Having had a brief walk around the island, we gathered and joined the local tour. The young interpreter, son of a local villager, enthusiastically introduced the history of Yim Tin Tsai. The villagers used to fish and harvest salt for a living. Later, western priests came to the island. They preached to the crowds and even scared off the pirates merely by their appearance. Christianity has become the prevailing religion since then.

We visited the chapel after learning a brief background of the village. The chapel was not spacious, yet neatly decorated. Apart from the common rose window, statue and crucifix, one would find some holes on the walls, a special design diverting natural light for illumination. The village school has been renewed as a museum illustrating the village history while the neighboring house places the farming tools and containers used in the old days.

Despite the tour runs in a small-scale, we were impressed by their informative interpretation. After all, the fare for the ferry service and the tour fee were pretty low. Without passion, the local history and culture would not be able to pass on to next generations.

Before we left, we had some dessert and drinks at the store. It did not help much with their business but at least it’s a gesture of support.