Skip to content 
In the shadow of Hong Kong’s dense urban sprawl, where towering skyscrapers and bustling streets define the cityscape, a different story unfolds in its abandoned villages. These forgotten settlements, once thriving farming and fishing communities, have slowly been reclaimed by nature, leaving behind poignant reminders of a time when life was simpler and more connected to the land.
Photographer Stefan Irvine, who has lived in Hong Kong since 2002, first encountered these abandoned villages in 2012 while visiting a friend in the New Territories, a vast, mostly rural area that makes up over 85% of the city’s territory. The New Territories, known for its steep mountains, rugged coastlines, and expansive country parks, are home to several villages that have gradually emptied as people moved to urban areas in search of better opportunities. As Hong Kong’s industrial boom took off in the mid-20th century, many villagers left their homes for factory work in the city, leaving their once-thriving communities to decay.
Courtesy Stefan Irvine/Blue Lotus Gallery Hong Kong
Irvine’s curiosity about these deserted places led him to document their transformation over the next 12 years, culminating in his book Abandoned Villages of Hong Kong. What began as a chance discovery grew into a deep exploration of Hong Kong’s rural history and the unexpected beauty of its neglected villages. His work captures a striking juxtaposition: villages nestled in lush landscapes, overtaken by vines, banyan trees, and moss-covered buildings, all within a short distance of one of the most densely populated cities in the world.
Many of these villages date back hundreds of years, long before Hong Kong’s colonial period. Yet, the shifting tides of modernization began in the 1950s and 1960s, when urbanization and industrialization led to widespread migration. Farming and fishing, once the backbone of these communities, became less viable as Hong Kong’s economy shifted towards manufacturing. As families sought better livelihoods in the city, entire villages were abandoned.
Stefan Irvine / Courtesy Blue Lotus Gallery, Hong Kong
Irvine’s exploration of these forgotten places took him to remote corners of Hong Kong, often requiring long hikes or ferry rides to reach isolated islands and mountain settlements. On his journey, he found homes that had been abandoned suddenly, with personal items still left behind—school certificates in drawers, calendars on the walls, and furniture frozen in time. These remnants evoke a sense of nostalgia, showing that many residents likely left with the hope of one day returning.
Stefan Irvine / Courtesy Blue Lotus Gallery, Hong Kong
One of Irvine’s most striking findings was how nature had overtaken these villages. Without regular maintenance, termites and the relentless forces of weather eroded the buildings, and trees and plants took root where humans once lived. In some cases, the collapse of a wooden beam or a crumbling wall would allow seeds to take root, giving rise to forests where homes once stood. Irvine described these villages as “a celebration of nature,” where the boundaries between human structures and the natural world blur. The photographer found beauty in these ruins, seeing them not as symbols of loss, but as proof of nature’s resilience and the impermanence of all things.
Though many of these villages remain abandoned, Irvine discovered that not all are forgotten. Some, like the Hakka village of Lai Chi Wo, are experiencing a revitalization of sorts. Recognizing their historical and cultural value, the Hong Kong government has invested in preserving the area. Lai Chi Wo, which is accessible only by boat or a long hike through dense forests, is home to a small community, and efforts are underway to encourage young people to experience rural life and heritage. Similarly, other villages, such as Yim Tin Tsai, host arts festivals and installations, bringing a new generation to witness the beauty of these once-thriving communities.
Stefan Irvine / Courtesy Blue Lotus Gallery, Hong Kong
In his book and accompanying exhibition, Irvine seeks to preserve these abandoned villages for future generations. His photographs not only highlight the architectural and natural beauty of these places but also aim to capture a deeper sense of identity tied to Hong Kong’s rural past. He believes that these villages, though long abandoned, still hold great sentimental value for many Hongkongers. They are reminders of a simpler time when people lived in closer harmony with nature.
Hong Kong’s rural areas are among the most biodiverse in the world. Villages like Lai Chi Wo, with its rich woodlands, freshwater streams, and wetlands, showcase the city’s unique relationship between urban and rural environments. For Irvine, this project is as much about nature’s triumph as it is about the human stories that these villages hold. “At the end of the day, nature will eventually take over,” he says, reflecting on the ephemeral nature of human existence. “It’s a reminder of the impermanence that we all experience: things come and go, nothing endures really.”
Irvine’s images of these abandoned villages are a tribute to both the natural world and the people who once called these places home. As Hong Kong continues to develop and change, his photographs offer a rare glimpse into a side of the city that has been slowly disappearing. Through his lens, the past comes alive, not in a static form, but as something that is constantly evolving and interacting with the natural forces that shape the land.
- Seeing the Unseen: 2024 Infrared Photography Contest Winners - January 19, 2025
- How Instagram’s New Layout Is Transforming the Creative Landscape - January 19, 2025
- Amazing Photos of the 1969 Holden Hurricane - January 17, 2025
