Fo Tan is an area of Sha Tin District, New Territories, Hong Kong. It was developed as a light industrial area, but this activity has declined markedly in recent years. There are residential areas to the east, alongside the MTR line, and in the foothills to the west.
Etymology
Fo Tan is located around a river, the Fo Tan Nullah. Historically, a beach was revealed when the water receded. The area thus became known as "river beach" (). In Hakka, this was pronounced "Fo Tan". It was later mistakenly called "Fire Beach" () due to similarities in pronunciation. This has further changed into "Fire Charcoal" () which is in current use, again due to similarities in pronunciation.
Location
North East South West To the south is Sha Tin New Town, with the small community of Wo Che in between. To the north is Kau To and the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). Nearby to the east is Sha Tin Racecourse while across the Shing Mun River is City One Shatin.
Artistic community
Since 2001, as most industrial businesses have closed and moved to mainland China, more than 70 units in the utilitarian industrial blocks have reopened as artists' studios, creating a vibrant if well hidden local arts scene. Every January, a festival, Fotanian - Open Studio Programme, sees many of the studios open to the public. Guided walks lead visitors to these normally private working studios, which encompass a wide range of media and styles such as ceramic and floral design. Fo Tan was chosen for artist spaces because the ceilings of the buildings are high and because it is in the middle of the New Territories.
Housing
Public housing estates
Chun Yeung Estate
Sui Wo Court
Private housing estates
Private housing estates in Fo Tan include: Royal Ascot Jubilee Garden Scenery Garden Shatin 33 The Grandville The Palazzo
Villages
There are originally 24 Hakka villages. Villages in Fo Tan include: Fo Tan Village Lok Lo Ha Pat Tsz Wo Wo Liu Hang
Economy
A.S. Watson Group has its head office in the Watson House () in Fo Tan.
Education
Fo Tan is in Primary One Admission (POA) School Net 91. Within the school net are multiple aided schools (operated independently but funded with government money); no government schools are in this net.
Schools in Fo Tan: Sha Tin College Sha Tin Junior School Jockey Club Ti-I College Hong Kong Sports Institute Chinese University