Conservation and Development: An Approach to the Study on Indigenous Land in the New Territories, Hong Kong

In 1898, the British acquired the southern parts of Hsin-an County in Chinese mainland and incorporated it into the colony of Hong Kong. This newly acquired land later became known as the “New Territories”. The New Territories were home to four major ethnic groups such as the Punti, Hakka, Tanka, and Hokklo, each with their own distinct settlement patterns and historical cultural backgrounds. The desire of these indigenous villagers (particularly those with land-based communities) to assert their land rights created complexities in land administration and posed challenges for the government in acquiring land for development. The colonial government faced further resistance from indigenous landowners as the political and economic significance of indigenous lands complicated the matters. This paper aims to explore the evolution of the land administration mechanism in the New Territories by examining various types of land-related documents. It also provides reliable archival sources to guide readers in conducting further research on indigenous land-related topic in the New Territories.