Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Wan Chai shopping experience:
1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Wan Chai offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Wan Chai at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.
2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about
3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Wan Chai? Wrong! If the Wan Chai is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.
4. Questions - Got a question about Wan Chai then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....
5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Wan Chai? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Wan Chai and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.
6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Wan Chai wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.
7. Feedback - happy with your Wan Chai then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.
8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Wan Chai site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site
9. Contact - got a question about Wan Chai, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.
10. Payment - ready to pay for your Wan Chai, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.
Wan Chai is a metropolitan area situated at the western part of the
Wan Chai District in northern Hong Kong Island, in
Hong Kong,
China. Its boundaries are
Canal Road, Hong Kong in the east, Arsenal Street in the west and
Bowen Road in the south. The area north of
Gloucester Road, Hong Kong is often called
Wan Chai North. Wan Chai is one of the busiest commercial areas in Hong Kong with many small to medium-sized companies. Wan Chai North features office towers, parks, hotels and an international conference centre. As one of the first areas developed in Hong Kong, the locale is highly-populated yet with noticeable residential zones facing
urban decay. Arousing much public concern, the government has put an effort in urban renewal in recent years. There are many unique buildings and
List of buildings, sites, and areas in Hong Kong#List of skyscrapers, the most notable ones being the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC),
Central Plaza, Hong Kong and
Hopewell Centre, Hong Kong.
Names
Wan Chai originally began as
Ha Wan (下環), literally meaning "a bottom ring" or "lower circuit".Wordie, Jason. (2002) Streets: Exploring Hong Kong Island. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press. ISBN 962-2095631 As one of the earliest developed areas in Hong Kong. Central, Hong Kong, Sheung Wan,
Sai Wan and Wan Chai are collectively known as the
four rings (四環) by the locals. Wan Chai literally means "a cove" in
Cantonese (linguistics), but the area itself is no longer a cove due to drastic city development and continual
land reclamation.
History
sWan Chai was 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 Hung Shing Temple overlooking the entire harbour. As the God of the Sea, Hung Shing Ye was one of the symbols worshiped by the locals.
When the British Empire arrived in
History of Colonial Hong Kong (1800s - 1930s), Wan Chai began modernizing in the 1840s as a high-class commercial centre.
Spring Garden Lane was one of the focal points of development. By the 1850s the area was already becoming a Chinese residential area. There were dockyards in
Ship Street, Hong Kong and
McGregor Street for building and repairing ships. The edge of
Sun Street,
Moon Street and
Star Street (Hong Kong) is the original site of the first power station in Hong Kong, operated by the
Hongkong Electric, which began supplying power in 1890. One of the first water-front military hospitals was the
Seaman's Hospital built in 1843 as part of the
HMS Tamar (shore station) for the Royal Navy. It was later revitalized as the Ruttonjee Hospital.
Several renowned schools were located in Wan Chai in the past. One of these was established by the famous traditional teacher, Mo Dunmei (莫敦梅). Started as a
shushu (書塾) in 1919, the school was renamed Dunmei School (敦梅學校) in 1934. It taught
classical Chinese writings and
Confucianism ethics.
During the Japanese Occupation of Hong Kong in the 1940s, many bombardments took place. Stories of cannibalism, starvation, torture and abuses by Japanese soldiers, and child labourers were told. Senior residents recall vividly how they survived the hardships. The Dunmei school was closed during the Japanese occupation period. After the war, the school continued to provide Chinese education for children from families of higher income.
During the 1950s in Hong Kong the
Communist Party of China underground cell network Hailiushe (海流社) was headquartered in the rooftop of a multi-story house on
Spring Garden Lane. The group was successfully raided by the Hong Kong Police Force.Fung, Chi Ming, Reluctant Heroes: Rickshaw Pullers in Hong Kong and Canton, 1874-1954. ISBN 9622097340
Prostitution is one of the oldest occupations in Wan Chai. There are numerous historical western accounts of women trading sex for western merchandise as soon as sailors got off the trading ships.Shi, Shuqing. Lin, Sylvia Li-chun. Goldblatt, Howard. (2005). City of the Queen: A Novel of Colonial Hong Kong. Columbia university press. ISBN 0231134568. In the 1960s in Hong Kong, Wan Chai became legendary for its exotic
night life, especially for the United States Army resting there during the Vietnam war. Despite rapid changes due to reclamation and redevelopment, the presence of sex workers operating among ordinary residents continue to be a distinct feature of the area. Some of the lifestyle has been illustrated in the past in movies such as
The World of Suzie Wong (film).Eric Cavaliero, face of Wan Chai,
The Standard, July 03, 1997
Wan Chai's Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre was the site of the
Hong Kong handover ceremony in 1997. The
WTO Ministerial Conference of 2005 in 2005 was also one of the largest international events ever hosted in Hong Kong, with 148 nations participating.
Reclamations
to
1997Wan Chai has been extended outward with a series of land reclamation schemes. Early in 1841, where the earliest coastline was located at Queen's Road East, the first reclamation took place. The project was privately funded and the government did not take part. There was no name associated with the first project. The next reclamation that had an effect on Wan Chai was the
Praya East Reclamation Scheme. The coastline was extended to
Praya, that is, today's Johnston Road and Hennessy Road. The reclamation after World War II from 1965 to
1972 pulled the coastline out to the areas around Convention Avenue and the
Wan Chai Pier. The 1990s
Central and Wan Chai Reclamation#Wan Chai Development Project added land to where the current Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre exists today.
Community life
Arts & Culture
Wan Chai is a major foreign and Chinese cultural hub in Hong Kong. It is home to
Alliance Francaise,
Goethe Institut,
Dante Alighieri and the British Council. Near the waterfront are the
Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and
Hong Kong Arts Centre, two of the most popular venues for theatrical and cultural performances in the region. The academy is a convenient venue for
dramas, concerts, dances, and musical theater. Every year there are many Broadway musicals playing in the academy, including Western plays such as
Singin' in the Rain (film),
Saturday Night Fever, and
Annie. The Art Centre also houses a few galleries, rehearsal rooms, and restaurants promoting the view of the harbour. The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), a
Hong Kong dollar4.8 billion convention centre extension completed in
1997, covers over 16 acres (65,000 m²) of newly reclaimed land that added an extra 38,000 m² of functional space to the existing convention centre. It remains a venue for international trade fairs, some of which are the biggest in the world. The July annual
Hong Kong Book Fair along with
cosplay competitions are also held at the facilities.
Dining
- Dai pai dong, open-air restaurants in a big tent, is another classic restaurant type that appeared in Wan Chai. Despite the often unclean and uncomfortable eating conditions, many people are attracted to the freshly-made Rice noodle roll, congee and chow mein early in the morning. Due to urban renewal projects in recent years, most of these restaurants are fading away.
- Yum Cha, is the name associated with having dim sum. People usually have "one bowl with two pieces" (一盅兩件, meaning a cup of tea with two dim sums) for breakfast. There were three old-styled dims restaurants remaining in Wan Chai, namely Lung Mun, Lung To, and Lung Tuen. Lung Mun is the only one still operating. A number of Buddhist cuisine are also available in the area.
- The 1980s in Hong Kong also saw an expansion of Cuisine of Hong Kong#Western Styles in Wan Chai. Nowadays, Japanese cuisine, Korean cuisine, Vietnamese cuisine, Thai cuisine and Indian cuisine restaurants are all very common. There are also many fast food restaurants serving Cantonese cuisine and other Chinese dishes, including the franchised Maxim's Catering and Café de Coral. Jaffe Road and Lockhart Road are famous for pubs.
Southorn activities
basketball courtSouthorn Playground is a major landmark in Hong Kong, particularly to the senior residents. It is a place associated with entertainment as well as work, with its atmosphere changing throughout the day. In the morning,
coolie come together to wait for employment. In the evening, it is altered into an open-air area with people selling food, performing magic and
kung fu.
Some of the trademark activities include senior citizens playing
Xiangqi. The younger generation would play
soccer and
basketball with street basketball games attracting flocks of young spectators and players. Occasionally, three-player drill contests and
hip hop dance competitions are held in the park.
Religious diversity
Wan Chai offers a wide range of religion like
Buddhism, Taoism,
Roman Catholic Church, Protestantism,
Christianity,
Sikhism and Islam. Despite such great differences, many religious structures are located in close proximity with one another. Hung Shing Temple, for example, is a typically Taoist temple. Inside, there are Buddhist Kwun Yum chapels next to the main altar. People coming to worship
Hung Shing Ye could also burn joss sticks to Kwun Yum as well. Villain hitting is another blended ceremony, combining the disproportional
Confucianism,
Taoism and even Chinese folk religion. Some old female "psychics" perform this ancient ceremony under the Canal Road Flyover in particular days of a lunar month. The Wan Chai
Khalsa Diwan Sikh Temple is the biggest Gurdwara in Hong Kong.
Tourism and landmarks
at night
Tourism and landmarks
Wan Chai offers historical conservation spots including Old Wan Chai Post Office, Hung Shing Temple and
Pak Tai Temple. Many of the medium-sized shopping centres are named in numerals, such as Oriental 188, 328, and 298 Computer Centre. The numbers may come from the earlier days when prostitution houses were all numbered, and referred to as "big numbers" (大冧巴, dai lum bah). There are also many commercial complexes and skyscrapers. The
Hong Kong dollar4.4 billion 78-story skyscraper
Central Plaza, Hong Kong currently stand as the second tallest in Hong Kong. The apex of Central Plaza is designed as a unique neon tower clock. It consists of four neon spandrel bands, each representing 15 minutes, and the colour changes from top to bottom. When the four bands are of the same colour, an hour has passed. More than an innovative clock,
"Lightime" has become a new symbol the same way Eiffel Tower reminds people of
Paris. Small but free art exhibitions are on also the second floor year round. Other tourist attractions include Golden Bauhinia Square featuring a flag-raising ceremony held daily outside the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The ceremony is enhanced on July 1 (Transfer of the sovereignty of Hong Kong) and October 1 (
National Day of the People's Republic of China).
A 3-story
pergola exhibit is built opposite to Li Chit Garden.
Tai Fat Hau footbridge also holds an art display comprised of 30,000 citizens' fingerprints slated for the
Guinness Book of World Records. The sticker pictures on the 50 poles of the bridge are roughly called the
"50 landscapes of Wan Chai" (灣仔五十景).
Bowen Road#Lovers' Rock reclines on the hillside of Bowen Road near Shiu Fai Terrace and looks like a stone pen sticking out of a stone base. This special looking rock is said to have granted happy marriages to devoted worshippers. Many people are attracted by its reputation.
Buildings and constructions
, comparable to those found in Guangzhou and
Taipei. Attached to the second story from the pavement, numerous pillars were built in front of the closed stores. against the demolishing action of the government
Architecture
Throughout Wan Chai's history, construction styles have changed according to the architectural movement at the time.
{|class="wikitable"! width=10% | Era! width=30% | Style! width=30% | Examples|-|
Qing Dynasty ] ||
Hung Shing Temple#Wan Chai|-| 1910s-1920s || Neoclassical architecture ]
Blue House (Hong Kong)|-| 1930s ||
Streamline Moderne ||Wan Chai Market ||Shop houses on [Lee Tung Street, Tai Yuen Street
Caltex House and [1960s in Hong Kong, an increasing number of bar (establishment)s and nightclubs were opened in the red-light district by
Jaffe Road and Lockhart Road. The establishments entertained visiting sailors landing at
Fenwick Pier. Beyond Gloucester Road is the commercial area developed in the late 1970s and 1980s, a time at which Hong Kong underwent economic development at full speed. At the same time, buildings like the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, and Central Plaza were constructed on the newly reclaimed land.
Urban decay and renewal
Many of Wan Chai's older buildings now face a serious problem of
urban decay. In order 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 Culture of Hong Kong.
- Demolition of Lee Tung St - Old buildings on Lee Tung Street are scheduled for demolition. Many businesses have shut down or moved out. Today, most stores have signs on their gate proclaiming "This is an Urban Renewal Authority Property".
- Renovation of Tai Yuen St - Visitors may gain a distinctive experience of bustling local street-stall shopping in Tai Yuen Street. Many huckster stalls sell a wide variety of Food preservation, garments, household products, dumplings, and Chinese herbal medicine. This predominantly tourist attraction area is a place where old houses and modern mansions mingle, creating an interesting disparity.
- Renewal of Southorn Playground — In partnership with the Wan Chai District Council, the British Council invited English designer, Thomas Heatherwick, and urban renewal specialist, Fred Manson, to lead a public art project at Southorn Playground.
Central and Wan Chai reclamation
After the completion of the Central and Wan Chai Reclamation Feasibility Study in
1989, the Land Development Policy Committee endorsed the idea of an ongoing series of reclamation. The reclamation comprises three district development cells separated by parks, namely, Central, Tamar and Exhibition. Each cell was further divided into five phases.
Transportation
Geographically, Wan Chai is the midpoint between the west (West Point, Hong Kong/Central, Hong Kong) and the east (
Causeway Bay/
North Point), linking all points on Hong Kong Island. The Transport in Hong Kong is efficient, convenient and highly accessible.
Transportation Interchange
Ferries
Star Ferry is the sole ferry operator in the area at Wan Chai Pier. Several lines cross
Victoria Harbour from
HKCEC, Wan Chai. Destinations include Cultural Centre in
Tsim Sha Tsui and Whampoa Garden in Hung Hom. Even though there are now numerous ways to cross Victoria Harbour, the Star Ferry continues to provide an inexpensive option.
in Wan Chai
Main roads and tunnels
Wan Chai's
Gloucester Road, Hong Kong is connected to Cross-Harbour Tunnel, the first underwater tunnel in Hong Kong.Bray, Denis. (2001). Hong Kong Metamorphosis. Hong Kong University Press. ISBN 962209550X. Bridging Hong Kong Island at
Kellet Island and a reclaimed site at
Hung Hom Bay in Kowloon, the tunnel provides a direct link. Prior to the tunnel's opening in 1972, crossing the harbour depended solely on the Star ferries.Harper, Damian. (2005). China. Lonely Planet. ISBN 1740596870 Linking the main financial districts on both sides of Victoria Harbour, the tunnel carries 123,000 vehicles daily. Other roads such as
Queen's Road have been one of the earliest development spots in the history of Hong Kong. Landmarks such as
Hennessy Road were named after previous
Governor of Hong Kong, leaving an impression of its Colonial past.
- Aberdeen Tunnel
- Canal Road, Hong Kong flyover
- Gloucester Road, Hong Kong
- Fleming Road
- Wan Chai Road
and
Taxicabs of Hong Kong
Mass Transit Railway
The main MTR railway is beneath Hennessy Road in the locality. Due to the large area of Wan Chai, more than 50 entry/exit gates and 8 entrances/exits are set up. One of the entrances/exits is on the footbridge along
O'Brien Road, which leads to Immigration Tower in Wan Chai North.
- MTR: Island Line, MTR — Wan Chai (MTR)
Trams
Tram services are available between Shau Kei Wan on the east of the island, and Kennedy Town on the west, with a branch circuit in
Happy Valley, Hong Kong. The route serves Johnston Road and
Hennessy Road.
Buses
Most buses travel in Wan Chai from
Admiralty to
Causeway Bay via
Hennessy Road, whereas one would use Johnston Road or Gloucester Road as detours.
- Bus routes:
- New World First Bus: 2, 2A, 2X, 8, 8P, 15, 18, 18P, 19, 23, 23A, 23B, 25, 26, 38, 42, 63, 66, 81, 720, M722
- Citybus (Hong Kong): 1, 5, 5B, 6, 6X, 8X, 10, 11, 37A, 37B, 40, 40M, 70, 72, 72A, 76, 77, 85, 90, 92, 96, 97, 260, 592, 780, 788, 789, to and from Hong Kong International Airport via Western Harbour Crossing: A11, A12, E11
- Tunnel buses routes:
- Cross-Harbour Tunnel: 101, 102, 103, 104, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 115, 116, 117, 170, 171, 182
- Eastern Harbour Crossing: 601, 603, 619, 671, 680, 681, 690, 692
- Western Harbour Crossing: 905, 914, 960, 961, 962, 968, 969
- There is a bus terminal opposite the Star Ferry.
Taxis
Only
Taxicabs of Hong Kong services are available in Wan Chai. Besides some restricted Curb (road)s in the highways, there are some designated pick-up and drop-off points in the region.
Minibus
There are two types of Public light bus in Wan Chai, green minibus and red minibus. In general, green minibuses operate scheduled service, with fixed routes and fixed fares. Red minibuses run on non-scheduled service, although some routes may in effect become fixed over time.
- Routes:
- Green: 4A, 4B, 4C, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 14M, 21A, 21M, 24A, 24M, 25, 28, 30, 31, 35M, 36X, 39M, 40, 56, 69
- Red:
Wan Chai in fiction
- Wan Chai is a prominent location in the video game Deus Ex. Many architectural and geographical elements are represented faithfully considering the graphical limitation at the time in 2000.
- Wan Chai is also in the Video Game Shenmue II. It is divided into 7 quarters.
Gallery
Image:DSCN1973.JPG|A printing shop closed down with a sign posted by the
Urban Renewal AuthorityImage:DSCN1967.JPG|Old dilapidated buildings in metro areaImage:DSCN1966.JPG|Tai Yau Arcade
See also
References
External links
Official websites
- Wan Chai District Council
- Hong Kong Fun in 18 Districts — Wan Chai
Personal website
- A memoir of a Wan Chai District resident (Traditional Chinese only)
Other websites
- Retracing the Wan Chai Coastline — with oral history interviews with old residents (Traditional Chinese only)
- More pictures of Wan Chai
- Display Wan Chai 1841-1997 Government Records Service
Bibliography
Documents
- A Study on Historical and Architectural Context of Wan Chai Market written by the Hong Kong Institute of Architects. May 2004. (Adobe Adobe Acrobat pdf format)
Project pages
- "Wan Chai ‧Today‧Tomorrow and After" Roadshow
- Save Wan Chai Market Action
- Wan Chai Memory‧Photo and Writing Competition
Press
- Renovation of Southorn Playground by Ta Kung Pao. 29 March 2005.
Website
- Hong Kong Fun in 18 Districts — Wan Chai
- Remembering Wanchai – A Community Oral History Project conducted by the University of Hong Kong Centre of Asian Studies
- Centamap, providing information of transport in Wan Chai
{{HKDistrict |centre =
Wan Chai District ]) |west =
Central and Western District ] |location =
Causeway Bay |
Jardine's Lookout | [Tai Hang | [Wong Nai Chung Gap ] |-->
Wan Chai is a metropolitan area situated at the western part of the Wan Chai District in northern
Hong Kong Island, in
Hong Kong,
China. Its boundaries are
Canal Road, Hong Kong in the east, Arsenal Street in the west and
Bowen Road in the south. The area north of Gloucester Road, Hong Kong is often called
Wan Chai North. Wan Chai is one of the busiest commercial areas in Hong Kong with many small to medium-sized companies. Wan Chai North features office towers, parks, hotels and an international conference centre. As one of the first areas developed in Hong Kong, the locale is highly-populated yet with noticeable residential zones facing
urban decay. Arousing much public concern, the government has put an effort in
urban renewal in recent years. There are many unique buildings and List of buildings, sites, and areas in Hong Kong#List of skyscrapers, the most notable ones being the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), Central Plaza, Hong Kong and
Hopewell Centre, Hong Kong.
Names
Wan Chai originally began as
Ha Wan (下環), literally meaning "a bottom ring" or "lower circuit".Wordie, Jason. (2002) Streets: Exploring Hong Kong Island. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press. ISBN 962-2095631 As one of the earliest developed areas in Hong Kong. Central, Hong Kong, Sheung Wan,
Sai Wan and Wan Chai are collectively known as the
four rings (四環) by the locals. Wan Chai literally means "a cove" in Cantonese (linguistics), but the area itself is no longer a cove due to drastic city development and continual
land reclamation.
History
sWan Chai was 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 Hung Shing Temple overlooking the entire harbour. As the God of the Sea,
Hung Shing Ye was one of the symbols worshiped by the locals.
When the
British Empire arrived in History of Colonial Hong Kong (1800s - 1930s), Wan Chai began modernizing in the 1840s as a high-class commercial centre.
Spring Garden Lane was one of the focal points of development. By the 1850s the area was already becoming a Chinese residential area. There were dockyards in Ship Street, Hong Kong and McGregor Street for building and repairing ships. The edge of
Sun Street,
Moon Street and
Star Street (Hong Kong) is the original site of the first power station in Hong Kong, operated by the Hongkong Electric, which began supplying power in 1890. One of the first water-front military hospitals was the Seaman's Hospital built in 1843 as part of the
HMS Tamar (shore station) for the Royal Navy. It was later revitalized as the
Ruttonjee Hospital.
Several renowned schools were located in Wan Chai in the past. One of these was established by the famous traditional teacher, Mo Dunmei (莫敦梅). Started as a
shushu (書塾) in 1919, the school was renamed Dunmei School (敦梅學校) in 1934. It taught
classical Chinese writings and Confucianism ethics.
During the Japanese Occupation of Hong Kong in the 1940s, many bombardments took place. Stories of
cannibalism,
starvation, torture and abuses by Japanese soldiers, and child labourers were told. Senior residents recall vividly how they survived the hardships. The Dunmei school was closed during the Japanese occupation period. After the war, the school continued to provide Chinese education for children from families of higher income.
During the
1950s in Hong Kong the Communist Party of China underground cell network Hailiushe (海流社) was headquartered in the rooftop of a multi-story house on
Spring Garden Lane. The group was successfully raided by the Hong Kong Police Force.Fung, Chi Ming, Reluctant Heroes: Rickshaw Pullers in Hong Kong and Canton, 1874-1954. ISBN 9622097340
Prostitution is one of the oldest occupations in Wan Chai. There are numerous historical western accounts of women trading sex for western merchandise as soon as sailors got off the trading ships.Shi, Shuqing. Lin, Sylvia Li-chun. Goldblatt, Howard. (2005). City of the Queen: A Novel of Colonial Hong Kong. Columbia university press. ISBN 0231134568. In the 1960s in Hong Kong, Wan Chai became legendary for its exotic
night life, especially for the United States Army resting there during the
Vietnam war. Despite rapid changes due to reclamation and redevelopment, the presence of sex workers operating among ordinary residents continue to be a distinct feature of the area. Some of the lifestyle has been illustrated in the past in movies such as
The World of Suzie Wong (film).Eric Cavaliero, face of Wan Chai, The Standard, July 03, 1997
Wan Chai's
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre was the site of the Hong Kong handover ceremony in 1997. The
WTO Ministerial Conference of 2005 in 2005 was also one of the largest international events ever hosted in Hong Kong, with 148 nations participating.
Reclamations
to
1997Wan Chai has been extended outward with a series of land reclamation schemes. Early in 1841, where the earliest coastline was located at Queen's Road East, the first reclamation took place. The project was privately funded and the government did not take part. There was no name associated with the first project. The next reclamation that had an effect on Wan Chai was the Praya East Reclamation Scheme. The coastline was extended to Praya, that is, today's Johnston Road and
Hennessy Road. The reclamation after World War II from 1965 to
1972 pulled the coastline out to the areas around
Convention Avenue and the
Wan Chai Pier. The 1990s
Central and Wan Chai Reclamation#Wan Chai Development Project added land to where the current
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre exists today.
Community life
Arts & Culture
Wan Chai is a major foreign and Chinese cultural hub in Hong Kong. It is home to
Alliance Francaise,
Goethe Institut, Dante Alighieri and the British Council. Near the waterfront are the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and
Hong Kong Arts Centre, two of the most popular venues for theatrical and cultural performances in the region. The academy is a convenient venue for dramas,
concerts, dances, and musical theater. Every year there are many
Broadway musicals playing in the academy, including Western plays such as
Singin' in the Rain (film),
Saturday Night Fever, and
Annie. The Art Centre also houses a few galleries, rehearsal rooms, and restaurants promoting the view of the harbour. The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), a
Hong Kong dollar4.8 billion convention centre extension completed in 1997, covers over 16 acres (65,000 m²) of newly reclaimed land that added an extra 38,000 m² of functional space to the existing convention centre. It remains a venue for international trade fairs, some of which are the biggest in the world. The July annual
Hong Kong Book Fair along with cosplay competitions are also held at the facilities.
Dining
- Dai pai dong, open-air restaurants in a big tent, is another classic restaurant type that appeared in Wan Chai. Despite the often unclean and uncomfortable eating conditions, many people are attracted to the freshly-made Rice noodle roll, congee and chow mein early in the morning. Due to urban renewal projects in recent years, most of these restaurants are fading away.
- Yum Cha, is the name associated with having dim sum. People usually have "one bowl with two pieces" (一盅兩件, meaning a cup of tea with two dim sums) for breakfast. There were three old-styled dims restaurants remaining in Wan Chai, namely Lung Mun, Lung To, and Lung Tuen. Lung Mun is the only one still operating. A number of Buddhist cuisine are also available in the area.
- The 1980s in Hong Kong also saw an expansion of Cuisine of Hong Kong#Western Styles in Wan Chai. Nowadays, Japanese cuisine, Korean cuisine, Vietnamese cuisine, Thai cuisine and Indian cuisine restaurants are all very common. There are also many fast food restaurants serving Cantonese cuisine and other Chinese dishes, including the franchised Maxim's Catering and Café de Coral. Jaffe Road and Lockhart Road are famous for pubs.
Southorn activities
basketball courtSouthorn Playground is a major landmark in Hong Kong, particularly to the senior residents. It is a place associated with entertainment as well as work, with its atmosphere changing throughout the day. In the morning,
coolie come together to wait for employment. In the evening, it is altered into an open-air area with people selling food, performing magic and kung fu.
Some of the trademark activities include senior citizens playing
Xiangqi. The younger generation would play soccer and
basketball with street basketball games attracting flocks of young spectators and players. Occasionally, three-player drill contests and
hip hop dance competitions are held in the park.
Religious diversity
Wan Chai offers a wide range of religion like
Buddhism, Taoism,
Roman Catholic Church, Protestantism, Christianity,
Sikhism and
Islam. Despite such great differences, many religious structures are located in close proximity with one another.
Hung Shing Temple, for example, is a typically
Taoist temple. Inside, there are
Buddhist Kwun Yum chapels next to the main altar. People coming to worship
Hung Shing Ye could also burn
joss sticks to Kwun Yum as well. Villain hitting is another blended ceremony, combining the disproportional
Confucianism,
Taoism and even
Chinese folk religion. Some old female "psychics" perform this ancient ceremony under the Canal Road Flyover in particular days of a lunar month. The Wan Chai Khalsa Diwan Sikh Temple is the biggest Gurdwara in Hong Kong.
Tourism and landmarks
at night
Tourism and landmarks
Wan Chai offers historical conservation spots including Old Wan Chai Post Office,
Hung Shing Temple and
Pak Tai Temple. Many of the medium-sized shopping centres are named in numerals, such as Oriental 188, 328, and 298 Computer Centre. The numbers may come from the earlier days when prostitution houses were all numbered, and referred to as "big numbers" (大冧巴, dai lum bah). There are also many commercial complexes and skyscrapers. The
Hong Kong dollar4.4 billion 78-story skyscraper
Central Plaza, Hong Kong currently stand as the second tallest in Hong Kong. The apex of Central Plaza is designed as a unique neon tower clock. It consists of four neon
spandrel bands, each representing 15 minutes, and the colour changes from top to bottom. When the four bands are of the same colour, an hour has passed. More than an innovative clock,
"Lightime" has become a new symbol the same way
Eiffel Tower reminds people of
Paris. Small but free art exhibitions are on also the second floor year round. Other tourist attractions include Golden Bauhinia Square featuring a flag-raising ceremony held daily outside the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The ceremony is enhanced on July 1 (
Transfer of the sovereignty of Hong Kong) and October 1 (
National Day of the People's Republic of China).
A 3-story
pergola exhibit is built opposite to Li Chit Garden. Tai Fat Hau footbridge also holds an art display comprised of 30,000 citizens' fingerprints slated for the
Guinness Book of World Records. The sticker pictures on the 50 poles of the bridge are roughly called the
"50 landscapes of Wan Chai" (灣仔五十景).
Bowen Road#Lovers' Rock reclines on the hillside of Bowen Road near Shiu Fai Terrace and looks like a stone pen sticking out of a stone base. This special looking rock is said to have granted happy marriages to devoted worshippers. Many people are attracted by its reputation.
Buildings and constructions
, comparable to those found in Guangzhou and
Taipei. Attached to the second story from the pavement, numerous pillars were built in front of the closed stores. against the demolishing action of the government
Architecture
Throughout Wan Chai's history, construction styles have changed according to the architectural movement at the time.
{|class="wikitable"! width=10% | Era! width=30% | Style! width=30% | Examples|-|
Qing Dynasty ] ||Hung Shing Temple#Wan Chai|-| 1910s-1920s ||
Neoclassical architecture ]
Blue House (Hong Kong)|-| 1930s ||
Streamline Moderne ||
Wan Chai Market ||Shop houses on [Lee Tung Street,
Tai Yuen StreetCaltex House and [1960s in Hong Kong, an increasing number of
bar (establishment)s and
nightclubs were opened in the
red-light district by Jaffe Road and
Lockhart Road. The establishments entertained visiting sailors landing at Fenwick Pier. Beyond Gloucester Road is the commercial area developed in the late 1970s and 1980s, a time at which Hong Kong underwent economic development at full speed. At the same time, buildings like the
Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts,
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, and Central Plaza were constructed on the newly reclaimed land.
Urban decay and renewal
Many of Wan Chai's older buildings now face a serious problem of
urban decay. In order 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
Culture of Hong Kong.
- Demolition of Lee Tung St - Old buildings on Lee Tung Street are scheduled for demolition. Many businesses have shut down or moved out. Today, most stores have signs on their gate proclaiming "This is an Urban Renewal Authority Property".
- Renovation of Tai Yuen St - Visitors may gain a distinctive experience of bustling local street-stall shopping in Tai Yuen Street. Many huckster stalls sell a wide variety of Food preservation, garments, household products, dumplings, and Chinese herbal medicine. This predominantly tourist attraction area is a place where old houses and modern mansions mingle, creating an interesting disparity.
Central and Wan Chai reclamation
After the completion of the Central and Wan Chai Reclamation Feasibility Study in 1989, the Land Development Policy Committee endorsed the idea of an ongoing series of reclamation. The reclamation comprises three district development cells separated by parks, namely, Central, Tamar and Exhibition. Each cell was further divided into five phases.
Transportation
Geographically, Wan Chai is the midpoint between the west (West Point, Hong Kong/
Central, Hong Kong) and the east (
Causeway Bay/
North Point), linking all points on Hong Kong Island. The
Transport in Hong Kong is efficient, convenient and highly accessible.
Transportation Interchange
Ferries
Star Ferry is the sole ferry operator in the area at Wan Chai Pier. Several lines cross
Victoria Harbour from
HKCEC, Wan Chai. Destinations include
Cultural Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui and Whampoa Garden in Hung Hom. Even though there are now numerous ways to cross Victoria Harbour, the Star Ferry continues to provide an inexpensive option.
in Wan Chai
Main roads and tunnels
Wan Chai's Gloucester Road, Hong Kong is connected to Cross-Harbour Tunnel, the first underwater tunnel in Hong Kong.Bray, Denis. (2001). Hong Kong Metamorphosis. Hong Kong University Press. ISBN 962209550X. Bridging
Hong Kong Island at
Kellet Island and a reclaimed site at Hung Hom Bay in Kowloon, the tunnel provides a direct link. Prior to the tunnel's opening in 1972, crossing the harbour depended solely on the Star ferries.Harper, Damian. (2005). China. Lonely Planet. ISBN 1740596870 Linking the main financial districts on both sides of Victoria Harbour, the tunnel carries 123,000 vehicles daily. Other roads such as
Queen's Road have been one of the earliest development spots in the history of Hong Kong. Landmarks such as Hennessy Road were named after previous
Governor of Hong Kong, leaving an impression of its Colonial past.
and Taxicabs of Hong Kong
Mass Transit Railway
The main
MTR railway is beneath Hennessy Road in the locality. Due to the large area of Wan Chai, more than 50 entry/exit gates and 8 entrances/exits are set up. One of the entrances/exits is on the footbridge along
O'Brien Road, which leads to Immigration Tower in Wan Chai North.
Trams
Tram services are available between Shau Kei Wan on the east of the island, and Kennedy Town on the west, with a branch circuit in
Happy Valley, Hong Kong. The route serves
Johnston Road and Hennessy Road.
Buses
Most buses travel in Wan Chai from Admiralty to Causeway Bay via Hennessy Road, whereas one would use Johnston Road or Gloucester Road as detours.
- Bus routes:
- New World First Bus: 2, 2A, 2X, 8, 8P, 15, 18, 18P, 19, 23, 23A, 23B, 25, 26, 38, 42, 63, 66, 81, 720, M722
- Citybus (Hong Kong): 1, 5, 5B, 6, 6X, 8X, 10, 11, 37A, 37B, 40, 40M, 70, 72, 72A, 76, 77, 85, 90, 92, 96, 97, 260, 592, 780, 788, 789, to and from Hong Kong International Airport via Western Harbour Crossing: A11, A12, E11
- Tunnel buses routes:
- Cross-Harbour Tunnel: 101, 102, 103, 104, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 115, 116, 117, 170, 171, 182
- Eastern Harbour Crossing: 601, 603, 619, 671, 680, 681, 690, 692
- Western Harbour Crossing: 905, 914, 960, 961, 962, 968, 969
- There is a bus terminal opposite the Star Ferry.
Taxis
Only Taxicabs of Hong Kong services are available in Wan Chai. Besides some restricted Curb (road)s in the highways, there are some designated pick-up and drop-off points in the region.
Minibus
There are two types of Public light bus in Wan Chai, green minibus and red minibus. In general, green minibuses operate scheduled service, with fixed routes and fixed fares. Red minibuses run on non-scheduled service, although some routes may in effect become fixed over time.
- Routes:
- Green: 4A, 4B, 4C, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 14M, 21A, 21M, 24A, 24M, 25, 28, 30, 31, 35M, 36X, 39M, 40, 56, 69
- Red:
- Sai Wan — Causeway Bay (Daimaru) / Shau Kei Wan
- Tsuen Wan — Wan Chai
- Sheung Shui — Wan Chai
- Yuen Long — Wan Chai
Wan Chai in fiction
- Wan Chai is a prominent location in the video game Deus Ex. Many architectural and geographical elements are represented faithfully considering the graphical limitation at the time in 2000.
- Wan Chai is also in the Video Game Shenmue II. It is divided into 7 quarters.
Gallery
Image:DSCN1973.JPG|A printing shop closed down with a sign posted by the
Urban Renewal AuthorityImage:DSCN1967.JPG|Old dilapidated buildings in metro areaImage:DSCN1966.JPG|Tai Yau Arcade
See also
References
External links
Official websites
- Wan Chai District Council
- Hong Kong Fun in 18 Districts — Wan Chai
Personal website
- A memoir of a Wan Chai District resident (Traditional Chinese only)
Other websites
- Retracing the Wan Chai Coastline — with oral history interviews with old residents (Traditional Chinese only)
- More pictures of Wan Chai
- Display Wan Chai 1841-1997 Government Records Service
Bibliography
Documents
- A Study on Historical and Architectural Context of Wan Chai Market written by the Hong Kong Institute of Architects. May 2004. (Adobe Adobe Acrobat pdf format)
Project pages
- "Wan Chai ‧Today‧Tomorrow and After" Roadshow
- Save Wan Chai Market Action
- Wan Chai Memory‧Photo and Writing Competition
Press
- Renovation of Southorn Playground by Ta Kung Pao. 29 March 2005.
Website
- Hong Kong Fun in 18 Districts — Wan Chai
- Remembering Wanchai – A Community Oral History Project conducted by the University of Hong Kong Centre of Asian Studies
- Centamap, providing information of transport in Wan Chai
{{HKDistrict |centre =
Wan Chai District ]) |west =
Central and Western District ] |location =
Causeway Bay |
Jardine's Lookout | [Tai Hang | [Wong Nai Chung Gap ] |-->
