Some of you might be familiar with the place from games (sorry, I wouldn't know which ones since I don't play games because I get motion sickness. I'm such a delicate flower.), some of you might not realize that Stephen Chow grew up there and based Pig Sty Alley in Kung Fu Hustle on Kowloon Walled City.
Kowloon Walled City was a densely populated, largely ungoverned settlement in Kowloon, Hong Kong. Originally a Chinese military fort, the Walled City became an enclave after the New Territories were leased to Britain in 1898. Its population increased dramatically following the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong during World War II. From the 1950s to the 1970s, it was controlled by Triads and had high rates of prostitution, gambling, and drug use. In 1987, the Walled City contained 33,000 residents within its 6.5-acre (0.03 km2; 0.01 sq mi) borders.
By the time I moved to Hong Kong, the Walled City had been razed to the ground and a park built in its stead with the original bits of the old fort. Honestly, I love the park. I think it's beautiful and a lovely place to visit. I've consoled heartbroken friends there, I've watched old people doing tai chi, I've petted stray cats, and I've even fallen asleep undisturbed in the park. It's the ideal park for me because there's nature but it's in a restrained form. I can still wear high heels and walk around without worrying about stepping on monkey poo (sooo smelly and nasty) like in Kam Shan Country Park.
However, I can understand why some former residents of the Walled City feel nostalgic about the old projects. It was often dangerous (although very exciting to me as a child, bless my parents for letting me have the independence to explore) but it was a very organic and very Chinese way of community growth. I'm obsessed with the process of community-building, by the way.
So, the park. At the entrance, which I forgot to photograph, you'll see a small model of the old projects.
The guards were really nice to us. We arrived about ten minutes before closing (11 at night), and they still let us wander around.
Remnants of the old 衙門 -- sorry, no English for this, it's simply called a yamen -- at the entrance. I love sitting there and pretending that I'm some old magistrate taking his tea and scowling at delinquents. When I get my men's cheongsam made, I'm going to have a lot of pictures taken there.
There are a lot of pavilions in the park, this is one of them. Again, sorry for the shitty quality of the photograph.
Erm...this is a stream that leads to a waterfall (which I didn't photograph).
One of the courtyards where oldies take their exercise.
A rock formation thing.
You know what, just take my word for it and visit the park. My photographs simply don't do it justice. I'm not sure what I was thinking, I think I was addled by overeating.
