Wan Chai
Encyclopedia
Wan Chai (ˌwɑːn ˈtʃaɪ ) is a metropolitan area situated at the western part of the Wan Chai District
on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island
, in Hong Kong
. Its other boundaries are Canal Road
to the east, Arsenal Street
to the west and Bowen Road
to the south. The area north of Gloucester Road
is often called Wan Chai North. Wan Chai is one of the busiest commercial areas in Hong Kong with many small and medium-sized companies. Wan Chai North features office towers, parks, hotels and an international conference and exhibition centre. As one of the first areas developed in Hong Kong, the locale is densely populated yet with noticeable residential zones facing urban decay
. Arousing considerable public concern, the government has undertaken several urban renewal
projects in recent years. There are many unique buildings and skyscrapers, most notably the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
(HKCEC), Central Plaza
and Hopewell Centre
.
, 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, but the area itself is no longer a cove due to drastic city development and continual land reclamation
.
Wan 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. Hung Shing Ye, the God of the Sea, was one of the deities worshiped by the locals.
With the growth of the British
Hong Kong administration, centred in old Victoria, modern Central, Wan Chai attracted those on the fringes of society, such as coolies, who came to live on Queen's Road East
. A focal point of development was Spring Gardens
, a red-light zone
. By the 1850s the area was already becoming a Chinese residential area. There were dockyards in Ship Street
and McGregor Street for building and repairing ships. The edge of Sun Street
, Moon Street and Star Street is the original site of the first power station in Hong Kong, operated by the Hongkong Electric Company
, which began supplying power in 1890. One of the first water-front hospitals was the Seaman's hospital
built in 1843 funded by Jardine's. In was sold to the British Royal Navy
in 1873 and redeveloped into the Royal Naval Hospital. After WWII, it was later revitalized as the Ruttonjee hospital
.
The district was home to several well known schools. 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 Confucian
ethics.
During the Japanese occupation
in the 1940s, many bombardments took place. Stories of cannibalism
, starvation
, torture
and abuses by Japanese soldiers, and child labour 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
the pro-Communist
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
.
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. In the 1960s
, Wan Chai became legendary for its exotic night life
, especially for the US service men
resting there during the Vietnam war
. Therefore, it was ridden with sex crimes. Despite rapid changes due to reclamation and redevelopment, the presence of sex workers operating among ordinary residents continues 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
.
Wan Chai's HKCEC
was the site of the Hong Kong handover ceremony in 1997. The WTO Ministerial Conference
in 2005 was also one of the largest international events ever hosted in Hong Kong, with 148 nations participating.
In May 2009, 300 guests and staff members at the Metropark Hotel in Wan Chai were quarantined, suspected of being infected or in contact with the H1N1 virus during the 2009 swine flu outbreak. A 25 year old Mexican man who had stayed at the hotel was later found to have the viral infection. He had traveled to Hong Kong from Mexico via Shanghai
.
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 East
, 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 Wan Chai Development project added land to where the current HKCEC
exists today.
, Goethe Institut 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 drama
, mini-concert
s, dance
, and musicals. Every year there are many Broadway musicals playing in the academy, including Western plays such as Singin' in the Rain
, Saturday Night Fever
, and Annie
. The Arts Centre also houses galleries, rehearsal rooms and a restaurant overlooking the harbour. In halloween, expect to see youngsters to dress in costumes trying to scare passersby.The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
(HKCEC), a HK$4.8 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 facility.
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, labourers
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 Chinese chess
. The younger generation would play football 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.
Wan Chai offers a wide range of religion like Buddhism
, Taoism
, Catholicism
, 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 stick
s to Kwun Yum as well. Villain hitting
is another blended ceremony, combining the disproportional Confucianism
, Taoism
and even 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 Sikh temple
in Hong Kong.
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 HK$
4.4 billion 78-story skyscraper Central Plaza
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 (handover anniversary
) and October 1 (National Day
).
A 3-story pergola
exhibit is built opposite to Li Chit Garden. Tai Fat Hau footbridge also holds an art display 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).
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.
In the 1950s
and 1960s
, an increasing number of girlie bar
s and nightclub
s were opened in the red-light district
by Jaffe
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
, HKCEC
, and Central Plaza were constructed on the newly reclaimed land.
Skyscrapers in Wan Chai include:
. 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 Hong Kong cultural identity
.
has its headquarters in Immigration Tower
in Wan Chai. The Hong Kong Police Force
operates the Wan Chai District, headquartered at the Wan Chai Police District Headquarters at No.1 Arsenal Street, within the Hong Kong Police Headquarters Compound. Maggie Farley of the Los Angeles Times
said in 1996, referring to the then Wan Chai Police Station
, that the police headquarters was "a stolid, whitewashed building with square pillars and breezy verandas".
/Central
) and the east (Causeway Bay
/North Point
), linking all points on Hong Kong Island
. The transport infrastructure
is efficient, convenient and highly accessible.
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. Numerous shipping companies also have their headquarters in Wanchai such as Anglo-Eastern Group
.
is connected to Cross-Harbour Tunnel
, the first underwater tunnel in Hong Kong. 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. 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 East
have been one of the earliest development spots in the history of Hong Kong. Landmarks such as Hennessy Road
were named after previous Governors
, leaving an impression of its Colonial past.
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.
on the east of the island, and Kennedy Town
on the west, with a branch circuit in Happy Valley
. The route serves Johnston Road
and Hennessy Road
.
to Causeway Bay
via Hennessy Road
, whereas one would use Johnston Road
or Gloucester Road as detours.
services are available in Wan Chai. Besides some restricted kerb
s in the highways, there are some designated pick-up and drop-off points in the region.
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.
Personal website
Other websites
Wan Chai District
The Wan Chai District is one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong, located in the north of Hong Kong island. It had a population of 167,146 in 2001. The district has the second most educated residents with the highest income, the second lowest population and the third oldest residents, and is also the...
on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island is an island in the southern part of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km², as of 2008...
, in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. Its other boundaries are Canal Road
Canal Road, Hong Kong
Canal Road East , Canal Road West and the Canal Road Flyover are important roads in Wan Chai and Causeway Bay, Wan Chai District of Hong Kong....
to the east, Arsenal Street
Arsenal Street
Arsenal Street is a street between Admiralty and Wan Chai in Hong Kong. It ends south in Queensway and north Gloucester Road. The street is the ends of Lockhart Road and Jaffe Road.-History:...
to the west and Bowen Road
Bowen Road
Bowen Road is a road from the Mid-levels to Wong Nai Chung Gap of Hong Kong Island, on the slope above Central, Wan Chai and Happy Valley in Hong Kong...
to the south. The area north of Gloucester Road
Gloucester Road, Hong Kong
Gloucester Road is a major road in Hong Kong. It is in the north of Wan Chai and East Point on Hong Kong Island. It connects to Harcourt Road at its western end and it ends east along west side of Victoria Park. It forms part of Hong Kong's Route 4 and connects to the Island Eastern Corridor via...
is often called Wan Chai North. Wan Chai is one of the busiest commercial areas in Hong Kong with many small and medium-sized companies. Wan Chai North features office towers, parks, hotels and an international conference and exhibition centre. As one of the first areas developed in Hong Kong, the locale is densely populated yet with noticeable residential zones facing urban decay
Urban decay
Urban decay is the process whereby a previously functioning city, or part of a city, falls into disrepair and decrepitude...
. Arousing considerable public concern, the government has undertaken several urban renewal
Urban renewal
Urban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of...
projects in recent years. There are many unique buildings and skyscrapers, most notably the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre is one of the two major convention and exhibition venues in Hong Kong, along with AsiaWorld-Expo. It is located in Wan Chai North, Hong Kong Island. Built along the Victoria Harbour, it is linked by covered walkways to nearby hotels and commercial...
(HKCEC), Central Plaza
Central Plaza, Hong Kong
Central Plaza is the third tallest skyscraper in Hong Kong. With a height of 374 m , Central Plaza is only surpassed by 2 IFC in Central and the ICC in West Kowloon. The building is located at 18 Harbour Road, in Wan Chai on Hong Kong Island...
and Hopewell Centre
Hopewell Centre, Hong Kong
Hopewell Centre is a skyscraper in Hong Kong. It is located at 183 Queen's Road East, in Wan Chai on Hong Kong Island. It is the first circular skyscraper in Hong Kong. It is named after Hong Kong-listed property firm Hopewell Holdings Limited, which constructed the building...
.
Names
Wan Chai originally began as Ha Wan (下環), literally meaning "a bottom ring" or "lower circuit". As one of the earliest developed areas in Hong Kong. CentralCentral, Hong Kong
Central is the central business district of Hong Kong. It is located in Central and Western District, on the north shore of Hong Kong Island, across Victoria Harbour from Tsim Sha Tsui, the southernmost point of Kowloon Peninsula...
, Sheung Wan
Sheung Wan
Sheung Wan is an area in Hong Kong, located in the north-west of Hong Kong Island, between Central and Sai Ying Pun. Administratively, it is part of the Central and Western District...
, Sai Wan
Sai Wan
Sai Wan , or Western District, or simply Western, is an area in Hong Kong that corresponds to Sai Ying Pun, Shek Tong Tsui, Belcher Bay and Kennedy Town....
and Wan Chai are collectively known as the four rings (四環) by the locals. Wan Chai literally means "a cove" in Cantonese, but the area itself is no longer a cove due to drastic city development and continual land reclamation
Land reclamation in Hong Kong
Land is in short supply in Hong Kong, and land reclamation has been conducted there since the mid-19th century.-Projects:One of the earliest and famous project was the Praya Reclamation Scheme, which added 50 to of land in 1890 during the second phase of construction...
.
History
Hung Shing Temple, Wan Chai
The Hung Shing Temple in Wanchai, Hong Kong is one of several temples dedicated to Hung Shing in the territory.-Location:The temple is located at located at Nos. 129-131 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai. Tai Wong Street West and Tai Wong Street East intersect with Queen's Road East across the street...
. Most of them were fishermen, who worked around the area near Hung Shing Temple overlooking the entire harbour. Hung Shing Ye, the God of the Sea, was one of the deities worshiped by the locals.
With the growth of the British
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
Hong Kong administration, centred in old Victoria, modern Central, Wan Chai attracted those on the fringes of society, such as coolies, who came to live on Queen's Road East
Queen's Road
Queen's Road is the first road in Hong Kong built by the Government of Hong Kong between 1841 and 1843, spanning across Victoria City from Shek Tong Tsui to Wan Chai...
. A focal point of development was Spring Gardens
Spring Garden Lane
Spring Garden Lane is a street in Wan Chai, Hong Kong. It was one of the first focal areas developed by the British in the 1840s.-History:During the early development of Wan Chai, one of the focal area of development was Spring Gardens. The name was used by the British during the early Colonial...
, a red-light zone
Red-light district
A red-light district is a part of an urban area where there is a concentration of prostitution and sex-oriented businesses, such as sex shops, strip clubs, adult theaters, etc...
. By the 1850s the area was already becoming a Chinese residential area. There were dockyards in Ship Street
Ship Street, Hong Kong
Ship Street is a street in Wan Chai, Hong Kong. It starts from Johnston Road, crosses Queen's Road East and goes uphill southward and reaches Kennedy Road. Part of the street is ladders and much of the century old buildings are abandoned. Locals often refer to these buildings as the "Ghost...
and McGregor Street for building and repairing ships. The edge of Sun Street
Sun Street
Sun Street is a street in Wan Chai, with two companions Moon Street and Star Street , on the Hong Kong Island of Hong Kong.-History:...
, Moon Street and Star Street is the original site of the first power station in Hong Kong, operated by the Hongkong Electric Company
Hongkong Electric
Power Assets Holdings Limited is a vertically integrated electric utility company. Its subsidiary Hongkong Electric Company was the first company to provide electricity in Hong Kong. The service has been running in continuation since the 19th century...
, which began supplying power in 1890. One of the first water-front hospitals was the Seaman's hospital
Seaman's Hospital
Seaman's Hospital was originally opened by Dr Young, a surgeon of the Honourable East India Company in 1843 during the First Opium War.-History:...
built in 1843 funded by Jardine's. In was sold to the British Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
in 1873 and redeveloped into the Royal Naval Hospital. After WWII, it was later revitalized as the Ruttonjee hospital
Ruttonjee Hospital
Ruttonjee Hospital is a hospital in Wan Chai on Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. It is affiliated with the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, at the University of Hong Kong, and provides clinical attachment opportunities for the university's medical students.-History:Centrally located in Wan Chai, the...
.
The district was home to several well known schools. 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
Classical Chinese
Classical Chinese or Literary Chinese is a traditional style of written Chinese based on the grammar and vocabulary of ancient Chinese, making it different from any modern spoken form of Chinese...
writings and Confucian
Confucianism
Confucianism is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius . Confucianism originated as an "ethical-sociopolitical teaching" during the Spring and Autumn Period, but later developed metaphysical and cosmological elements in the Han...
ethics.
During the Japanese occupation
Japanese occupation of Hong Kong
The Japanese occupation of Hong Kong began after the Governor of Hong Kong, Sir Mark Young, surrendered the territory of Hong Kong to Japan on 25 December 1941 after 18 days of fierce fighting by British and Canadian defenders against overwhelming Japanese Imperial forces. The occupation lasted...
in the 1940s, many bombardments took place. Stories of cannibalism
Cannibalism
Cannibalism is the act or practice of humans eating the flesh of other human beings. It is also called anthropophagy...
, starvation
Starvation
Starvation is a severe deficiency in caloric energy, nutrient and vitamin intake. It is the most extreme form of malnutrition. In humans, prolonged starvation can cause permanent organ damage and eventually, death...
, torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
and abuses by Japanese soldiers, and child labour 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
1950s in Hong Kong
1950s in Hong Kong began after the Japanese rule ended in 1945 with sovereignty returning to the British. However, the Nationalist-Communist Civil War was renewed in mainland China. It prompted a large influx of refugees from the mainland, causing a huge population surge. The government struggled...
the pro-Communist
Communist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...
underground cell network Hailiushe (海流社) was headquartered in the rooftop of a multi-story house on Spring Garden Lane
Spring Garden Lane
Spring Garden Lane is a street in Wan Chai, Hong Kong. It was one of the first focal areas developed by the British in the 1840s.-History:During the early development of Wan Chai, one of the focal area of development was Spring Gardens. The name was used by the British during the early Colonial...
. The group was successfully raided by the Hong Kong police
Hong Kong Police Force
The Hong Kong Police Force is the largest disciplined service under the Security Bureau of Hong Kong. It is the world's second, and Asia's first, police agency to operate with a modern policing system. It was formed on 1 May 1844, with a strength of 32 officers...
.
Prostitution
Prostitution in Hong Kong
Prostitution in Hong Kong is itself legal, but organized prostitution is illegal, as there are laws against keeping a vice establishment , causing or procuring another to be a prostitute, living on the prostitution of others, or public solicitation....
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. In the 1960s
1960s in Hong Kong
1960s in Hong Kong continued with the development and expansion of manufacturing that began in the previous decade. The economic progress made in the period would categorise Hong Kong as one of Four Asian Tigers along with Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan.-Background:Economically, this era is...
, Wan Chai became legendary for its exotic night life
Night Life
Night Life was a 1982 erotic graphic adventure game by Kōei, released for the PC-8801 computer.-Summary:It was the first commercial erotic computer game, featuring sexually explicit images, and a precursor to the modern bishōjo game genre. It was released in April 1982. Night Life was marketed as...
, especially for the US service men
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
resting there during the Vietnam war
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. Therefore, it was ridden with sex crimes. Despite rapid changes due to reclamation and redevelopment, the presence of sex workers operating among ordinary residents continues 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
The World of Suzie Wong (film)
The World of Suzie Wong is a 1960 British-American romantic drama film directed by Richard Quine. The screenplay by John Patrick was adapted from the stage play by Paul Osborn, which was based on the novel of the same title by Richard Mason...
.
Wan Chai's HKCEC
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre is one of the two major convention and exhibition venues in Hong Kong, along with AsiaWorld-Expo. It is located in Wan Chai North, Hong Kong Island. Built along the Victoria Harbour, it is linked by covered walkways to nearby hotels and commercial...
was the site of the Hong Kong handover ceremony in 1997. The WTO Ministerial Conference
WTO Ministerial Conference of 2005
The Sixth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization, also known as the WTO Hong Kong Ministerial Conference and abbreviated as MC6, was held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai, Hong Kong from 13 to 18 December 2005...
in 2005 was also one of the largest international events ever hosted in Hong Kong, with 148 nations participating.
In May 2009, 300 guests and staff members at the Metropark Hotel in Wan Chai were quarantined, suspected of being infected or in contact with the H1N1 virus during the 2009 swine flu outbreak. A 25 year old Mexican man who had stayed at the hotel was later found to have the viral infection. He had traveled to Hong Kong from Mexico via Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
.
Reclamation
Wan Chai has been extended outward with a series of land reclamationLand reclamation in Hong Kong
Land is in short supply in Hong Kong, and land reclamation has been conducted there since the mid-19th century.-Projects:One of the earliest and famous project was the Praya Reclamation Scheme, which added 50 to of land in 1890 during the second phase of construction...
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
Praya East Reclamation Scheme
Praya East Reclamation Scheme was a large scale land reclamation project in Colonial Hong Kong lasting from 1921 to 1931 under Sir Catchick Paul Chater.-Proposal:...
. The coastline was extended to Praya East
Praya
Praya , was a term used in Colonial Hong Kong to refer to a promenade by the waterfront. The name comes from the Portuguese term for the broad stone-faced road that runs parallel along the harbour in front of the city. HSBC and Dent & Co...
, that is, today's Johnston Road
Johnston Road
Johnston Road is a major road in Wan Chai on the Hong Kong Island of Hong Kong. It spans from the junction with Heard Street, Hennessy Road and Stewart Road are at its east towards another junction with Hennessy Road and Queensway at its west near Asian House...
and Hennessy Road
Hennessy Road
Hennessy Road is a thoroughfare on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It connects Yee Wo Street on the east in Causeway Bay, and Queensway on the western end in Wan Chai.The road is named after John Pope Hennessy, the Governor of Hong Kong between 1877 and 1882....
. The reclamation after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
from 1965 to 1972 pulled the coastline out to the areas around Convention Avenue and the Wan Chai Pier
Wan Chai Pier
The Wan Chai Pier , or Wan Chai Ferry Pier , is a pier at the coast of Wan Chai North on the Hong Kong Island of Hong Kong. The pier is operated by Star Ferry, and provides ferry services to Tsim Sha Tsui and Hung Hom. The pier is near the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.-Transport...
. The 1990s Wan Chai Development project added land to where the current HKCEC
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre is one of the two major convention and exhibition venues in Hong Kong, along with AsiaWorld-Expo. It is located in Wan Chai North, Hong Kong Island. Built along the Victoria Harbour, it is linked by covered walkways to nearby hotels and commercial...
exists today.
Community life
Arts and culture
Wan Chai is a major hub of foreign and Chinese culture in Hong Kong. It is home to Alliance FrancaiseAlliance française
The Alliance française , or AF, is an international organisation that aims to promote French language and culture around the world. created in Paris on 21 July 1883, its primary concern is teaching French as a second language and is headquartered in Paris -History:The Alliance was created in Paris...
, Goethe Institut and the British Council
British Council
The British Council is a United Kingdom-based organisation specialising in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is registered as a charity both in England and Wales, and in Scotland...
. Near the waterfront are the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts
Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts
The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts , located near the north coast of Wan Chai on the Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong, is both an academic institution and a venue for performances....
and Hong Kong Arts Centre
Hong Kong Arts Centre
Established in 1977, Hong Kong Arts Centre is a non-profit making, non-governmental and self-financed statutory arts organization, aiming at promoting contemporary performing arts, visual arts, film and video arts and providing lifelong and wide-reaching arts education.The Centre provides...
, two of the most popular venues for theatrical and cultural performances in the region. The academy is a convenient venue for drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
, mini-concert
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
s, dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
, and musicals. Every year there are many Broadway musicals playing in the academy, including Western plays such as Singin' in the Rain
Singin' in the Rain
Singin' in the Rain is a 1952 American comedy musical film starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor and Debbie Reynolds and directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, with Kelly also providing the choreography...
, Saturday Night Fever
Saturday Night Fever
Saturday Night Fever is a 1977 drama film directed by John Badham and starring: John Travolta as Tony Manero, an immature young man whose weekends are spent visiting a local Brooklyn discothèque; Karen Lynn Gorney as his dance partner and eventual friend; and Donna Pescow as Tony's former dance...
, and Annie
Annie (musical)
Annie is a Broadway musical based upon the popular Harold Gray comic strip Little Orphan Annie, with music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin, and the book by Thomas Meehan. The original Broadway production opened in 1977 and ran for nearly six years with a blonde Annie as the poster...
. The Arts Centre also houses galleries, rehearsal rooms and a restaurant overlooking the harbour. In halloween, expect to see youngsters to dress in costumes trying to scare passersby.The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre is one of the two major convention and exhibition venues in Hong Kong, along with AsiaWorld-Expo. It is located in Wan Chai North, Hong Kong Island. Built along the Victoria Harbour, it is linked by covered walkways to nearby hotels and commercial...
(HKCEC), a HK$4.8 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
Hong Kong Book Fair
The Hong Kong Book Fair is a book fair organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, held annually at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, selling and exhibiting books, printed matter, stationery, printing, compact discs and other multimedia publishing.The annual exhibition at...
along with cosplay
Cosplay
, short for "costume play", is a type of performance art in which participants don costumes and accessories to represent a specific character or idea. Characters are often drawn from popular fiction in Japan, but recent trends have included American cartoons and science fiction...
competitions are also held at the facility.
Dining
- Cha chaan tengCha chaan tengA cha chaan teng means tea diner, also called Chinese diner, is commonly found in Hong Kong, China, and Taiwan, known for its Chinese food, eclectic and affordable menus, which include many dishes from Hong Kong cuisine and Hong Kong-style Western cuisine. Cha chaan tengs are also popular in Macau...
are local-styled fast-food restaurants, and Chinese pastryChinese bakeryChinese bakery products consists of pastries, cakes, snacks, and desserts of largely Chinese origin, though some are derived from Western baked goods. Some of the most common Chinese bakery products include mooncakes, sun cakes, egg tarts, and wife cakes....
. Many of the restaurants can be found all along Jaffe Road. Numerous tea shopHong Kong tea cultureThe tea-drinking habits of Hong Kong residents derive from Chinese tea culture. After more than 150 years of British rule, however, they have changed somewhat to become unique in the world...
s offer cheap Chinese herbal tea, like leong chaChinese herb teaChinese herb tea, also known as medicinal herbal tea, is a kind of tea-soup made from purely Chinese medicinal herbs in Guangdong , China. It usually tastes bitter or lightly sweet and its colour is typically black or dark brown, depending on what kinds of herbs are used...
(lit. cool tea) and 24-mei24 flavors24 flavors or 24 mei is the name given to a variety of Cantonese herbal tea, drunk for medicinal purposes. Its name refers to the fact that it is a mixture of up to 24 different ingredients...
.
- Dai pai dongDai pai dongDai pai dong is a type of open-air food stall once very popular in Hong Kong. The government registration name in Hong Kong is "cooked-food stalls", but dai pai dong literally means "restaurant with a big license plate", referring to its size of license which is bigger than other licensed street...
, 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 steamed rice rollRice noodle rollA rice noodle roll is a Cantonese dish from southern China and Hong Kong, commonly served as a variety of dim sum. It is a thin roll made from a wide strip of shahe fen , filled with shrimp, pork, beef, vegetables, or other ingredients. Sweet soy sauce is poured over the dish upon serving...
, congeeCongeeCongee is a type of rice porridge popular in many Asian countries. It can be eaten alone or served with a side dish. Names for congee are as varied as the style of its preparation...
and chow meinChow meinChow mein is a Chinese term for a dish of stir-fried noodles, of which there are many varieties.-Etymology:...
early in the morning. Due to urban renewalUrban renewalUrban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of...
projects in recent years, most of these restaurants are fading away.
- Yum chaYum chaYum cha , also known as Ban ming , is a Chinese style morning or afternoon tea, which involves drinking Chinese tea and eating dim sum dishes...
, is the name associated with having dim sumDim sumDim sum refers to a style of Chinese food prepared as small bite-sized or individual portions of food traditionally served in small steamer baskets or on small plates...
. 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, the last of the trio, closed on November 30, 2009. A number of Buddhist cuisine restaurantsBuddhist cuisineBuddhist cuisine is an East Asian cuisine which is followed by some believers of Buddhism. It is primarily vegetarian, in order to keep with the general Buddhist precept of ahimsa...
are also available in the area.
- The 1980s1980s in Hong Kong1980s in Hong Kong marks a period when the territory was known for its wealth and trademark lifestyle. Hong Kong would be recognised internationally for its politics, entertainment and skyrocketing real estate prices.-Background:...
also saw an expansion of Western cuisine restaurants in Wan Chai. Nowadays, JapaneseJapanese cuisineJapanese cuisine has developed over the centuries as a result of many political and social changes throughout Japan. The cuisine eventually changed with the advent of the Medieval age which ushered in a shedding of elitism with the age of shogun rule...
, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai and IndianIndian cuisineIndian cuisine consists of thousands of regional cuisines which date back thousands of years. The dishes of India are characterised by the extensive use of various Indian spices, herbs, vegetables and fruit. Indian cuisine is also known for the widespread practice of vegetarianism in Indian society...
restaurants are all very common. There are also many fast food restaurantFast food restaurantA fast food restaurant, also known as a Quick Service Restaurant or QSR within the industry itself, is a specific type of restaurant characterized both by its fast food cuisine and by minimal table service...
s serving CantoneseCantonese cuisineCantonese cuisine comes from Guangdong Province in southern China and is one of 8 superdivisions of Chinese cuisine. Its prominence outside China is due to the great numbers of early emigrants from Guangdong. Cantonese chefs are highly sought after throughout the country...
and other Chinese dishes, including the franchised Maxim'sMaxim's CateringMaxim's is Hong Kong's largest food & beverage corporation and restaurant chain. Founded in 1956 by Dr James Tak Wu and his brother S.T...
and Café de CoralCafé de CoralCafé de Coral is a fast food restaurant group which owns and operates fast food chains and restaurants including Café de Coral, The Spaghetti House, Manchu Wok, Oliver's Super Sandwiches, Ah Yee Leng Tong and others. Founded in 1968, the Café de Coral group opened its first Café de Coral...
. Jaffe Road and Lockhart Road are famous for pubs.
Southorn activities
Southorn PlaygroundSouthorn Playground
Southorn Playground is a sports and recreational facility in the Wan Chai area of Hong Kong. It comprises a football field, four basketball courts, and a children's 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, labourers
Coolie
Historically, a coolie was a manual labourer or slave from Asia, particularly China, India, and the Phillipines during the 19th century and early 20th century...
come together to wait for employment. In the evening, it is altered into an open-air area with people selling food, performing magic
Magic (illusion)
Magic is a performing art that entertains audiences by staging tricks or creating illusions of seemingly impossible or supernatural feats using natural means...
and kung fu.
Some of the trademark activities include senior citizens playing Chinese chess
Xiangqi
Xiangqi is a two-player Chinese board game in the same family as Western chess, chaturanga, shogi, Indian chess and janggi. The present-day form of Xiangqi originated in China and is therefore commonly called Chinese chess in English. Xiangqi is one of the most popular board games in China...
. The younger generation would play football and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
with street basketball games attracting flocks of young spectators and players. Occasionally, three-player drill contests and hip hop dance
Hip hop dance
Hip-hop dance refers to dance styles primarily performed to hip-hop music or that have evolved as part of hip-hop culture. It includes a wide range of styles notably breaking, locking, and popping which were created in the 1970s by African Americans and made popular by breaking, locking, and...
competitions are held in the park.
Religious diversity
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
, Taoism
Taoism
Taoism refers to a philosophical or religious tradition in which the basic concept is to establish harmony with the Tao , which is the mechanism of everything that exists...
, Catholicism
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, Protestantism
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
, Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, Sikhism
Sikhism
Sikhism is a monotheistic religion founded during the 15th century in the Punjab region, by Guru Nanak Dev and continued to progress with ten successive Sikh Gurus . It is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world and one of the fastest-growing...
and Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. Despite such great differences, many religious structures are located in close proximity with one another. Hung Shing Temple
Hung Shing Temple, Wan Chai
The Hung Shing Temple in Wanchai, Hong Kong is one of several temples dedicated to Hung Shing in the territory.-Location:The temple is located at located at Nos. 129-131 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai. Tai Wong Street West and Tai Wong Street East intersect with Queen's Road East across the street...
, 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 stick
Joss stick
Joss sticks are a type of incense used in many East Asian and Southeast Asian countries, traditionally burned before a Chinese religious image, idol or shrine. They can also be burned in front of a door, or open window as an offering to heaven, or devas...
s to Kwun Yum as well. Villain hitting
Villain hitting
Villain hitting, Da Siu Yan or demon exorcising is a folk sorcery popular in the Guangdong area of China and Hong Kong. Its purpose is to curse one's enemies using magic...
is another blended ceremony, combining the disproportional Confucianism
Confucianism
Confucianism is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius . Confucianism originated as an "ethical-sociopolitical teaching" during the Spring and Autumn Period, but later developed metaphysical and cosmological elements in the Han...
, Taoism
Taoism
Taoism refers to a philosophical or religious tradition in which the basic concept is to establish harmony with the Tao , which is the mechanism of everything that exists...
and even folk religion
Chinese folk religion
Chinese folk religion or Shenism , which is a term of considerable debate, are labels used to describe the collection of ethnic religious traditions which have been a main belief system in China and among Han Chinese ethnic groups for most of the civilization's history until today...
. 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
Khalsa Diwan Sikh Temple
Khalsa Diwan Sikh Temple is a gurdwara in the Wan Chai District of Hong Kong, on the junction of Queen's Road East and Stubbs Road, Hong Kong Island.-History:...
is the biggest Sikh temple
Gurdwara
A Gurdwara , meaning the Gateway to the Guru, is the place of worship for Sikhs, the followers of Sikhism. A Gurdwara can be identified from a distance by tall flagpoles bearing the Nishan Sahib ....
in Hong Kong.
Tourism and landmarks
Old Wan Chai Post Office
The Old Wan Chai Post Office is the oldest surviving post office building in Hong Kong. It is situated at No. 221 Queen's Road East, at the junction with Wan Chai Gap Road.-History:...
, Hung Shing Temple
Hung Shing Temple, Wan Chai
The Hung Shing Temple in Wanchai, Hong Kong is one of several temples dedicated to Hung Shing in the territory.-Location:The temple is located at located at Nos. 129-131 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai. Tai Wong Street West and Tai Wong Street East intersect with Queen's Road East across the street...
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 HK$
Hong Kong dollar
The Hong Kong dollar is the currency of the jurisdiction. It is the eighth most traded currency in the world. In English, it is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively HK$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
4.4 billion 78-story skyscraper Central Plaza
Central Plaza, Hong Kong
Central Plaza is the third tallest skyscraper in Hong Kong. With a height of 374 m , Central Plaza is only surpassed by 2 IFC in Central and the ICC in West Kowloon. The building is located at 18 Harbour Road, in Wan Chai on Hong Kong Island...
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
Spandrel
A spandrel, less often spandril or splaundrel, is the space between two arches or between an arch and a rectangular enclosure....
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
Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is a puddle iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris. Built in 1889, it has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world...
reminds people of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. Small but free art exhibitions are on also the second floor year round. Other tourist attractions include Golden Bauhinia Square
Golden Bauhinia Square
The Golden Bauhinia Square is an open area in Wan Chai North, Hong Kong. The square was named after the giant statue of a golden Bauhinia blakeana at the centre of the area, situated outside the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, where the ceremonies for the handover of Hong Kong and the...
featuring a flag-raising ceremony held daily outside the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The ceremony is enhanced on July 1 (handover anniversary
Transfer of the sovereignty of Hong Kong
The transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China, referred to as ‘the Return’ or ‘the Reunification’ by the Chinese and ‘the Handover’ by others, took place on 1 July 1997...
) and October 1 (National Day
National Day of the People's Republic of China
The National Day of the People's Republic of China is celebrated every year on October 1. It is a public holiday in the People's Republic of China to celebrate their national day.The PRC was founded on October 1, 1949 with a ceremony at Tiananmen Square...
).
A 3-story pergola
Pergola
A pergola, arbor or arbour is a garden feature forming a shaded walkway, passageway or sitting area of vertical posts or pillars that usually support cross-beams and a sturdy open lattice, often upon which woody vines are trained...
exhibit is built opposite to Li Chit Garden. Tai Fat Hau footbridge also holds an art display 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).
Lovers' Rock reclines on the hillside of Bowen Road
Bowen Road
Bowen Road is a road from the Mid-levels to Wong Nai Chung Gap of Hong Kong Island, on the slope above Central, Wan Chai and Happy Valley in Hong Kong...
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
Architecture
Throughout Wan Chai's history, construction styles have changed according to the architectural movement at the time.| Era | Style | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Qing Dynasty Qing Dynasty The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China.... |
Chinese-style Chinese architecture Chinese architecture refers to a style of architecture that has taken shape in East Asia over many centuries. The structural principles of Chinese architecture have remained largely unchanged, the main changes being only the decorative details... |
Hung Shing Temple Hung Shing Temple, Wan Chai The Hung Shing Temple in Wanchai, Hong Kong is one of several temples dedicated to Hung Shing in the territory.-Location:The temple is located at located at Nos. 129-131 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai. Tai Wong Street West and Tai Wong Street East intersect with Queen's Road East across the street... |
| 1910s-1920s | Neoclassical architecture Neoclassical architecture Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing... |
Old Wan Chai Post Office Old Wan Chai Post Office The Old Wan Chai Post Office is the oldest surviving post office building in Hong Kong. It is situated at No. 221 Queen's Road East, at the junction with Wan Chai Gap Road.-History:... Blue House |
| 1930s | Streamline Moderne architecture Streamline Moderne Streamline Moderne, sometimes referred to by either name alone or as Art Moderne, was a late type of the Art Deco design style which emerged during the 1930s... |
Wan Chai Market Wan Chai Market The Wan Chai Market was constructed in 1937. It is located at 264 Queen's Road East and Stone Nullah Lane in Wan Chai, Hong Kong Island. It is a Grade III Historic Building.... |
| Post-WWII | Bauhaus-style Bauhaus ', commonly known simply as Bauhaus, was a school in Germany that combined crafts and the fine arts, and was famous for the approach to design that it publicized and taught. It operated from 1919 to 1933. At that time the German term stood for "School of Building".The Bauhaus school was founded by... |
Shop houses (tong-lau) on Lee Tung Street Lee Tung Street Lee Tung Street , known as the Wedding Card Street by the locals, is located at Wan Chai, Hong Kong. Involved in a project executed by the Urban Renewal Authority , was torn down in December 2007... , Tai Yuen Street Tai Yuen Street Tai Yuen Street , often called 'Toy Street', where collects all the old toys of Hong Kong, is a street in the Wan Chai district of Hong Kong island, Hong Kong. It intersects with Queen's Road East and Johnston Road.-See also:* Wan Chai Heritage Trail... Caltex House |
In the 1950s
1950s in Hong Kong
1950s in Hong Kong began after the Japanese rule ended in 1945 with sovereignty returning to the British. However, the Nationalist-Communist Civil War was renewed in mainland China. It prompted a large influx of refugees from the mainland, causing a huge population surge. The government struggled...
and 1960s
1960s in Hong Kong
1960s in Hong Kong continued with the development and expansion of manufacturing that began in the previous decade. The economic progress made in the period would categorise Hong Kong as one of Four Asian Tigers along with Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan.-Background:Economically, this era is...
, an increasing number of girlie bar
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
s and nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
s were opened in the red-light district
Red-light district
A red-light district is a part of an urban area where there is a concentration of prostitution and sex-oriented businesses, such as sex shops, strip clubs, adult theaters, etc...
by Jaffe
Jaffe Road
Jaffe Road is a long street in Hong Kong that runs between and parallel to Gloucester Road and Lockhart Road. At both the Wanchai and Causeway Bay ends of the street there are many bars and restaurants....
and Lockhart Road
Lockhart Road
Lockhart Road is a road spanning the whole length of Wan Chai from east to west on the Hong Kong Island of Hong Kong. It begins at Arsenal Street in the west and ends in East Point Road in East Point.- History :...
. The establishments entertained visiting sailors landing at Fenwick Pier
Fenwick Pier
Fenwick Pier is a pier in Fenwick Pier Street, Wan Chai North, Hong Kong, near CITIC Tower and The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. There is the "Fleet Arcade" at the pier which was set up by the U.S. Navy. Prior to land reclamation of Wan Chai North in the 1970s, the pier was located near...
. 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 Academy for Performing Arts
The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts , located near the north coast of Wan Chai on the Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong, is both an academic institution and a venue for performances....
, HKCEC
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre is one of the two major convention and exhibition venues in Hong Kong, along with AsiaWorld-Expo. It is located in Wan Chai North, Hong Kong Island. Built along the Victoria Harbour, it is linked by covered walkways to nearby hotels and commercial...
, and Central Plaza were constructed on the newly reclaimed land.
Skyscrapers in Wan Chai include:
- Central PlazaCentral Plaza, Hong KongCentral Plaza is the third tallest skyscraper in Hong Kong. With a height of 374 m , Central Plaza is only surpassed by 2 IFC in Central and the ICC in West Kowloon. The building is located at 18 Harbour Road, in Wan Chai on Hong Kong Island...
, 78 floors, offices, completed in 1992 - Hopewell CentreHopewell Centre, Hong KongHopewell Centre is a skyscraper in Hong Kong. It is located at 183 Queen's Road East, in Wan Chai on Hong Kong Island. It is the first circular skyscraper in Hong Kong. It is named after Hong Kong-listed property firm Hopewell Holdings Limited, which constructed the building...
, 64 floors, offices, completed in 1980 - Sun Hung Kai CentreSun Hung Kai CentreSun Hung Kai Centre is a skyscraper in Wan Chai, on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It is 215 metres high and has 53 floors.-External links:...
, 56 floors, offices, completed in 1981 - May HouseMay HouseMay House is a skyscraper located in the Wanchai district of Hong Kong. The tower rises 47 floors and in height. The building was completed in 2004. It was designed by the Hong Kong Architectural Services Department, and was developed by The Facade Group...
, 47 floors, government offices, completed in 2004. Headquarters of the Hong Kong Police ForceHong Kong Police ForceThe Hong Kong Police Force is the largest disciplined service under the Security Bureau of Hong Kong. It is the world's second, and Asia's first, police agency to operate with a modern policing system. It was formed on 1 May 1844, with a strength of 32 officers... - China Online CentreChina Online CentreThe China Online Centre is a skyscraper located in the Wan Chai area of Hong Kong. The tower rises 52 floors and in height. The building was completed in 2000. It was designed by architectural firm Rocco Design Limited, and was developed by Jaffe Development. The China Online Centre, which stands...
, 52 floors, offices, completed in 2000 - Three Pacific Place, 40 floors, offices, completed in 2004
- Convention Plaza Office TowerHong Kong Convention and Exhibition CentreThe Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre is one of the two major convention and exhibition venues in Hong Kong, along with AsiaWorld-Expo. It is located in Wan Chai North, Hong Kong Island. Built along the Victoria Harbour, it is linked by covered walkways to nearby hotels and commercial...
, 50 floors, offices, completed in 1990 - Immigration TowerImmigration TowerThe Immigration Tower is a skyscraper located in the Wan Chai District of Hong Kong. The tower rises 49 floors and in height. The building was completed in 1990. The Immigration Tower, which stands as the 93rd-tallest building in Hong Kong, is composed entirely of office space...
, 49 floors, government offices, completed in 1990 - Revenue TowerRevenue TowerThe Revenue Tower is a skyscraper located in the Wan Chai District of Hong Kong. The tower rises 49 floors and in height. The building was completed in 1990. The Revenue Tower, which stands as the 93rd-tallest building in Hong Kong, is composed entirely of office space. The building, along with...
, 49 floors, government offices, completed in 1990 - Wanchai TowerWanchai TowerWanchai Tower , located in 12 Harbour Road, Wan Chai North, Hong Kong, is home to the District Court and government offices. Its neighbouring buildings include Immigration Tower, Revenue Tower and Shui On Centre.-External links:...
, 44 floors, government offices, completed in 1985 - MLC TowerMLC TowerThe 'MLC Tower' is a skyscraper located on 248 Queen's Road East, in the Wan Chai district of Hong Kong. It stands at a height of 156 metres on 40 floors. It was completed in 1998....
, 40 floors, offices, completed in 1998 - Wu Chung HouseWu Chung HouseThe Wu Chung House is a 40-floor skyscraper located on 213 Queen's Road East, in the Wan Chai area of Hong Kong. It was completed in 1992.-Tenants:...
, 40 floors, offices and government offices, completed in 1992 - Great Eagle CentreGreat Eagle CentreGreat Eagle Centre is a 35-floor office building located at 23 Harbour Road in Wan Chai North, Hong Kong. It was built in 1983....
, 35 floors, offices, completed in 1983 - Shui On CentreShui On CentreShui On Centre is a 35-storey Grade A office building on Wan Chai's waterfront, in Hong Kong. The building was completed in 1987.Nearby are the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and Grand Hyatt Hong Kong.-External links:...
, 35 floors, offices, completed in 1987 - QRE PlazaQRE PlazaQRE Plaza is a 25-storey building located on 202 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, developed by Hopewell Holdings. The plaza was completed in 2007 and contains a shopping center.-Tenants:...
, 35 floors, offices and shops, completed in 2007
Urban decay and renewal
Many of Wan Chai's older buildings now face a serious problem of urban decayUrban decay
Urban decay is the process whereby a previously functioning city, or part of a city, falls into disrepair and decrepitude...
. In order to tackle the problem, the government has launched a series of urban renewal
Urban renewal
Urban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of...
projects to bring new life into the area. Many local residents have relocation worries such as whether the Urban Renewal Authority
Urban Renewal Authority
The Urban Renewal Authority is a statutory body in Hong Kong responsible for accelerating redevelopment to provide a better living environment and neighbourhood.-History:...
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 Hong Kong cultural identity
Culture of Hong Kong
The culture of Hong Kong can best be described as a foundation that began with China, and became more influenced by British colonialism. Despite the 1997 transfer of sovereignty to the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong continues to hold an identity of its own.-People in the culture:Most Hong...
.
- Demolition of Lee Tung St - Old buildings on Lee Tung StreetLee Tung StreetLee Tung Street , known as the Wedding Card Street by the locals, is located at Wan Chai, Hong Kong. Involved in a project executed by the Urban Renewal Authority , was torn down in December 2007...
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 AuthorityUrban Renewal AuthorityThe Urban Renewal Authority is a statutory body in Hong Kong responsible for accelerating redevelopment to provide a better living environment and neighbourhood.-History:...
Property".
- Renovation of Tai Yuen St - Visitors may gain a distinctive experience of bustling local street-stall shopping in Tai Yuen StreetTai Yuen StreetTai Yuen Street , often called 'Toy Street', where collects all the old toys of Hong Kong, is a street in the Wan Chai district of Hong Kong island, Hong Kong. It intersects with Queen's Road East and Johnston Road.-See also:* Wan Chai Heritage Trail...
. Many hucksterHucksterA huckster is a seller of small articles, who tricks others into buying cheap imitation products and then bargains them as if they were the real thing...
stalls sell a wide variety of dried goodsFood preservationFood preservation is the process of treating and handling food to stop or slow down spoilage and thus allow for longer storage....
, garments, household products, dumplingDumplingDumplings are cooked balls of dough. They are based on flour, potatoes or bread, and may include meat, fish, vegetables, or sweets. They may be cooked by boiling, steaming, simmering, frying, or baking. They may have a filling, or there may be other ingredients mixed into the dough. Dumplings may...
s, 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 Hong KongBritish CouncilThe British Council is a United Kingdom-based organisation specialising in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is registered as a charity both in England and Wales, and in Scotland...
invited English designer, Thomas HeatherwickThomas HeatherwickThomas Heatherwick is an English designer known for innovative use of engineering and materials in public monuments and sculptures...
, and urban renewal specialist, Fred MansonFred MansonFred Manson is an urban renewal specialist from the United Kingdom. He is the former Director of Regeneration at the London Borough of Southwark....
, to lead a public art project at Southorn PlaygroundSouthorn PlaygroundSouthorn Playground is a sports and recreational facility in the Wan Chai area of Hong Kong. It comprises a football field, four basketball courts, and a children's 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.Government
The Hong Kong Immigration DepartmentImmigration Department (Hong Kong)
The Immigration Department of the Government of Hong Kong is responsible for immigration control of Hong Kong. After the People's Republic of China assumed sovereignty of the territory in July 1997, Hong Kong's immigration system remained largely unchanged from its British predecessor model...
has its headquarters in Immigration Tower
Immigration Tower
The Immigration Tower is a skyscraper located in the Wan Chai District of Hong Kong. The tower rises 49 floors and in height. The building was completed in 1990. The Immigration Tower, which stands as the 93rd-tallest building in Hong Kong, is composed entirely of office space...
in Wan Chai. The Hong Kong Police Force
Hong Kong Police Force
The Hong Kong Police Force is the largest disciplined service under the Security Bureau of Hong Kong. It is the world's second, and Asia's first, police agency to operate with a modern policing system. It was formed on 1 May 1844, with a strength of 32 officers...
operates the Wan Chai District, headquartered at the Wan Chai Police District Headquarters at No.1 Arsenal Street, within the Hong Kong Police Headquarters Compound. Maggie Farley of the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
said in 1996, referring to the then Wan Chai Police Station
Wan Chai Police Station
Wan Chai Police Station , also known as No. 2 Police Station or Eastern Police Station, is a building located at No. 123 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong.-History:...
, that the police headquarters was "a stolid, whitewashed building with square pillars and breezy verandas".
Transportation
Geographically, Wan Chai is the midpoint between the west (West PointWest Point, Hong Kong
West Point was a point of land on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. Its location is the shore off the Pokfulam Road and Queen's Road West in 1845, approximately the junction of Western Street and Des Voeux Road West near the Western Police Station...
/Central
Central, Hong Kong
Central is the central business district of Hong Kong. It is located in Central and Western District, on the north shore of Hong Kong Island, across Victoria Harbour from Tsim Sha Tsui, the southernmost point of Kowloon Peninsula...
) and the east (Causeway Bay
Causeway Bay
Causeway Bay is a heavily built-up area of Hong Kong, People's Republic of China, located on the Hong Kong Island, and covering parts of Wan Chai and Eastern districts. The Chinese name is also romanized as Tung Lo Wan as in Tung Lo Wan Road...
/North Point
North Point
North Point is a mixed-use urban area in the Eastern District of Hong Kong. It is the northernmost point of Hong Kong Island, adjacent to both Causeway Bay and Quarry Bay, and projecting toward Kowloon Bay. Fortress Hill occupies the western end of the North Point area.-History:In 1899, The...
), linking all points on Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island is an island in the southern part of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km², as of 2008...
. The transport infrastructure
Transport in Hong Kong
Hong Kong has a highly developed and sophisticated transport network, encompassing both public and private transport. Over 90% of the daily journeys are on public transport, making it the highest rate in the world....
is efficient, convenient and highly accessible.
Ferries
Star FerryStar Ferry
The Star Ferry, or The "Star" Ferry Company, is a passenger ferry service operator in Hong Kong. Its principal routes carry passengers across Victoria Harbour, between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon...
is the sole ferry operator in the area at Wan Chai Pier
Wan Chai Pier
The Wan Chai Pier , or Wan Chai Ferry Pier , is a pier at the coast of Wan Chai North on the Hong Kong Island of Hong Kong. The pier is operated by Star Ferry, and provides ferry services to Tsim Sha Tsui and Hung Hom. The pier is near the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.-Transport...
. Several lines cross Victoria Harbour
Victoria Harbour
Victoria Harbour is a natural landform harbour situated between Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula in Hong Kong. The harbour's deep, sheltered waters and strategic location on the South China Sea were instrumental in Hong Kong's establishment as a British colony and its subsequent...
from HKCEC, Wan Chai. Destinations include Cultural Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui
Tsim Sha Tsui
Tsim Sha Tsui , often abbreviated as TST, is an urbanized area in southern Kowloon, Hong Kong. The area is administratively part of the Yau Tsim Mong District. Tsim Sha Tsui East is a piece of land reclaimed from the Hung Hom Bay now east of Tsim Sha Tsui...
and Whampoa Garden
Whampoa Garden
Whampoa Garden is the largest private housing estate located in Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong. It was built on the site of the former Whampoa Dockyards under Hutchison Whampoa Property's "garden city" concept and completed in 1991.-Features:...
in Hung Hom
Hung Hom
Hung Hom is an area of Kowloon, in Hong Kong, administratively part of the Kowloon City District, with a portion west of the railway in the Yau Tsim Mong District. Hung Hom serves mainly residential purposes though is mixed with some industrial buildings in the north.-Geography:Hung Hom is located...
. Even though there are now numerous ways to cross Victoria Harbour, the Star Ferry continues to provide an inexpensive option. Numerous shipping companies also have their headquarters in Wanchai such as Anglo-Eastern Group
Anglo-Eastern Group
Peter Nash established Anglo-Eastern in 1974, initially as a chartering and ship owning organization - with Anglo-Eastern Ship Management Services being the in-house manager of the ships...
.
Main roads and tunnels
Wan Chai's Gloucester RoadGloucester Road, Hong Kong
Gloucester Road is a major road in Hong Kong. It is in the north of Wan Chai and East Point on Hong Kong Island. It connects to Harcourt Road at its western end and it ends east along west side of Victoria Park. It forms part of Hong Kong's Route 4 and connects to the Island Eastern Corridor via...
is connected to Cross-Harbour Tunnel
Cross-Harbour Tunnel
The Cross-Harbour Tunnel is the first tunnel in Hong Kong built underwater. It has become one of the most congested roads in Hong Kong and the world...
, the first underwater tunnel in Hong Kong. Bridging Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island is an island in the southern part of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km², as of 2008...
at Kellet Island and a reclaimed site at Hung Hom Bay
Hung Hom Bay
Hung Hom Bay is a bay of Victoria Harbour, between Tsim Sha Tsui and Hung Hom in southern Kowloon, Hong Kong.Since 1850, the bay has been reclaimed many times: by 1996, it had nearly disappeared. All of present-day Tsim Sha Tsui East and Hung Hom Station of the MTR are on land reclaimed from the...
in Kowloon
Kowloon
Kowloon is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. It is bordered by the Lei Yue Mun strait in the east, Mei Foo Sun Chuen and Stonecutter's Island in the west, Tate's Cairn and Lion Rock in the north, and Victoria Harbour in the south. It had a population of...
, the tunnel provides a direct link. Prior to the tunnel's opening in 1972, crossing the harbour depended solely on the Star ferries. 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 East
Queen's Road
Queen's Road is the first road in Hong Kong built by the Government of Hong Kong between 1841 and 1843, spanning across Victoria City from Shek Tong Tsui to Wan Chai...
have been one of the earliest development spots in the history of Hong Kong. Landmarks such as Hennessy Road
Hennessy Road
Hennessy Road is a thoroughfare on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It connects Yee Wo Street on the east in Causeway Bay, and Queensway on the western end in Wan Chai.The road is named after John Pope Hennessy, the Governor of Hong Kong between 1877 and 1882....
were named after previous Governors
Governor of Hong Kong
The Governor of Hong Kong was the head of the government of Hong Kong during British rule from 1843 to 1997. The governor's roles were defined in the Hong Kong Letters Patent and Royal Instructions...
, leaving an impression of its Colonial past.
- Aberdeen TunnelAberdeen TunnelAberdeen Tunnel is a two-tube tunnel linking Happy Valley and Wong Chuk Hang near Aberdeen on the Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It shortens the travel time between the north and the south of the Hong Kong Island. It connects the Wong Chuk Hang Road in the south, and Canal Road Flyover in the...
- Canal RoadCanal Road, Hong KongCanal Road East , Canal Road West and the Canal Road Flyover are important roads in Wan Chai and Causeway Bay, Wan Chai District of Hong Kong....
flyover - Gloucester RoadGloucester Road, Hong KongGloucester Road is a major road in Hong Kong. It is in the north of Wan Chai and East Point on Hong Kong Island. It connects to Harcourt Road at its western end and it ends east along west side of Victoria Park. It forms part of Hong Kong's Route 4 and connects to the Island Eastern Corridor via...
- Fleming RoadFleming RoadFleming Road is a road in Wan Chai and Wan Chai North on the Hong Kong Island of Hong Kong. The road begins south with Johnston Road, runs across Hennessy Road, Lockhart Road and Jaffe Road, flies over Gloucester Road and runs across Harbour Road and ends at the junction with Convention Avenue...
- Wan Chai RoadWan Chai RoadWan Chai Road is a main road on the north side of Hong Kong island, in Wan Chai.Wan Chai Road is a L-shape road which constructed in 1851 along Morrison Hill from the foot of Hospital Hill, Hong Kong to the beach at Observation Point .In the 1930 and 1940s, Hong Kong funeral services used to...
Mass Transit Railway
The main MTRMTR
Mass Transit Railway is the rapid transit railway system in Hong Kong. Originally opened in 1979, the system now includes 211.6 km of rail with 155 stations, including 86 railway stations and 69 light rail stops...
railway is beneath Hennessy Road
Hennessy Road
Hennessy Road is a thoroughfare on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It connects Yee Wo Street on the east in Causeway Bay, and Queensway on the western end in Wan Chai.The road is named after John Pope Hennessy, the Governor of Hong Kong between 1877 and 1882....
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
Immigration Tower
The Immigration Tower is a skyscraper located in the Wan Chai District of Hong Kong. The tower rises 49 floors and in height. The building was completed in 1990. The Immigration Tower, which stands as the 93rd-tallest building in Hong Kong, is composed entirely of office space...
in Wan Chai North.
- MTRMTRMass Transit Railway is the rapid transit railway system in Hong Kong. Originally opened in 1979, the system now includes 211.6 km of rail with 155 stations, including 86 railway stations and 69 light rail stops...
: Island Line — Wan ChaiWan Chai (MTR)Wan Chai is a station on Island line of Hong Kong's MTR. It serves Wan Chai. The main MTR railway is beneath Hennessy Road in the district. Due to the large area of Wan Chai, more than 50 ticket gates and eight entrances have been set up. One of the exits lead to the footbridge along O'Brien Road,...
Trams
Tram services are available between Shau Kei WanShau Kei Wan
Shau Kei Wan or Shaukeiwan, Shaukiwan is a town in Eastern District, Hong Kong. Literally, Shau Kei means a pail, and Wan implies that the town is developed along the coast. Nowadays it is a relatively densely populated town compared with some developing areas.-Name:The name Shau Kei Wan comes...
on the east of the island, and Kennedy Town
Kennedy Town
Kennedy Town is at the western end of Sai Wan on Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. It was named after Arthur Edward Kennedy, the 7th Governor of Hong Kong from 1872 to 1877...
on the west, with a branch circuit in Happy Valley
Happy Valley, Hong Kong
Happy Valley is a mostly residential suburb of Hong Kong, located in the northern part of Hong Kong Island. Administratively, it is part of Wan Chai District....
. The route serves Johnston Road
Johnston Road
Johnston Road is a major road in Wan Chai on the Hong Kong Island of Hong Kong. It spans from the junction with Heard Street, Hennessy Road and Stewart Road are at its east towards another junction with Hennessy Road and Queensway at its west near Asian House...
and Hennessy Road
Hennessy Road
Hennessy Road is a thoroughfare on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It connects Yee Wo Street on the east in Causeway Bay, and Queensway on the western end in Wan Chai.The road is named after John Pope Hennessy, the Governor of Hong Kong between 1877 and 1882....
.
Buses
Most buses travel in Wan Chai from AdmiraltyAdmiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
to Causeway Bay
Causeway Bay
Causeway Bay is a heavily built-up area of Hong Kong, People's Republic of China, located on the Hong Kong Island, and covering parts of Wan Chai and Eastern districts. The Chinese name is also romanized as Tung Lo Wan as in Tung Lo Wan Road...
via Hennessy Road
Hennessy Road
Hennessy Road is a thoroughfare on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It connects Yee Wo Street on the east in Causeway Bay, and Queensway on the western end in Wan Chai.The road is named after John Pope Hennessy, the Governor of Hong Kong between 1877 and 1882....
, whereas one would use Johnston Road
Johnston Road
Johnston Road is a major road in Wan Chai on the Hong Kong Island of Hong Kong. It spans from the junction with Heard Street, Hennessy Road and Stewart Road are at its east towards another junction with Hennessy Road and Queensway at its west near Asian House...
or Gloucester Road as detours.
- Bus routes:
- New World First BusNew World First BusNew World First Bus Services Limited , abbreviated as First Bus and "NWFB", is the third largest public bus operator in Hong Kong.NWFB was established in 1998, taking over China Motor Bus's franchise on 1 September 1998 to provide bus services on Hong Kong Island together with Citybus...
: 2, 2A, 2X, 8, 8P, 15, 18, 18P, 19, 23, 23A, 23B, 25, 26, 38, 42, 63, 66, 81, 720, M722 - CitybusCitybus (Hong Kong)Citybus Limited is one of the three major bus operators in Hong Kong. It provides both franchised and non-franchised bus service. The franchised route network serves mainly Hong Kong Island, cross-harbour routes , Ocean Park, North Lantau and Hong Kong International Airport...
: 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 airportHong Kong International AirportHong Kong International Airport is the main airport in Hong Kong. It is colloquially known as Chek Lap Kok Airport , being built on the island of Chek Lap Kok by land reclamation, and also to distinguish it from its predecessor, the closed Kai Tak Airport.The airport opened for commercial...
via WHCWestern Harbour CrossingThe Western Harbour Crossing is a dual 3-lane immersed tube tunnel in Hong Kong. It is the third tunnel to cross Victoria Harbour, linking the newly reclaimed land in West Kowloon with Sai Ying Pun on Hong Kong Island...
: A11, A12, E11
- New World First Bus
- Tunnel buses routes:
- Cross-Harbour TunnelCross-Harbour TunnelThe Cross-Harbour Tunnel is the first tunnel in Hong Kong built underwater. It has become one of the most congested roads in Hong Kong and the world...
: 101, 102, 103, 104, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 115, 116, 117, 170, 171, 182 - Eastern Harbour CrossingEastern Harbour CrossingThe Eastern Harbour Crossing, abbreviated as "EHC" , is a tunnel in Hong Kong. It is a combined road and MTR rail link under Victoria Harbour between Quarry Bay in Hong Kong Island and Cha Kwo Ling in Kowloon.- History :...
: 601, 603, 619, 671, 680, 681, 690, 692 - Western Harbour CrossingWestern Harbour CrossingThe Western Harbour Crossing is a dual 3-lane immersed tube tunnel in Hong Kong. It is the third tunnel to cross Victoria Harbour, linking the newly reclaimed land in West Kowloon with Sai Ying Pun on Hong Kong Island...
: 905, 914, 960, 961, 962, 968, 969
- Cross-Harbour Tunnel
- There is a bus terminal opposite the Star Ferry PierStar FerryThe Star Ferry, or The "Star" Ferry Company, is a passenger ferry service operator in Hong Kong. Its principal routes carry passengers across Victoria Harbour, between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon...
.
Taxis
Only red taxiTaxicabs of Hong Kong
Taxicabs of Hong Kong provide a taxi system. Most taxis are independently owned and operated, but some are owned by taxi companies, and the drivers are employees....
services are available in Wan Chai. Besides some restricted kerb
Curb (road)
A curb, or kerb , is the edge where a raised pavement/sidewalk/footpath, road median, or road shoulder meets an unraised street or other roadway.-Function:...
s in the highways, there are some designated pick-up and drop-off points in the region.
Minibus
There are two types of minibusPublic light bus
A Public light bus is a common public mode of transport in Hong Kong. It mainly serves the area that standard Hong Kong bus lines cannot reach as efficiently. It is also colloquially known as a minibus or a van, defined as a kind of share taxi....
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:
- West PointSai WanSai Wan , or Western District, or simply Western, is an area in Hong Kong that corresponds to Sai Ying Pun, Shek Tong Tsui, Belcher Bay and Kennedy Town....
— Causeway BayCauseway BayCauseway Bay is a heavily built-up area of Hong Kong, People's Republic of China, located on the Hong Kong Island, and covering parts of Wan Chai and Eastern districts. The Chinese name is also romanized as Tung Lo Wan as in Tung Lo Wan Road...
(SogoSogoSogo Co., Ltd. is a department store chain that operates an extensive network of branches in Japan. It once owned stores in locations as diverse as Beijing in China, Causeway Bay in Hong Kong, Taipei in Taiwan, Jakarta, Medan, Bandung & Surabaya in Indonesia, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Singapore,...
) / Shau Kei WanShau Kei WanShau Kei Wan or Shaukeiwan, Shaukiwan is a town in Eastern District, Hong Kong. Literally, Shau Kei means a pail, and Wan implies that the town is developed along the coast. Nowadays it is a relatively densely populated town compared with some developing areas.-Name:The name Shau Kei Wan comes... - Tsuen WanTsuen WanTsuen Wan is a bay in the Kowloon area of Hong Kong, opposite to Tsing Yi Island across Rambler Channel. The market town of Tsuen Wan emerged for the surrounding villages and fleets of fishing boats in the area. The town is around the present-day Tsuen Wan Station of the MTR...
— Wan Chai - Causeway Bay. The return to Tsuen Wan stop is in front of Wan Chai Computer Centre. - Sheung ShuiSheung ShuiSheung Shui is an area in New Territories, Hong Kong. Sheung Shui Town, a part of this area, is part of the Fanling-Sheung Shui New Town in the North District of Hong Kong. Fanling Town is to its southeast.-History:...
— Wan Chai - Yuen LongYuen LongYuen Long , formerly Un Long, is an area and town located in the northwest of Hong Kong, on the Yuen Long Plain. To its west lie Hung Shui Kiu and Ha Tsuen, to the south Shap Pat Heung and Tai Tong, to the east Au Tau and Kam Tin, and to the north Nam Sang Wai.-Name:The Cantonese name Yuen Long 元朗...
— Wan Chai
- West Point
See also
- Wan Chai DistrictWan Chai DistrictThe Wan Chai District is one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong, located in the north of Hong Kong island. It had a population of 167,146 in 2001. The district has the second most educated residents with the highest income, the second lowest population and the third oldest residents, and is also the...
- Wanchai FerryWanchai FerryWanchai Ferry is a range of Chinese cuisine produced by General Mills. It consists of two product lines – recipe kits, which contain the sauces, flavouring and dry ingredients to make up a complete recipe when added to the consumer's choice of fresh ingredients, and in the United States they have...
- Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition CentreHong Kong Convention and Exhibition CentreThe Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre is one of the two major convention and exhibition venues in Hong Kong, along with AsiaWorld-Expo. It is located in Wan Chai North, Hong Kong Island. Built along the Victoria Harbour, it is linked by covered walkways to nearby hotels and commercial...
- Golden Bauhinia SquareGolden Bauhinia SquareThe Golden Bauhinia Square is an open area in Wan Chai North, Hong Kong. The square was named after the giant statue of a golden Bauhinia blakeana at the centre of the area, situated outside the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, where the ceremonies for the handover of Hong Kong and the...
External links
Official websitesPersonal 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
- Location map in Wan Chai - Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre