Yim Tin Tsai is a small offshore island in Sai Kung area which was settled by the Chan's family 300 years ago. "Yim Tin" means salt-pan. In earlier days villagers of the island lived on farming and salt-making. Because of the adverse rural life in recent decades, all villagers have migrated to urban areas and overseas countries for their livings.

• 1864 – Rev. Simeone Voloteri and Rev. Gaetano Origo arrived the island.
• 1866 – Thirty members of the Chan family in Yim Tin Tsai were baptized.
• 1875 – All villagers on the island were baptized and became devoted Catholics.
• 1879 – Rev. Josef Freinademetz, SVD set up a chapel in Yim Tin Tsai (Father Freinademetz was ordained sainthood by Pope John Paul II on 5.10.2003.)
• 1890 – The new chapel of St Joseph was completed and blessed. A school was set up adjacent to the chapel.
• Though all villagers are now settled in urban areas and overseas countries, they return to the island together to pray, to celebrate and to thank our Lord’s blessing on the feast day of St Joseph (1st May) every year 
   

         People in the exemplary devoted Christian community of Yim Tin Tsai respond to the call from our Lord encouragingly and positively. Villagers offered to priesthood and nunhood include Rt. Rev. Dominic Chan, V.G., his uncle, Rev. Joachim Chan (1890-1975), and his two old aged aunts who belong to the Congregation of the Sisters of Precious Blood and the Sisters of St. Paul de Chartres respectively. 

Source from Photo Hiking Club 

Map of Yim Tin Tsai Village

Plants of Yim Tin Tsai

Common plants, including ferns and shrubs, in Hong Kong can easily be found along the footpaths on the island. Examples are shown in the photographs below. 

Lanceleaf sterculia

 Buddha's lamp

Tongue fern 

 The thick old tree, where luxurious parasitic plants are grown on its trunk, stands as the landmark at the entrance of the village of Yim Tin Tsai.  

 

The Vllage of Yim Tin Tsai

The way of living in the old days in Yim Tin Tsai can be traced from the ruined farmhouses and the abandoned farmland and fish ponds in the village. 

 The old-styled kitchen    

The abandoned fish pond

St Joseph's Chapel

          A chapel was established by Father Josef Freinademetz, SVD [note] of the Society of the Divine Word at Yim Tin Tsai as early as in 1879.  The new St Joseph’s Chapel was built in 1890 and had become a landmark of Yim Tin Tsai Village.  The architectural design of the chapel is simple, just like other chapels in Sai Kung.  Inside the rectangular chapel, the altar is placed at the front.  Facing the altar is the aisle with two rows of wooden kneeling bench on the side.  Pre-Vatican II liturgical characteristics blended with special features of a Chinese village chapel can still be found in the chapel.  Towards the end of the chapel are a simple priest’s quarter and an office.  By the side of the chapel is a school.

[note] Father Freinademetz was canonized by the then Pope on 5 October 2003.

 Exterior of St. Joseph's Chapel  

Interior of St. Joseph's Chapel 

 Ching Po School 

The new pier was blessed by Rt. Rev. Dominic Chan, V.G. on 6 May 2001.

1.     Sacred Heart Church Sai Kung – Yim Tin Tsai St Joseph’s Chapel 

The mangrove & the offshore islands in Sai Kung

 
Mangrove is found off the breakwater linking Yim Tin Tsai and Kau Sai Chau. Though the species are not greatly diversified, plant adaptations in such habitat can be well illustrated by the characteristics of kandelia which is a common plant species here. 

The breakwater linking Yim Tin Tsai and Kau Sai Chau 

The mangrove