My father lived in Kowloon Walled City
Click to see full size
So I’m hanging out with my dad today (my parents are here in Melbourne visiting) and somehow I got to talking with him about his life in Hong Kong before he moved to the United States. Out of curiosity, I ask my dad if he knows what Kowloon Walled City is, and amazingly, he tells me that HE LIVED THERE FOR 14 YEARS WHEN HE LIVED IN HONG KONG!
My fascination with this demolished city suddenly felt very personal. I began firing question after question at my dad about what life was like living in the “City of Darkness”. And his personal accounts were just incredible. I don’t think I’ve ever been so fascinated with my dad before. He basically recounted the history of Kowloon Walled City and the string of events in history that lead it to become notorious as a haven for illegal activity and lawlessness.
He says that there was prostitution, rampant gang activity, illegal businesses, and heaps of amateur dentists lining the side of the city that he lived on. My dad himself was a shoemaker while living there (my family has roots in the shoe business in Hong Kong) and he made shoes for money when he wasn’t at school.
To get to school, my dad had to walk from his house and through the center of this incredible makeshift city to get to the other side before taking a bus to attend classes.
Because of the deal between China and Great Britain at the time, British police had no power within the Kowloon city walls. My dad recalls thieves robbing people on the outskirts of the city and then immediately running into the Kowloon city center in order to evade capture. The British police were simply not allowed into Kowloon Walled City.
The street that determined where the British had power was called “Boundary Street“.
My interest in this place in Hong Kong’s history has been reignited. I can’t believe that I’ve known somebody this whole time who actually lived in there! I’ve read so many things about it over the past few months, and to hear a personal account of it all is just fantastic.
I’ve included some more photos of the city that I’ve never posted on Doobybrain before. Check them out inside.
Click image to see larger size
Click image to see larger size
Click image to see larger size
Click image to see larger size
Previously on Doobybrain.com: Videos from within Kowloon Walled City and The City of Darkness.
Similar Posts on Doobybrain.com:
- Kowloon Walled City: City of Darkness
- Videos from within Kowloon Walled City
- LOOK AT WHERE THE FUCK I AM!
- Multiple clocks are useful
- Jack Spade “Canal Street” New Era
May 1st, 2008 at 9:59 pm
wow, amazing. i reckon there has to be so much about my parents that i don’t know about that i will hopefully find out later in life and be fascinated by the way you have
[Reply]
May 1st, 2008 at 10:17 pm
that’s insane! cool! my parents never told us bedtime stories.. but my mom would tell us life stories of our dad when we were little.. so i actually know a lot about him.. but i don’t know if he knows that i know haha
[Reply]
May 1st, 2008 at 11:40 pm
Tonight I discovered The Walled City… and omg, it’s the epitome of inspiration for writing settings.
I came across your blog, and decided to check out the main page… to find a post like this is shickingly awesome! Milk your dad for every bit of history you can, because a place like that is so unique.
Also: yay for Melbourne!
[Reply]
May 2nd, 2008 at 2:04 am
whoa…that is cool.
baba is cool.
mommy is cool too.
[Reply]
May 2nd, 2008 at 11:05 pm
I try to read your blog every other day or so… I must agree with the previous comments. Write down your fathers stories and put them up for all to read. Get as many details as you can. We would all like to read more.
Thanks for a great blog. Only read about 3 regularly and yours is my favorite.
J
[Reply]
May 3rd, 2008 at 2:54 pm
haha i remember my dad telling me bedtime stories about gang wars that he witnessed in walled city/ gao long sen chai. i remember that there’s also a memorial there with stone statues of the twelve zodiac animals where i played……
[Reply]
July 6th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
[...] The Kowloon Walled City was located just outside Hong Kong, China during British rule. A former watchpost to protect the [...]
July 6th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
[...] The Kowloon Walled City was located just outside Hong Kong, China during British rule. A former watchpost to protect the [...]
July 6th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
Very impressive ! Looking on google maps it looks like they have removed all trace of the place. Fly to these coords to see 22 19′ 54.52″N, 114 11′ 25.0″ E
[Reply]
July 8th, 2008 at 4:51 am
[...] http://www.doobybrain.com/, more: http://weburbanist.com/ http://www.archidose.org/KWC/ Bookmarken bei: geschrieben von [...]
July 8th, 2008 at 5:52 am
[...] 1 Link 2 Geschrieben von Rouven am Dienstag, 8. Juli 2008 Abgelegt unter All das [...]