Tai Mo Shan (大帽山)
2025, Photo Book
Tai Mo Shan (大帽山) is the name of the highest peak in the city of Hong Kong. It stands 957 meters tall. The entire summit area is occupied by a large weather station operated by the Hong Kong Observatory. Near the summit, on the northeastern slope of the mountain, lies an old, abandoned building complex hidden behind a tall barbed-wire fence. There is a hole in the wire mesh by the gate. The weather conditions do not allow for a clear view of the valley beyond, but here, beauty reveals itself right in front of your eyes. The decay exposes the long history of the structures in colorful ways. Wherever you look, human-made structures fight for survival, drowning in the dense fauna. They have long become part of their surroundings. You can only see the top half of the buildings; their bases are covered by shrubs. Everything non-natural silently rots away, slowly approaching its final state of being lost and forgotten forever. Although this window will remain open for several decades, or perhaps centuries to come, you were lucky to witness a tiny part of it. It is a place hard to reach and difficult to forget, despite being lost more and more each day. This photobook is a dedication to this very special, not yet completely lost place.
I stumbled upon the site in 2022 during a hike to the Tai Mo Shan peak. It is a very beautiful place with a stunning view of the valley ahead. Yet the structures I encountered there were far more fascinating. Beyond the barbed-wire fence lie remnants of Hong Kong's colonial past, constructed more than 70 years ago and left to rot for another 25 years. The Japanese probably chose it for tactical reasons, and the British built a radio station when they took over again. Tai Mo Shan was once famous for a special tea that only grew on its slopes and is still picked by a few locals to this day. Perhaps that is all that a self-governed Hong Kong ever intended to make of this place—nothing. It is sad to think that the power station may not remain dormant for much longer.
Tai Mo Shan reflects the layers of Hong Kong's past—colonial legacies and nature's reclamation. This photobook examines a site shaped by power and time.
Tai Mo Shan (大帽山) is the name of the highest peak in the city of Hong Kong. It stands 957 meters tall. The entire summit area is occupied by a large weather station operated by the Hong Kong Observatory. Near the summit, on the northeastern slope of the mountain, lies an old, abandoned building complex hidden behind a tall barbed-wire fence. There is a hole in the wire mesh by the gate. The weather conditions do not allow for a clear view of the valley beyond, but here, beauty reveals itself right in front of your eyes. The decay exposes the long history of the structures in colorful ways. Wherever you look, human-made structures fight for survival, drowning in the dense fauna. They have long become part of their surroundings. You can only see the top half of the buildings; their bases are covered by shrubs. Everything non-natural silently rots away, slowly approaching its final state of being lost and forgotten forever. Although this window will remain open for several decades, or perhaps centuries to come, you were lucky to witness a tiny part of it. It is a place hard to reach and difficult to forget, despite being lost more and more each day. This photobook is a dedication to this very special, not yet completely lost place.
I stumbled upon the site in 2022 during a hike to the Tai Mo Shan peak. It is a very beautiful place with a stunning view of the valley ahead. Yet the structures I encountered there were far more fascinating. Beyond the barbed-wire fence lie remnants of Hong Kong's colonial past, constructed more than 70 years ago and left to rot for another 25 years. The Japanese probably chose it for tactical reasons, and the British built a radio station when they took over again. Tai Mo Shan was once famous for a special tea that only grew on its slopes and is still picked by a few locals to this day. Perhaps that is all that a self-governed Hong Kong ever intended to make of this place—nothing. It is sad to think that the power station may not remain dormant for much longer.
Tai Mo Shan reflects the layers of Hong Kong's past—colonial legacies and nature's reclamation. This photobook examines a site shaped by power and time.
Prints on display at the