Kowloon Walled City Park
The Kowloon Walled City Park is designed resembling a Jiangnan (江南) garden of the early Qing dynasty. The park, 31,000 square metres (7.66 acres) in total, is divided into eight theme zones with their own characteristic scenery, matching with the style of the whole park. The design was awarded a Diploma at the IGO Stuttgart Expo 93 (International Garden Exposition).
History
In the middle of the 19th century, the Qing government started to build an enclave beside Kowloon Bay, surrounded by stone walls. The Kowloon Walled City was initially used for military purposes, housing many soldiers and their families. During World War II, the stone walls were demolished by the Imperial Japanese Army. Part of them were buried and well preserved under the soil. By the 1970s, the population of the city had risen to 41,000. The number of buildings was 503 in 1994. By that time, the British colonial government found it increasingly difficult to manage and control the serious crime in the area related to drugs, illegal gambling, prostitution and quackery. Domestic factories, including textile, candy-making and production of jook-sing noodles, were situated in the area. After the Sino-British Joint Declaration in 1984, Britain and China embarked on a discussion about solving the problems in the Walled City, and subsequently announced its demolition on 14 January 1987. Between 1987 and 1989 residents were resettled, and demolition began in 1993.
By 1995 the site had been transformed into a park for nearby residents. Due to its proximity to the Kai Tak Airport, and so that the park could have a more open view, regulation of the height of buildings was strictly enforced.
Featured facilities
The park consists mainly of eight landscape features: the Yamen (衙府), Old South Gate (南門), Eight Floral Walks (八徑異趣), Garden of Four Seasons (四季同馨 – 廣蔭庭), Garden of Chinese Zodiac (生肖倩影 – 童樂苑), Chess Garden (棋壇比弈遊弈園), Mountain View Pavilion (邀山樓) as well as the Fei Sing Pavilion (魁星半亭) and Guibi Rock (歸璧石).
The Yamen (衙府) is located in the centre of the Park and is the only remaining old Qing building. It was built in 1847; its interior was dominated by the offices of the Commodore of the Dapeng Brigade (大鵬協府) and the Kowloon Assistant Military Inspectorate (九龍巡檢司衙署). It was designed with three rows and four wings of houses. Its walls and column bases are built from bricks and granite, while the roof is a traditional structure covered with cylindrical and flat tiles. After 1899 the Yamen was used for charitable purposes, like housing elderly. It is now officially classified as a declared monument in Hong Kong. Six exhibition rooms are housed inside.
The original site of the South Gate (南門) has been designated as a declared monument and all related relics unearthed have been preserved. Flagstone pavement, cornerstones of the buildings, and a drain were discovered. Also, two granite plaques with Chinese characters for "South Gate" and "Kowloon Walled City" were unearthed at the site of the original gate when the Walled City was torn down in 1994.
The Garden features 12 Chinese zodiac sculptures. They are arranged according to the Heavenly Stems (Tiangan 天干) and Earthly Branches (Dizhi 地支) in Chinese astrology.
The Guibi Rock was carved from Taihu stone. It is named Guibi because its veins are similar to those of ancient jade.{explain} Fui Sing Pavilion symbolises a constellation of literature and wisdom. Guibi Rock also symbolises the hope of returning Hong Kong to China.
The Mountain View Pavilion provides a view of the Lion Rock, which resembles a lion sitting with its head facing the Pavilion.
There are four large chessboards built on the ground with pebbles for visitors to enjoy a game of chess.
Located to the west of Yamen, the Kwong Yam Square is a garden where flowers of the four seasons could{clarify} be seen.
Since April 2009 there also is a permanent exhibition in the park about the history of the site. It consists of one outdoor display area and six exhibition rooms, which are located inside the Yamen.
The outdoor display area near the South Gate shows a tablet{clarify} and a model of the former Walled City. The front of the tablet has an introductory article inscribed, whereas the back presents a cross-section of the pre-demolished city and a depiction of the daily lives of its residents. Behind the tablet stands a bronze miniature model of the city which allows the visitors to touch and have a closer look.
The six exhibition rooms illustrate the living environment inside the Walled City through interactive imagery and sound.
References
- ^ "Home". lcsd.gov.hk. Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Archived from the original on 23 March 2016. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
- ^ "Design of the Park". lcsd.gov.hk. Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Archived from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
- ^ Lu, Jin (1988). Jiulongcheng zhai shi hua 九龍寨城史話 (in Chinese) (Xianggang di 1 ban ed.). Hong Kong: Joint Publishing (Hong Kong) Company Limited. p. 24. ISBN 962-04-0682-6.
- ^ Ng, Kang-Chung (24 March 1993). "First blow landed as the walls come tumbling down". South China Morning Post. p. 1. Archived from the original on 14 July 2022. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
- ^ Hong Kong Yearbook. Government Printing Bureau of Hong Kong. 1996. p. 331.
- ^ Kowloon Walled City Park Exhibition Guide (Brochure). Hong Kong: Leisure and Cultural Services Department. 2015.
- ^ "The Kowloon Walled City Park". lcsd.gov.hk. Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Archived from the original on 11 April 2021. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
- ^ "The Old South Gate". lcsd.gov.hk. Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Archived from the original on 29 August 2021. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
- ^ "The Garden of Four Seasons". lcsd.gov.hk. Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Archived from the original on 29 August 2021. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
- ^ "A City of Thousand Faces". lcsd.gov.hk. Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Archived from the original on 26 July 2021. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
External links
