weberwest Loc: Ferndale WA

WAN CHAI is situated on the eastern side of Hong Kong's Central District on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island. It is one of the busiest commercial areas in Hong Kong with offices of many small and medium-sized companies and a plethora of small shops. As one of the first areas to be developed in Hong Kong, the locale is densely populated yet with noticeable residential zones facing urban decay. The newer Wan Chai North features office towers, parks, hotels, various landmarks and skyscrapers.

EARLY HISTORY - Wan Chai was the first home to the many Chinese villagers living along the undisturbed coastlines in proximity to Hung Shing Temple. Most of them were fishermen, who worked around the area near the temple overlooking the entire harbor. Hung Shing Ye, the God of the Sea, was one of the deities worshiped by the locals.

BRITISH COLONY (from 1842) - With the growth of the British Hong Kong administration, centered in old Victoria (modern Central), Wan Chai attracted those on the fringes of society, such as "coolie" workers, who came to live on Queen's Road East. A focal point of development at that time was Spring Gardens, a red-light zone. By the 1850s, the area was already becoming a Chinese residential area. There were dockyards for building and repairing ships. The first power station in Hong Kong was located here, it began supplying power in 1890.

POST-WAR DEVELOPMENT (from 1945) and LAND RECLAMATION - Prostitution has been one of the oldest occupations in Wan Chai. In the 1960s, Wan Chai became legendary for its exotic night life, especially for the US servicemen resting there during the Vietnam War. Despite rapid changes of Wan Chai's demography from reclamation and redevelopment, the presence of sex workers operating among ordinary residential areas has continued to be a distinctive feature. The area is today one of Hong Kong island's two main bar districts, popular with visiting sailors and navy personnel (the other being the more upmarket Lan Kwai Fong in Central). Once considered primarily as a red light district, this area is now more diverse with bars, pubs, restaurants and discos. A few of the raunchier bars still remain, mainly populated with women from Thailand and the Philippines. The famous novel and film "The World of Suzie Wong" sets many scenes in this area.

Wan Chai's coastal line has been extended outward after a series of land reclamation schemes. Early in 1841, the coastline was located at Queen's Road East. Repeated, almost continuous land reclamation over the decades pushed the coastline further out, presently culminating at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) which juts out into the harbor, now about a dozen streets further north.

Commercial areas developed in the late 1970s and 1980s, when Hong Kong underwent economic development at full speed. At the same time, buildings like the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, HKCEC, and Central Plaza (78 floors) were constructed on the newly reclaimed land. - Many of Wan Chai's older buildings now face a serious problem of urban decay. To tackle the problem, the government has launched a series of urban renewal projects to bring new life into the area. Many local residents have relocation worries such as whether the Urban Renewal Authority can compensate enough to put them in a new space of equal size. Other concerns involve the loss of building character that make up part of that Hong Kong cultural identity.

My posts will cover Wan Chai in four parts: First a general glance at some buildings, parks and activities, then honing in on the colorful and important Wan Chai Market, which to this day provides a substantial part of the daily food supplies to the surrounding communities. - Today's post shows the contrast between modern and the old style buildings and methods and brings us to one of the local parks where we encounter a sweet local photographer.


Notes
TRIP INFO: Set # 1 provides a brief introduction to THIS SERIES on SOUTH & EAST ASIA. See it at
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-724330-1.html

HONG KONG COUNTRY INFO in set # 196: https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-762698-1.html

EARLIER POSTS of this series: Access my topic list at UHH, the new posts are listed in reverse chronological order:
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/user-topic-list?usernum=45105

Thanks for visiting, for improved clarity please view the downloads. I look forward to your comments and questions.

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1 - Typical street scene: Old and new buildings

(Download)

2 - Colorful building

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3 - Interesting exterior metal lattice work on a building

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4 - Detail of the lattice work

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5 - Restored tenement building on Johnston Road, originally home to the famous Woo Cheong Pawn Shop, now housing a restaurant

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6 - Frontal facade view of the above, notice the arcade-style at the street level with recessed store front, typical of the old style of buildings, and a very welcome feature providing shade and protection from the rain - sadly absent nowadays

(Download)

7 - Worker on a truck handling bamboo poles used for scaffolding on building sites, these re still used even on very tall high-rise construction

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8 - High-rise buildings surrounding the Southorn Playground

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9 - Wan Chai Park: Budding photography enthusiast trying her first steps, I am afraid though that the length and position of that strap could lead to a disaster

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10 - Wan Chai Park: Bulbous palm tree

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weberwest Loc: Ferndale WA

For your reference:

11 - Trip map of the Hong Kong segment of our tour, Wan Chai is at the northern coast of Hong Kong Island at the bottom of the map

(Download)

Toment Loc: FL, IL

Thanks for the story and pictures. 👍

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

Another fine set and narrative, Mark.

UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

Beautiful tour of this area, Joe!

NMGal Loc: NE NM

Interesting series, Joe. Keep them coming.

Bigmike1 Loc: I am from Gaffney, S.C. but live in Utah.

Interesting story with great photos.

weberwest Loc: Ferndale WA

Thank you Toment for looking in on the tour again and your kind comment.

weberwest Loc: Ferndale WA

Thank you, Ken, for your kind comment, glad you liked the set and the narrative - Joe

weberwest Loc: Ferndale WA

Thanks Mike, as you know, there are so many interesting pockets in this big city, and Wan Chai certainly is one of them!

weberwest Loc: Ferndale WA

Thank you Barbara, glad you find this set interesting, and yes, they will keep coming for a while.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

weberwest Loc: Ferndale WA

Thank you Mike for looking in on the tour again, glad you liked the narrative and the images!

weberwest Loc: Ferndale WA

Thanks Bill for the thumb!

Vince68 Loc: Wappingers Falls, NY

Another informative narrative and excellent set and tour of the area Joe.