple]]. During festivities, a temporary bamboo and sheet metal structure is erected near the temple to host [[Cantonese opera|Cantonese Opera]] performances.

On the 23rd day of the third lunar month, the local temple observes the annual [[Tin Hau Festival]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=香港記憶 {{!}} Hong Kong Memory |url=https://www.hkmemory.hk/MHK/collections/ichhk_II/Tin_Hau_Festival_in_Hong_Kong/History_of_the_Folk_Religion_of_Tin_Hau/index.html |access-date=2025-04-21 |website=www.hkmemory.hk}}</ref>

Every three years, between the 15th and 19th days of the first lunar month, Po Toi Island hosts a [[Dajiao|Jiao festival]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hong Kong Intangible Cultural Heritage Item |url=https://www.hkichdb.gov.hk/en/item.html?3f640529-89b8-4799-a919-fe9010e272ef |access-date=2025-04-19 |website=www.hkichdb.gov.hk}}</ref>

==Transport==
The island is accessible by [[kai-to]] or water taxi. [[Tsui Wah Ferry]] provides scheduled ferry services connecting Po Toi Island with [[Aberdeen, Hong Kong|Aberdeen]] and [[Stanley, Hong Kong|Stanley]].<ref>[http://www.traway.com.hk/ Tsui Wah Ferry website]</ref><ref>[http://www.td.gov.hk/en/transport_in_hong_kong/public_transport/ferries/service_details/index.html Transport details for Po Toi Islands]</ref>

==In fiction==
The climax of [[John le Carré]]'s novel ''[[The Honourable Schoolboy]]'' (the second in the 'Karla trilogy', featuring [[George Smiley]]) takes place on Po Toi.<ref>{{cite book |title= The Honourable Schoolboy|last= Cornwell|first= David|year= 1977|publisher= [[Hodder and Stoughton]]|isbn= 978-0-340-93762-4|pages= 696–738}}</ref>

==See also==
{{portal|Islands}}
* [[2014 Po Toi Island ship collision]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Po Toi}}
* [https://www.had.gov.hk/rre/images/village_map1922/T/t-ls-04.pdf Delineation of area of existing village Po Toi (Lamma South) for election of resident representative (2019 to 2022)]
* Pictures of Po Toi Island: [http://www.oasistrek.com/po_toi_e.php] [https://web.archive.org/web/20041011163056/http://hkls.org/HKC_Sides/Places/PoToi/PoTai.htm] [http://www.hkoutdoors.com/outlying-islands/po-toi.html] [http://www.samsays.com/Sam%20Pics/Hong%20Kong/Po%20Tai%20Island/index.html] [https://web.archive.org/web/20120330183622/http://www.hknhs.org/photos/categories.php?cat_id=19&sessionid=53d9351c40708065cc2fa2923acfd970]
* [http://www.centamap.com/gc/home.aspx?x=845122&y=803499&sx=845122.503&sy=803499.53803&z=7 CentaMap map of Po Toi Island]
* {{cite web |url=https://zolimacitymag.com/masters-behind-hong-kong-most-extraordinary-bamboo-theatre-po-toi-island/ |title=Meet the Masters Behind Hong Kong's Most Extraordinary Bamboo Theatre |last=Chan |first=Cardin |date=16 April 2020 |publisher=Zolima Citymag }}
* [[Hong Kong Bird Watching Society]]: [http://www.hkbws.org.hk/web/chi/potoi/PoToi_SSSI_CP_Proposal_2012oct.pdf Proposal for a Site of Special Scientific Interest and Support for Country Park Designation on Po Toi Island], October 2012

{{Islands District}}
{{Islands of Hong Kong}}
{{Authority control}}

{{Coord|22|10|8.8|N|114|15|48.2|E|display=title|type:isle}}

[[Category:Islands of Hong Kong]]
[[Category:Islands District]]
[[Category:Po Toi Islands]]
[[Category:Populated places in Hong Kong]]