We've seen dead people

Hong Kong 24/12/09 - 30/12/09

We've been urbaneering Hong Kong over the last few days and have been to the two different ends of the line (MTR to Chai Wan and Tram to Kennedy Town). Our three walks in the last few days took us around twelve cemeteries of at least five different denominations...

Happy Valley used to be a swampy marshland that harboured deadly malarial conditions which claimed many lives of those who settled there in early colonial times. Back then it was supposed to be developed into Hong Kong's main business district, but was put off due to the high death-rate and the valley instead became a burial ground for the dead. The area was previously known as Wong Nai Chung Valley, but was renamed to Happy Valley a common euphemism for cemeteries. Wong Nan Chung was a river that nourished rice-paddies in the area, before the construction of the horse-racing course in 1846. For this, the Wong Nai Chung river was recoursed to Bowrinton Canal and the canal today is covered under Canal road. Happy Valley today is a residential hot spot for expats.






Chai Wan forms the end of the Island line MTR and the end of residential dwellings on the north-east side of Hong Kong Island. In the 18th century this area consisted of small villagea which were replaced in the 1950's by government housing project. Today Chai Wan is comprised of mainly high rise buildings nestled below the range of cemeteries found on Mount Collins.


Wan Chai, a hustling and bustling area in the centre of the island's, literally translated from Cantonese means 'cove'. Amongst new office blocks you can find many small and medium-sized companies and a fabulous street-market which is in danger of being banished as the government proposes new developments. We have captured it here on video and hence preserved it for posterity. Many places in Wan Chai used to be on the waterfront prior to land reclamation and some of the street names (Schooner Street or Ship Street) still remind us of this long by-gone era.

Kennedy Town is at the very western end of Hong Kong Island. It is named after Arthur Edward Kennedy who was the 7th Governor of Hong Kong from 1872 to 1877 and part of old Victoria City. At present only trams and busses go to Kennedy Town (and for many it is a terminal station), but there are plans to extend the MTR.