Amah Rock

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Amah Rock (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.

See also