Amah Rock ("the stone gazing out for her husband") is a naturally occurring rock located on a hilltop in southwest Sha Tin, Hong Kong. The rock is approximately 15 m in height, and its shape looks like a woman carrying a baby on her back. According to a legend, the faithful wife of a fisherman climbed the hills every day, carrying her son, to watch for the return of her husband, not knowing he had been drowned at sea. As a reward for her loyalty, she was turned into a rock by the Goddess of the Sea so that her spirit could unite with that of her husband. Amah Rock (traditional Chinese: 望夫石, Mong Fu Shek; lit. "the stone that is gazing out for her husband") is a naturally occurring rock located on a hilltop in southwest Sha Tin, Hong Kong. The rock is approximately 15 meters in height, and its shape looks like a woman carrying a baby on her back. It stands above the entrance to the Lion Rock Tunnel, within Lion Rock Country Park. According to a legend, the faithful wife of a fisherman climbed the hills every day, carrying her son, to watch for the return of her husband, not knowing he had been drowned at sea. In reward for her faithfulness she was turned into a rock by the Goddess of the Sea so that her spirit could unite with that of her husband. Similar legends abound throughout the whole of China — the number of "Mong Fu Shek" rocks in the country is a great one. Many Chinese classical poems were dedicated to this kind of rock. The rock is a popular tourist destination; the whole Sha Tin District can be seen from there. It is also a place of worship for Chinese women and stands as a symbol of women's loyalty and faithfulness.
Sometimes Hong Kong's reach exceeds its grasp, and there are few better examples than nominating Amah Rock as a finalist in a contest for the seven natural wonders of the world. Amah Rock is located in the Lion Rock Country Park overlooking Sha Tin in the New Territories. Measuring 15 metres in height, the rock is so named because "it is said to resemble a woman carrying a baby on her back". In Cantonese it is called mohng fu sehk (also written as mong fu shek 望夫石), literally "watch husband rock", which tells a sad story with a happy ending. ... the faithful wife of a fisherman climbed the hills every day, carrying her son, to watch for the return of her husband, not knowing he had been drowned at sea. In reward for her faithfulness she was turned into a rock by the Goddess of the Sea so that her spirit could unite with that of her husband. And it's not the only one: mainland China is loaded with similar stone formations of the same name. So even though it looks neat and comes complete with a myth, it can't compete with the likes of Mount Everest or the Grand Canyon. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't make a hike up to see Amah Rock; from there you can view the whole of Sha Tin. You may not see a woman with a baby on her back, but it is certain you'll meet plenty of ladies with backpacks.
Amah Rock resembles a woman carrying a baby on her back. According to local legend, the woman was a fisherman's wife who was standing at that spot waiting for her husband to return from the sea. Sadly, her husband never returned and the gods took pity on her and turned her into stone, immortalizing her love. The Cantonese for Amah Rock is Mong Fu Shek, which means "the stone that is gazing out for her husband". Amah Rock is easily visible to the east of the railway as the KCR train travels between Shatin and Tai Wai.
