Tsat Yeuk (七約) Rural Committee, Tai Po

If you have ever read the Tai Po-centric parts of this blog you may be familiar with an organisation known as the Tsat Yeuk (七約). The Tsat Yeuk was founded by a Man Punti villager from Tai Hang called Man Tsam-chuen who was cheesed off with the influence of the local Tang clan over commerce and politics in the market town and decided to fund (because he was loaded) the establishment of what became the Tai Wo Market in Fu Shin Street and it’s admin centre the Man Mo Temple.

The Alliance of Seven (that’s what 七約 means – an alliance of 7 villages) with Man at its forefront also helped raise funds to build the Kwong Fuk Bridge (because the Tangs controlled the ferries) and to sink the old well (which can still be found) to serve to market at its southern end. The 七約 were also one of the main antagonists and instigators of the armed uprising in 1899 when the British took over the administration of the NT (only to recant and apologise a few days later) and they are also the committee responsible for erecting the memorial tablet/warning tablet in Tai Po Kau that recalls the fatal flash flooding in 1955.

The 七約 is basically an organisation with its history and establishment firmly rooted in the economic and political development of Tai Po and surrounding areas. And guess what – it still exists and has its very own administrative HQ in the old part of town, very close to the market it founded over 100 years ago. I have no idea what the 七約 is involved in these days now that their arch enemies (the Tangs and the Brits) have disappeared but I suspect the association serves a role quite similar to the usual rural committee (of which there are two others in Tai Po: The Tai Po RC and the Sai Kung North RC) looking out for member villager interests and that sort of thing.

Anyway, here is the office.