Tai Mo Shan
| Tai Mo Shan | |
|---|---|
 Tai Mo Shan, viewed fromTai To Yanin April 2008 | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 957 m (3,140 ft) Hong Kong Principal Datum  |
| Coordinates | 22°24′42.52″N114°7′23.32″E/ 22.4118111°N 114.1231444°E |
| Naming | |
| Native name | |
| Geography | |
  Tai Mo Shan Location of Tai Mo Shan in Hong Kong | |
| Location | Centre of theNew Territories,Hong Kong |
Tai Mo Shanis the highestpeakinHong Kong,with an elevation of 957 metres (3,140 ft) above theHong Kong Principal Datum,or around 956 metres (3,136 ft) above mean sea level.[1][2][3]It is located at approximately the geographical centre of theNew Territories.
TheTai Mo Shan Country Parkcovers an area of 14.40 square kilometres (5.56 sq mi) around Tai Mo Shan.[1]It is located to the north ofTai Lam Country Park.The 35-metre-high (115 ft) Long Falls atNg Tung Chaiis the highest waterfall in Hong Kong.[4]
Geography[edit]
Tai Mo Shan has a steep northwestern slope and less steep southern slope. Since it is the tallest mountain in Hong Kong, it forms a barrier that blocks the monsoon from the south, therain shadowleading to the dryness of some of the northern and northwestern parts of the New Territories.[5]
The whole Tai Mo Shan mountain range, known as Kwun Fu Mountain ( quan phú sơn, named after the salt fieldKwun Fu Cheung( quan phú tràng ) in present-dayKowloon Bay) inMingandQingdynasties, covers over 350 square kilometres (140 sq mi), and stretches fromTai Lam Chung Reservoirin the West nearTuen MunandMa On Shanin the east and the mountains ofKowloonandClear Water Bayin the south. Two other significant coastal peaks, theLantau Peak(934m) onLantau IslandandMount Wutong(943.7m) across the border inShenzhenare approximately 27 kilometres (17 mi) to the southwest and21+1⁄2kilometres (13.4 mi) to the northeast respectively.
Subpeaks[edit]
There are a few subpeaks that are given names in the Tai Mo Shan area, including:
- Sze Fong Shan(785 metres (2,575 ft))
- Wo Yang Shan(767 metres (2,516 ft))
- Miu Ko Toi(765 metres (2,510 ft))
- Wo Tong Konglower (656 metres (2,152 ft)) - there is an upper summit historically logged on this page at 702 metres (2,303 ft). It is approximately 1 km North East of the lower summit along the same ridge. However it is just a point on the ridge with virtually no prominence from the parent peak, Tai Mo Shan. The lower peak has enough prominence to be considered an independent summit, but this has not been verified by a surveyor.
- Lin Fa Shan, Tsuen Wan(579 metres (1,900 ft))
- Shek Lung Kung, Tsuen Wan (474 metres (1,555 ft))
- Tin Fu Tsai Shan (461 metres (1,512 ft))
- Ha Fa Shan, Tsuen Wan (315 metres (1,033 ft))
Geology[edit]
 | It has been suggested that portions of this section besplitout into another article titledKwun Yam Shan (Yuen Long District).(Discuss)(March 2024) |
Tai Mo Shan is an inactivevolcanodating from theJurassicperiod.A small hill known as "Kwun Yam Shan"near the mountain still vents warm air through cracks in the rocks that lead all the way to themantle.The holes that exhale warm air are known as "hot pots". When the surface temperature is cold, and the warmth of the expelled air is clearly discernible, this phenomenon is referred to by locals as "dragon's breath". If the air temperature at the summit is 6 degrees Celsius, then the air emerging from the interior of Kwun Yum Shan is somewhere between 13 and 21 degrees Celsius. These "hot pots" are remnants of the active volcano's superheated steam vents.[6][7]
The area'svolcanic rocksare mainly coarse ash crystaltuff.WhileGranodiorite,which is a kind of granite formed about 150 million years ago, intruded into the volcanic rocks.[5][8]
Climate[edit]
Under theKöppen climate classification,Tai Mo Shan features ahumid subtropical climate(Cwa), bordering asubtropical highland climate(Cwb). Due to the height of the mountain, Tai Mo Shan is claimed to be Hong Kong's most misty area, as it is often covered in clouds. In summer it is frequently covered withcumulus clouds,especially on rainy days, and in winterstratus cloudsandfogoften cover the peak. It is not uncommon for temperatures to drop below freezing point during the winter. A record low of negative 6 Celsius was seen in theJanuary 2016 East Asia cold wave.Since the Tai Mo Shan weather station was established in 1997, it has never measured a temperature exceeding 30.0 °C (86.0 °F), and the most recent maximum temperature was measured as 29.5 °C (85.1 °F) in June 2023.
| Climate data for Tai Mo Shan, elevation 955 m (3,133 ft), (1997–2022) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 22.2 (72.0) |
23.2 (73.8) |
24.3 (75.7) |
27.4 (81.3) |
28.8 (83.8) |
29.5 (85.1) |
29.4 (84.9) |
29.4 (84.9) |
28.9 (84.0) |
27.3 (81.1) |
25.2 (77.4) |
23.7 (74.7) |
29.5 (85.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 14.1 (57.4) |
15.1 (59.2) |
17.2 (63.0) |
19.9 (67.8) |
22.3 (72.1) |
23.5 (74.3) |
24.5 (76.1) |
24.6 (76.3) |
23.8 (74.8) |
21.2 (70.2) |
18.5 (65.3) |
14.8 (58.6) |
20.0 (67.9) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 10.6 (51.1) |
11.8 (53.2) |
14.3 (57.7) |
17.3 (63.1) |
20.1 (68.2) |
21.7 (71.1) |
22.3 (72.1) |
22.2 (72.0) |
21.2 (70.2) |
18.3 (64.9) |
15.5 (59.9) |
11.5 (52.7) |
17.2 (63.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 8.0 (46.4) |
9.3 (48.7) |
11.9 (53.4) |
15.3 (59.5) |
18.4 (65.1) |
20.1 (68.2) |
20.6 (69.1) |
20.4 (68.7) |
19.4 (66.9) |
16.4 (61.5) |
13.3 (55.9) |
8.9 (48.0) |
15.2 (59.3) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −6.0 (21.2) |
−1.8 (28.8) |
−2.0 (28.4) |
5.6 (42.1) |
9.3 (48.7) |
14.0 (57.2) |
16.8 (62.2) |
16.8 (62.2) |
13.3 (55.9) |
5.7 (42.3) |
−0.3 (31.5) |
−3.3 (26.1) |
−6.0 (21.2) |
| Averageprecipitationmm (inches) | 42.5 (1.67) |
51.8 (2.04) |
101.1 (3.98) |
143.3 (5.64) |
337.3 (13.28) |
568.8 (22.39) |
416.9 (16.41) |
452.5 (17.81) |
286.5 (11.28) |
94.6 (3.72) |
40.5 (1.59) |
27.2 (1.07) |
2,562.9 (100.90) |
| Averagerelative humidity(%) | 82.2 | 88.0 | 89.9 | 91.7 | 94.3 | 96.2 | 95.3 | 93.6 | 90.4 | 86.7 | 85.4 | 79.4 | 89.4 |
| Averagedew point°C (°F) | 7.5 (45.5) |
9.6 (49.3) |
12.6 (54.7) |
15.8 (60.4) |
18.9 (66.0) |
21.0 (69.8) |
21.3 (70.3) |
21.1 (70.0) |
19.4 (66.9) |
16.1 (61.0) |
12.4 (54.3) |
7.2 (45.0) |
15.2 (59.4) |
| Source: Hong Kong Observatory[9] | |||||||||||||
Vegetation[edit]
In the past, Tai Mo Shan was famous for a type ofgreen tea,calledmistorcloudtea, which grew wild on the mountain side. Occasionally, local people can still be seen picking the tea shoots for brewing green tea.
More than 1,500 species of plants have been recorded in Tai Mo Shan including 27 species of native wild orchids, the protected Chinese Lily (Lilium brownii) which mostly grows on the east side of the Mountain, 24 species of native ferns, includingtree ferns,of which a total of only 4 tree ferns species have been recorded around the entire mountain, 19 species of native grasses, and 7 species of native bamboos.Camellia sinensis var. waldenae(formerlyCamellia waldenae) are also found on the mountain.
A few types of wild orchids also grow in the streams of Tai Mo Shan including theChinese pholidota orchid,Hong Kong's most common orchid, and thebamboo orchid,so called because of a distinct stem that looks like bamboo, which also grows in the streams of Tai Mo Shan.
During theJapanese occupation of Hong KonginWorld War II,most of the trees in the park were cut down and extensivereforestationwas carried out after the war. Trees that were planted are mostly non-native such asPinus massoniana,Acacia confusa,Lophostemon confertus,andpaper bark tree.The area has now become one of Hong Kong's major forest plantations.
The south-east slopes of Tai Mo Shan are covered with patches of well developedmontane forest.The area, covering 130 hectares, was designated as aSite of Special Scientific Interestin 1975.[10][11]
Wildlife[edit]
Local wildlife consists of birds,snakesandbutterflies.[1]There are alsofreshwater crabs,feraldogs,feral cats,oxen,Porcupinesandwild boar.
History[edit]
In 1986, a 34-hour blaze destroyed 282,500 trees atShing Munand Tai Mo Shan and ravaged 7.40 km² of countryside.
Tai Mo Shan Country Park was formally designated on 23 February 1979.
Access[edit]
The summit of Tai Mo Shan is not accessible to visitors, as it is occupied by aHong Kong Observatory(ex-RAF)weather radarstation. It was reported in July 2014 that the station additionally houses facilities of thePeople's Liberation Army.[12]
See also[edit]
- List of mountains, peaks and hills in Hong Kong
- Country parks and conservation in Hong Kong
- Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden
References[edit]
- ^abc"Tai Mo Shan Country Park".Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department.Retrieved8 February2015.
- ^Lands Department (January 2023)."Hong Kong Geographic Data"(PDF).
- ^Lands Department (2018)."Explanatory Notes on Geodetic Datums in Hong Kong"(PDF).
- ^Kabange, Sanday Chongo (24 July 2012)."The better side of Hong Kong: Top 10 nature reserves".CNN Travel.Retrieved20 November2012.
- ^abAgriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (17 October 2006).Central Ridge and West(in English and Chinese). Hong Kong: Cosmos Books Limited. p. 61.ISBN9882113273.
- ^"8 Mesozoic Post-Volcanic and Tertiary Sedimentary Rocks".CEDD.Retrieved20 December2008.
- ^https://mingpaomonthly.com/article/details/%E6%96%87%E5%AD%B8%EF%BC%8E%E8%97%9D%E8%A1%93%2F2008-09%2F1590996608423%2F%E8%A7%80%E9%9F%B3%E5%B1%B1%E8%AC%9B%E5%8F%A4%E3%80%80%EF%BC%88%E6%9C%B1%E7%B6%AD%E5%BE%B7%EF%BC%89
- ^R.J. Sewell, S.D.G. Campbell, C.J.N. Fletcher, K.W. Lai & P.A. Kirk (2000).The Pre-Quaternary Geology of Hong Kong.Government of Hong Kong SAR.ISBN962-02-0299-6.
{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^"Automatic Weather Observations Monthly Data for Single Element".Hong Kong Observatory.Retrieved22 January2023.
- ^"Register of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs)".Planning Department.
- ^"Site of Special Scientific Interest - Tai Mo Shan Montane Scrub Forest"(PDF).Planning Department.30 September 1992.
- ^Cheung, Chi-fai; Wong, Olga (23 July 2014)."Hong Kong 'hands PLA radar station on territory's highest mountain in secret deal'".South China Morning Post.Hong Kong.
External links[edit]
