After a decade living here, Lee now considers himself a Sha Tau Kok local and a custodian of its past: especially now that the area is entering a new era. As he guides me through the streets, he’s greeted by his neighbours. “I don’t want Sha Tau Kok to become just a tourist spot. I hope to promote cultural and in-depth tours,” he says. Lee plans to use San Lau Street as a base to gather cultural figures and artists, host community events and inject vitality into Sha Tau Kok.

As a visitor to the town, I remind myself to respect its residents and culture as their home sheds its veil of mystery to reveal its vibrant past.

Our day ends at the Wo Hang Tsuen, the seat of the Hakka Li clan and an inland village where streams and rice fields create an idyllic scene. “This place reminds me of my childhood – days spent playing by the river, catching fish, filled with happiness,” says Lee. Moving to Sha Tau Kok may have been the start of a new life for Lee, but he’s found a way to keep treasured memories of the past alive.