As early as the Ming Dynasty, Cheung Chau was already a busy fishing port. Earlier settlers there were engaged mainly in fishing and farming. Then Cheung Chau started to evolve into a market town supported mainly by trades connected with fishing and marine products.早於明代，長洲已是一個繁盛的漁港。島上居民初時多以捕魚務農為生，其後營商居民日增，長洲亦逐漸發展為墟市，以出售漁穫和海產為主。