Oldest dated inscription from the Song dynasty sheds light on Hong Kong's history

A rock that may shed light on newly discovered relics stands largely unnoticed in a quiet corner of Sai Kung. It bears a 740-year-old inscription which documents salt production in Hong Kong back in the Southern Song dynasty (1127AD to 1279AD). The rock, on a slope above the 748-year-old Tin Hau Temple at Joss House Bay, is a declared monument under legal protection. The text – still mostly legible today, states that the inscription was carved on July 20, 1274.