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Book Blurb

Following his retirement, author Yip Tai-shan looks back on his childhood in the New Territories, using a lighthearted touch to recount engaging and playful stories from his youth.

The book is set against the backdrop of the 1950s and 1960s. Although life in the New Territories was simpler back then, it was never short of fun—something readers of the same generation will deeply resonate with. While younger readers might find this lifestyle starkly different from modern times, comparing it to their own upbringing might leave them wondering if their contemporary childhood is somehow less rich than life decades ago.

Table of Contents

• Foreword: Becoming a New Territories Boy

• Character Introductions

Chapter 1: Early Childhood Days

• Tung Shing Lei

• Unforgettable Festivals

• Little Sparrows in the Ancestral Hall

Chapter 2: The Animal Kingdom

• Dad's Dream: The "Kwan Yuen" Frog Farm

• Our Family Zoo

• The Goldfish Pavilion

• Beekeeping

Chapter 3: Our Home is a Botanical Garden

• Guavas

• Lotus, Water Caltrop, and Peanuts

• Wood Roses, Firecracker Vines, and Mile-a-Minute Vines on the Roof

• Roses, Cherry Blossoms, and Orchid Grass

• Calabash Gourds at the Pavilion

Chapter 4: An-Yan (Grandmother)

• An-Yan’s Little Cottage

• An-Yan’s Pets

• An-Yan’s 70th Birthday

Chapter 5: Living Creatively

• Declaring War on the "Big-Headed Dog"

• Kerosene Stoves, Kerosene Lamps, and Pressure Lamps

• The Kerosene Refrigerator

• Stingy Soft Drinks

• Running Water

Chapter 6: Entertainment and Games

• Fighting Spiders (Jumping Spiders)

• Cricket Fighting

• Fireflies

• Kites

• Movie Screenings

Chapter 7: Transportation

• The New Territories Boy Goes to Town

• Buses, Minibuses, and Local Village Vans

• Dad’s Private Car

Chapter 8: Domestic Life

• Shoes and Wooden Clogs

• Visiting the Dentist

• Typhoons

• When Dad Got Sick

• The Wuxia (Martial Arts) World

Chapter 9: The Village Primary School

• I Dropped Out of School Because I Had to Get Married

• Yu Sau-fung and Wu Siu-ching

• The Abacus Cart

• Frozen Rice Paddies

• Rural General Knowledge Class

• The Agricultural Exhibition

• Afterword: From New Territories Boy to City Dweller