Shelter Island (Hong Kong)
island in Hong Kong, People's Republic of China
Shelter Island, known in Cantonese as Ngau Mei Chau (Chinese: 牛尾洲), is an island located in the water body Port Shelter (Ngau Mei Hoi; literally Cow Tail Sea), in the Sai Kung District, the New Territories, Hong Kong S.A.R., China.
History
The island appeared on a map drawn by Father Simeone Volonteri and published in 1866, at that time it was marked as Ngau T'au Chü (Chinese: 牛頭洲; Jyutping: ngau4 tau4 zau1; Cantonese Yale: ngàuh tàuh jāu; lit. 'Cow Head Island'). However, there are criticisms on the accuracy of Volonteri's map in general, or for specific place names such as Green Hill, which was historically known as Tuen Mun Hill. There is a rock formation currently called Ngau Tau Pai (牛頭排), which connects to the island by intertidal zone. According to a book, Pai means rock, hill or mountain that locates in water body in general in the language of the Tanka people. It is not certain Volonteri's record is correct or not for the name of the island at that time.
The name 'Shelter island' appeared in a book for sailing directions that was published in 1863. In Asiatic Pilot by the U.S. Hydrographic Office in 1910, the island was described as 416 feet (127 m) high at that time. Shoal water extended northwards for 400 yards (370 m), and 300 yards (270 m) westwards from the island at that time.
The public source identifies “Shelter Island (Hong Kong)” as island in Hong Kong, People's Republic of China. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Shelter, Island and Hong.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Shelter Island (Hong Kong)”, the useful work is to connect “island in Hong Kong, People's Republic of China” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
The strongest evidence will usually combine a dated visual record with documents produced by the authority responsible for the place. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jul 15, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q25265637. Authority coordinates are 22.327, 114.297. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1866, 1863 and 1910.
Architectural summaries often privilege surviving fabric and can understate demolished phases, contested use or displaced communities. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Shelter Island (Hong Kong)”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Shelter Island (Hong Kong) primary sources, Shelter Island (Hong Kong) archive and Shelter research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Shelter Island (Hong Kong)”?
- What physical evidence or contemporary plan supports the description?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Shelter Island (Hong Kong)” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.