Tai Po
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For the district in Hong Kong, see Tai Po District.
- For the new town in Hong Kong, see Tai Po New Town.
Tai Po (大埔) refers to the area of the traditional market towns in the area presently known as Tai Po Old Market or Tai Po Kau Hui (大埔舊墟) (originally Tai Po Market or Tai Po Town) and the Tai Wo Town (Tai Wo Market) on the other side of the Lam Tsuen River, near the old Tai Po Market Station of the Kowloon-Canton Railway British Section, within the Tai Po District.
Both market towns have become part of the Tai Po New Town in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In present-day, Tai Po may refer to the area around the original market towns (i.e. Tai Po proper), the new town, or the entire Tai Po District.
There is a story that Tai Po was originally called Tai Po (大步), lit. big step. Once upon a time the area was a big forest. When people wanted to pass through the forest, they would walk faster with big steps for their fear of the forest. Some say there were tigers around, so people walked with big steps to avoid being eaten.