WAN CHAI

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This old Tung Tak pawn shop is similar to many old-fashioned shops in Wan Chai built following Lingnan architecture. Attached to the second storey from the pavement, numerous pillars were built in front of the closed stores.

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This building was rated a Grade III historic building by the government. Grade III means a building has some merit and preservation would be desirable. It is not mandatory.

Work has begun to tear the old Tung Tak pawn shop down in August 2015. The landlord insisted on demolishing the building despite the Antiquities and Monuments Office's efforts to discuss preservation plan.

The old Tung Tak pawn shop was dating back to the decade 1930s. Tung Tak Pawn Shop was the last shop house with a veranda built around a street corner left on Hong Kong Island. Two are left on Kowloon side.

This historic Hong Kong pawn shop was destroyed in year 2015 in order to become a 23-storey commercial tower.

Such corner tong lau building is specific of Hong Kong architecture. It has been recently repainted with colorful colors such as pink and purple. The various floors include various companies such as hairdresser, Thai massage...

Empty shop to be rent on Queen's Road East. Each local rental agency has added their own leaflet.

Pak Tai Temple is one of the oldest temples in Wan Chai. In this temple there is a three-metre statue and the features of its 130 years history are displayed.

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Such 40 years old residential buildings are still numerous in Wan Chai. Renting a flat in such building is much cheaper that inside a modern building with clubhouses. There is no guard, no lift but rooms are big, ceiling is high. There is a gate in front of each door for supplementary security against thieves.

Some flats have an extended terrace on the first floor or sometimes the last floor goes with private access to a roof top. This is perfect for barbecues. Some shops are on the ground floor.

Higher floors in old buildings are often used for commercial purpose. It can be a shop taking care of dogs, a shop selling bakery ingredients or being a private cuisine.

Higher floors shop rent is of course cheaper than a ground floor shop rent.

Being a private cuisine allows easier flexibility on restaurants rules. The laws are less strict. Such private cuisines are normally for members only so all visitors receive a VIP card.

Hung Shing Wong could predict the weather accurately and enable good harvest so he helped the fishermen and farmers.

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Constructed before 1847, Hung Shing Temple on Queen's Road East used to overlook the sea front. Succeeding to a number of reclamations, it now stands far from the sea and is in the middle of modern commercial and residential buildings. It is Grade I Historic Building.

The temple, with three compartments, enshrines numerous statues of gods and deities including Hung Shing Dai Wong, Madame Kam Fa, Tai Shui and Pau Kung.

The Hung Shing Temple is one of the oldest of Wan Chai area, perhaps even existing as a shrine before the British occupation.

Around 150 years ago, Wan Chai was a quiet sandy bay on the northern shoreline of Hong Kong Island. Only a handful of people lived there and most of them were fishermen. They gathered to work around the area near Hung Shing Temple overlooking the whole harbour and worshiped Hung Shing Ye as God of the Sea. Hung Shing Temple is still standing in its original location in Queen's Road East but years of reclamation have pushed the shoreline further away.

The temple was constructed as a result of donations from local residents whose livelihood relied mainly on fishing. Hung Shing was a protective deity of the sea.

Hung Shing was originally a government official named Hung Hei in Tang Dynasty. He promoted the study of astronomy, and geography and established an observatory to observe the meteorological changes. His devotion to work made him die at a young age.

Simply designed, Hung Shing tile-roofed temple was constructed on large boulders against a rugged terrain.

After his death, the reigning emperor gave him the posthumous title of "Kwong Lee Hung Shing Tai Wong". Legend has it that Hung Shing continued to guard the people against natural disasters on numerous occasions after his death. Many government officials later built temples to worship him as the God of Southern Sea.

Those temples designated as Grade I historical buildings will only be approved for filming for the purpose of promoting Chinese temples, traditional culture, tourism or Hong Kong and for producing documentary. All commercial filming will not be entertained.

The traditional dark and tiny Hung Shing Temple is built atop huge boulders. Many other Hung Shing Temple can be found in Hong Kong.

The three-storey market building, constructed in year 1937 on the corner of Wan Chai Road and Queen's Road East, is believed to be one of only two well-preserved markets in the Bauhaus style left in the world. The other one is in Phnom Penh.

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A campaign to save the market has started in year 2004. Redevelopment to turn the market area into a commercial and residential complex was already first planned in year 1991.

The Antiquities and Monuments Office has decided the building does not deserve preservation.

The 70-year-old 'Bauhaus-style' or 'Art Deco Style' Wan Chai Market is an historic building but has a private ownership. There are no ornamental patterns but simple and clean lines.

The Wan Chai Market played a key role in the defence of Hong Kong in year 1941 as soldiers tried to stop the Japanese reaching Central. The Wan Chai Market building is one of the few war relics left in the city.

The developer has said it is willing to discuss a land swap so the market could be preserved. But neither the government and the Urban Renewal Authority has made any approach to save the building.

In 2008 it was decided that only 40 per cent of the Wan Chai market's gross floor area will be preserved under the developer's plan. The area to be preserved comprises the main facade, including the main entrance, the curved canopy and fins, and part of the front portion of the structure. The planned residential tower would be 157 metres above sea level.

Wan Chai old wet market, featuring a Bauhaus architecture, was closed in year 2008 for redevelopment.

The new building called "One WanChai" has kept the old market facade. It was finished end of year 2012.

"One WanChai" is a redevelopment project at No 1 Wan Chai Road undertaken with the Urban Renewal Authority. It is a residential / commercial building.

Big lobster on sale in Wan Chai market on Hong Kong island. Fresh seafood always available here. It is 5 minutes walk from new building called "One WanChai".

The Blue House has high historic value as it was the original site of Wah To Hospital, built in the 1870s. In terms of architectural design, the balcony-type tenement block with its European Art-Deco style has unique characteristics.

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The Blue House would house a museum of tea and Chinese medicine but in year 2006, at least one third of the families didn't want to move out.

Local people complain that they cannot stay in the neighbourhood due to high rental prices. They explain the property market price increase due to many rich mainland Chinese people buying flats in Hong Kong and so spending their money they cannot always show off in China.

The Blue House is among the last remaining buildings of this kind in Wan Chai. Some tenants have to share a kitchen. There is no flushing toilet facility.

The Hong Kong Housing Society intends to develop the area along the theme of tea and medicine in line with its historical background of tea trade and medical services.

A big part of the building is painted with blue color but one block still has a black color. The ownership is different, i.e. the blue part belongs to Government and the black part is private. It is said that blue color was used as the Government has blue color surplus in their stock.

The Blue House is listed as a grade-one historical building by the Antiquities Advisory Board.

The Blue House was built in the 1920s. Many of the internal structures like staircase are still preserved in their authentic wooden fabric

About 30 families still live in the Blue House. The government has offered to relocate them to public estates.

The building has also been used as a school and housed small local businesses, including a charity clothes shop now on the ground floor.

Some local communities want the government to reconsider plan to transform the 80-year-old Blue House. It wants residents to be allowed to stay and the building converted into a living museum.

In year 2008, the development bureau said that those currently living in the building could stay and would be incorporated as part of any revitalization plan.

In the area of the Blue House, there is a so-called yellow House on Hing Wan Street and orange House on King Sing Street.

For those opting to stay, the revitalization plan must include improvement of current living conditions as the building doesn't have modern toilets.

Old residents like the high ceilings, the old tile floor, the big windows and the design which keeps the building cool.

This is the first time in which a heritage building with residents is to be preserved.

The Blue House, listed as a grade-one historical building by the Antiquities Advisory Board, is one of the few remaining balconied tenement blocks in Hong Kong.

The Blue House was built in the mid-1920s to replace Wah To Hospital, the first one in Wan Chai to provide medical services to Chinese residents.

Wan Chai Photo Gallery

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