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Home , Kowloon Walled City, Taxicabs of Hong Kong

OUTSIDE IN :: DIY media architecture workshop Walled City material

For the OUTSIDE-IN Symposium, www.outsidein.se Adam Somlai-Fischer :: aether architecture :: www.aether.hu

Contents of this document have been copied from the following websites, and are the property their respective authors. Layout/spelling is left intact. http://www.twenty4.co.uk/on-line/issue001/project02/KWC http://www.flex.co.jp/kowloon/home_e.html http://www.fortunecity.com/campus/averett/374/memories/kc_fr.htm http://www.flex.co.jp/kowloon/home_e.html

The complecated creature emit queer circumstances,,, When you saw the from the out side, you would see just cheap usual concrete building. Most of them were builded with concrete. However, they show us really queer circumstances. Tiny hairs wriggled and rustled. It just seemed like something tremendously complecated creature.

Where these images were coming from? Small pencil style buildings with 10 to 14 floors, and its sizes were 20 to 1000 cubic meter. Most of them were under 100 cubic meter, and 300 to 500 buildings were connected together. They were extended or shared their walls illigaly, so it was pretty hard to find the joints. And, the fact that they had very delicate height differences was one another reason also.

In the land area of 2.6ha, over 300 buildings ware builded on north-south slope has 4 floors level difference. Whole stracture had totally different two stratums. The lower stratum was seemed like just a maze. Sometimes locate of staires changed floor by floor. Sometimes the building had extended or connected to next building illegaly. Even it was pretty hard to come back to the entrance, sometimes. The upper stratum was pretty simple but ,still, sometimes they made us confused. The most of buildings were builded with steel based Rahmen structure.

Outside view from the south side Outside view of the west side edge

Compare with the Kowloon Walled City to Tokyo Dome Kowloon Walled City was almost same size with Tokyo Dome. Kowloon Walled City had about 50,000 population. Tokyo Dome has 56,000 seats.

Side View Section View

From "The Kowloon Walled City Illustration"

Population : 34,000 House holds : 10,200 Rooms : 8,800 Manufactures : 570 Shops : 148 Dentists : 87 Doctors : 63 others : 177 Section VIew

We sat pictures of the rooms into an actual surveyed section view. The colorful rooms which are never expected from the outside are in a row with mosic-like form. However, the time when people were living, lots of the living goods were filled and never be noticed it.

By the way, there is an interesting story about another Kowloon walled City called 'Tsim Sha Tsui' I had a room on the Northan Road. The room was really small and there had no windows. And, all its walls were painted in pink. There was only a fluorescent lamp but it was so bright.

Maybe, not only in the Kowloon Walled City but also in, high density city, Kong, they can't expect natural sun light, so they put some ideas to the walls.

There were the other styles like, gaudy blue or pink walls, variety of tiles covered on the walls, a gorgeous down light was hang from the ceiling, put the whole picture of somewhere's scenery and so on. There were small cosmos inside and they were never be noticed from the outside. There is no correct record at all but, about 50 thousand population lived in the city. All area space was only 2.6ha, 1.92 people were living on 1 square meter. The survey listed avobe are surveyed by goverment after the evacuation.

Electricity Most of all the buildings had connected the electricity from public electric company.

Municiple Services

There was a public water supply and some houses were directly connected with the water hose. Most of them dug a well and pumped up to floors. And, also there were deliverly service for drinking water. There were not organized drainage, they had only ditch and it was always smelly. Trash Trash were hauled away anywhere. Trash were piled up on layed pipe and prevent the sun light. Community organization made the garbage dump but throwing away the trash was one already and the Walled City was exaggerated for it.

There was a temple called "TIN HAU Temple". The residents put a net and ried to prevent the trash. But, trash were piled and complately shut off the sun shine.

Postal Service Every buiding had a post at the entrance. 3 postmen were on duty on the City. New post man needed 3 months to be used to location.

Streets The city had a main street ran through east-west which called "LUNG CHUN BACK Road", two main streets ran through south and north which called "LUNG SHING Road", "KWONG MING Street", "LO YAN Street", "TAI CHANG Street", and "SAI SHING Road". The widest part was about 2m, the narrowest part was under 1m.

Public Facilities The city had 3 temples, one public water supply, two meeting places, and also the kindergarten. One meeting place had foreign language school or table tennis tournaments.

Explore their a brothel legends The Kowloon Walled City was totally non- goverment area. In 1842, Opium War had ended and was a cessioned to Great Britain; then, in the followed war called Arrow War, Kowloon peninsula was a cessioned. After that period, Hong Kong was taken by Great Britain with 99 years limit. However, had been insisting their sovereignty all through the years, the Kowloon Walled City was left in non-goverment area. In 1949, The Republic of China was established and a lot of people immgranted. In 1951, the Kowloon Walled City had a big fire and it burned half of the public houses. Then, higher buildings were started to be builded and the, labyrinth, Kowloon Walled City had completioned by 1970's. In the late 1950's, the Kowloon Walled City was kept in bad mood. There were lots of prostitute, people smoked Opiums, and gambles in the streets. Many residence organized the self diffensive forces and made their neighbors better. Some people say the Kowloon Walled City was unlawfull area, but not the whole place were so. Yet, people might treat the Walled City as a scapegoat of Hong Kong.

"Kowloon Walled City" was located in north west of the Kai Tac Air Port and was high density gathered living space. The land was only 2.6ha; at least, over 300 buildings were packed in there.

[ Genesis Term ] In 1840, the war called "Opium war"" had ended. The Great Britain goverment required to hand over the Kowloon peninsula to China after words. Although, only the Kowloon Walled City was excluded from that hand over commit. After that period, China had been insistanced its sovereignty of the Kowloon Walled City, but it was existed as non-goverment area even if it's located inside of Hong Kong.

[ The First Term ] With their historical background, in 1949 Republic of China was established and lots of people immigranted into the Kowloon. Then, higher buildings were started to be coustructed and also dark side of 'Kowloon Walled City' was born. Even some people said 'Onece you enter, never you'll exit'.

[ The Golden Term ] Late 70's to early 80's, about 50 thousand people ware living and over 500 small manufactures ware existed in the Kowloon Walled City. And, 90% of fish cakes which used in the Hong Kong were made in the Kowloon Walled City, even some decent hotels were used them. Further more, 87 dentists and 63 doctors lived in the Walled City. All they had educated in China in 50's with the Russian education. Because they couldn't have a medical licence in Hong Kong, they could start business only in the Walled City. Since they lived in black world, sometimes, they gave their hands to black market.

[ The Declining Term ] In 1987, Hong Kong goverment agreed to the hand over commit, forced evacuation for residence had started in the end of 1991. In July of 1992, all of the evacuation was finished.

[ Presence ] In 1993, the torn down had started and the place have changed to the authentic Chinese park now.

What was the item which had 90% share? There were over 500 small manufactures in the Kowloon Walled City. They were producing bags, shoes, adult goods, sweets, hand crafted goods, and so on. The most popular product was food stuffs. For the fish cakes, 90% of fish cakes which eaten in Hong Kong were produced in the Kowloon Walled City. The reasons why there were a lots of food manufactures gathered in the City are, the house rents were cheap, and there was no tax, the health law wasn't effected inside of the City. However, they were not really organized and they were located in disperse.

The symbol of live energy Most of the apartments had wire caged balcony. We named it "Bird Cage". We could see on the street in Hong Kong as well, but it's illegal. Sometimes the bird cage fall down and resident get hurt.

They are regulated strictly and removed already. But, the bird cage contains full of wit for living of Hong Kong residents. The out-look of the Kowloon Walled City with bird cage was filled with live energy. If we could removed our bias images, we would see their real life in the bird cage. This 'Expedition Story' is the whole story of explore of the Kowloon Walled City. The Expedition entered to the City just before the torning down had started. And, they were the last and only Expedition; investigated the City with living samlls.

1. until leave for Hong Kong 2. Negotiating had started 3. Leaving Japan. For Hong Kong 4. Enter the Kowloon Walled City (1) 4. Enter the Kowloon Walled City (2) 5. Sneak into the Walled City! 6. A Sea of Trees 7. Something was wrong 8. Sneak into -2nd day- 9. Sneak into -3rd day- 10. Sneak into -4th day- 11. Sneak into -5th day- 12. Sneak into -6th day- 13. Sneak into -7th day- In the summer of 1992, we started to have a contact with Hong Kong goverment. They replied us pretty kindly in the beginning; however, sometimes they changed their attitude with no reasons, and finaly, we got refused to investigation..

We were all screwed up. There was no Hong Kong Govermental office in Japan and we knew the limit for contacting via letters. Then, we heard the torn down was ditermined in February and almost we gave up once.

We talked and discused again and again. We repeated the examination about recruiting our team, investigation substances, and equipments. But, I couldn't stop my feeling to 'Kowloon Walled City' .

Then, I, had a responsible for this matter, thought "damedemotomoto try to go to Hong Kong, anyway." and got a cheap ticket to Hong Kong.There was no time to have a contact with Hong Kong goverment and even more, I was worried that if I tried to get a permission, they might complately shut down my petition.

A few days before leaving Japan, I asked Mr. Naoto Iketani (chief editer of "Hong Kong TSUUSHIN")'s advice, even more I called all of my friends who was living in Hong Kong and asked their advice.

At the same time, I asked cooperation to one of the DAM-DAN Corporation, Ishiyama team at Waseda University. They could write request form to Hong Kong goverment under the their name.

For the time, I did everything that I could expect about.

The day before leaving, I faxed to Hong Kong goverment and informed them that I would going. I arrived at Hong Kong around midnight and had a contact with Mr.Iketani; we arranged the schedule from tomorrow.

Next morning, I called my friend who married with Hong Kong local and they introduced me one Chinese-Japanese translater. We tried to have a contact with a person of the Hong Kong goverment, but never mede it that day. We were so frastrated.

We got a call from Mr.Iketani and we had a excellent translater, Ms. Noriko Serada. All we felt follow winds at that time. Then, we got a good answer from the Hong Kong goverment. Unexpectedly, a British jornalist came to Kowloon walled City to report and we could enter with them. Yet still, we needed to negotiate with the chief of constructor about permission for investigation. Next day, we got materials and explaination about history and whole plan of the torn down Kowloon Walled City from the goverment. Then we knew the importance of the Kowloon matter.

When we saw Mr. Jim W. Fearns, the chief officer of Kowloon reconstruct, he had known our repeated petition for investigation and he showed us perplexed face. He almost said 'Are you serious?'

We appealed the historical and architect impotance of 'The Kowloon Walled City' hardly with Ms. Serada's excellent transration. Her perfect translation really helped our succeed to have a permission.

Mr. Jim, himself, had not a few nostalgy and interest in the Kowloon Walled City but, still he couldn't decide by himseives.

We started to negotiate with the forman directly. However, we got fine answers so easily. #Permitted period was 8 days before the torn down would start. #Don't bother with constructors. #Take our own risks #6 people could enter maximam at one time.

Finaly, we got a permission.

Mr.Jim said "Stop by my office later". When we stopped his office, he gave us a couple of sketches and big bird-view pictures. They were really usefull pieces for our explore. I remeber that he toled us, it was almost taled hiselves, he wants to reserve some of the pieces of the Kowloon Walled City.

Quickly we came back to the Japan and reexaminated about substances of the investigation. And, we nagotiated with travel agency about our schedule at the same time.

Most of our expedition members had a job, we selected by team that they could ascend and we decided our part.

As a result, we got a really big success in the Hong Kong. We examined the investigation schedule, documents, equipments again and again untill our leaving. Everyone had their personal belongings and each one huge "Somesonite" suit case which were fulled with measure equipments, tripods, and so on

The team started in advance (full term attended; Takayuki SUZUKI, Kumi Ohira, Shigekazu TANO, Jun KAINO. Half term attended; Tatsuo NAGANUMA, Miki TONO, Rika YASUDA) gathered and yelled for this investigation's success. Then we left for UENO station. Our project were under low budget, we took a local train to the air port.

The time had about to came.

However, when the train reached to the next station, one member noticed that he brought a document which supposed to be in office. He called to the office in panic. Our departure time was coming. We spent some time inpatiently at the station. We missed 2 trains, then, finaly we left him at there and got on the next train.

When we got to UENO station, we got last a couple minutes until our express train had departured. We tugged our Somesonite by 2 people pretty roughly and ran! We worried the equipments in the suit case but we ran.

Finaly, we got to the NARITA air port, somehow. We waited for him untill our departure. When we were about to gave up, he reached us in some way. He took a taxi and ran after us. We ran again to the boading gate.

Nobody knows why but, from we got permission for investigation, everything was just in time. We were heading for huge mysterious labyrinth, I was cared our project's success. I got a little nerves in the air plane and examine our schedule.

Then "Fasten Seat Belt" sign went on.

Hong Kong city light were spreaded out of the window. Always it made me excited. However we didn't have a time to be fascinated by. The plane went shake a little, I saw my severe face on the window. I know I shouln't be like that. I tried to be relaxed but I didn't know how. Our plane weaved bulding's way to the KAI TAC Air Port. While we were at the baggage claim after the immigration, one girl member of our team got to be couldn't stand up. She was spent really hard days to make time for this explore untill today. She couldn't keep her tension any more.

I was pretty concerned about her because she was alway giving us energy. However, we got on the bus to the hotel, anyway. Usual unique smell of Hong Kong got my nose and I didn't like.

We got to the hotel at almost midnight. We got to be separated to two hotels and we sat bigger room as a our head quater. The expedition members must be tired but they got to be excited. They were totaly got exhausted physically but at the same time, were totaly stimulated mentaly. We had an arrangements for the explore from tomorrow. It was ended at after 1:30am. Always when I got to Hong Kong I walk over the city until the air soaked into whole my body, but not this time. We went to bed right after that.

Tomorrow, our explore would be started finally.

8:00pm. We gathered at the Majestic Hotel. Everybody moved a littele dull. I wondered had they enough breakfast? I eat huge dish normaly for breakfast, but I didn't at that day.

Although, I had a bread and boiled egg with me on my habit. The other three members, KAIYA, OHIRA, YASUDA, also brought cheeses or bread from the hotel.

The cheif of the expedition, TANO, had a power to control our expence.

We took measure equipments or other investigation needs from the suit case and stick the pictures and blueprints on the wall.

The room had been to be a base camp-like its look. We examined our explore wquipments again.

I had been heard about the fear for the walled city and the seriousness for the accidents at the over seas before our departure. We sat up our rules, stay with your partner always, have a contact each othe once in a hour and never try a excessive work.

Then,we got two taxis and left for the Kowloon Walled City.

Somehow or other, the cab driver could understand my broken english. If I say 'The ', it means whole Kowloon city. I repeated a couple times and the driver noded assent.

The expedition member, TONO was excited for his first trip to Hong Kong. It seems Hong Kong's air contains some adrenalines. Whenever I came to Hong Kong I got be excited with no reasons.

We approached from north east of the walled city. When we got to the street lied on north part, we could see a orderly lined old buildings on the left side. After we passed them, the queer mass thing was appeared on the right.

Suddenly,'What the hell with that!?', the chief of expedition, TONO screamed.

In the fall of 1991, I saw the Kowloon Walled City first time. I knew its excistance by then. However, it was not overturn its public images.

However, when the two female new expedition members, NADA, KINOSHITA, went to the Hong Kong, they brought some segments from there. It remained me definitely.

My personal images for the walled city, fearful, the unsolved labyrinth, was totally overturned to the usual world.

However, the Kowloon Walled City had been coming up to my reality later. Usual scene and usual building rushed me into the Kowloon Walled City which was existed as reality.

I entered to the Walled City from south approach. I roamed inside the Walled City with a map. As I entered through the typic Hong Kong street, the Walled City was coming in my sight little by little. It was seemed had dissolved with Hong Kong scene which was seen through a telephoto lens.

When the street met an another , its entire picture was cleared. The queer mass thing was lain over the huge park and field. From the middle of the street, only the street wide part was assimilated with its scene. However, still a huge mass was aparted and appeared to me. We aproached from east side street. About 3 floors high cabin sticked to the concrete mass with12 to 13 floors. There was one-story cabin inside of it and itspillars were painted in red and separated with red curtain.

A lot of curled shaped incecses were hanged from the ceiling. I found out later that the place was a temple.

I was standing on the corner of north east. A lot of buildings were combined into one mass and I couldn't see its edge. Each window has their own altitudes, the windows were also stood out or off and it was really hard to find their gap.

A lot of stores are stading in line.

A lot of complicated buildings were standing closely, I saw an ant hill-like halls everywhere. Sometimes, I saw somebody came out from the hall but I feel fear and I couldn't enter.

I walked around anyway. I did try to enter a couple times with a call to myself, but my feet got to cowered and I coudn't move.

I walked around again. A house wife came out from an opening with her kid. I tried to enter from the opening. I moved forward little by little.

As I moved forward about 10m from the entaurance and there was no available light already.

Only the fluorescentthe fluorescent lamp lighten up the street and it made my fear increase.

I couldn't see anything on front of me. As I moved forward little by little, the streets were getting to be separated and I felt like the huge creature was swallowing me. When I reached to about 30m from the entaurance I couldn't help my fear and I ran away to the exit.

I escaped from the labyrinth and took a breath. I remember two women members who had experienced this labyrinth before and I decided to try again. I got my resolution and walked around a couple times more. Then I found openings on north end and south end.

I entered a little and the opening was not so dark as the others. I climbed up one stair alsp but it was so complicated and I was almost got lost.

I walked forwardn without looking back. When I saw the light from the exit I couldn't stop to running.

I remember those memories of my first visit to the Kowloon Walled City and I could understand Tono's surprise.

The taxi turned the corner on north-east and entered to the gate for construction. After the last residences were forced got out, the Walled City was prohibited to enter without permit. Every single opening was covered with steel net and the shops on the 1st floor were all closed.

Some of the buldings were already covered with enclosure for demolition. I talked with the security but he didn't know about our investigation and I asked for chief of them.

The Chief who appeared to us was the person who helped us when we tried to have a permit from goverment. His name was Johnny Tsang.

When he saw us, he just opened the gate with smiling. He arranged for a room,helmets and strong flash light. He was really helpful to us.

We signed to a written oath for our investigation's risks. I felt my body was shrink with under pressure.

Paled orangish yellow painted small room was arranged for our base camp at Walled City. We displayed all our equipments and reconfirmed our plans.

The plan for the first day was to experience inside of the Walled City and grasping our plan's possibilities.

In the advance, Mr. YOSHIDA would take us to the Walled City, but on that day, he had an another appointment and couldn't come.

I can't describe much about the feeling that we had during we had been waiting for him. Under the pressure for Explore, we couldn't stop to depending to Mr. YOSHIDA.

We accumulated fragmental information as much as we could before we had left for H.K. The magazine called "Hong Kong TSUSHIN" featured Kowloon Walled City and only they described its whole picture.

Mr.Naoto IKETANI was a chief editor in those days and Mr. YOSHIDA was a powerful staff of him. The contents that they edited were really well expressed and were an our preference book.

With their perfect reserch results, we had to expand them in these 8 days.

I had to know that our rash plan against huge mgnificent mass. We had nothig to do and we had just waited for him and prayed "Please Mr. YOSHIDA came in hurry!"

Then, we reconsidered and knew the time had been started. "We decided to go."

We got a blue print for the pulling down and it showed whole map of the 1st floor level.

We approached from south end (park side). There were already wall and prevented to enter but there was an opening and we could enter.

At the first, we tried to enter from the east end, but the pulling down had been started already and the their ruins prevented us to enter.

Then we tried to enter from the entaurance for the contsructors.

As we went through 10m and there was no available light already. Inside of the Walled City was totally dried out. As we walked around, a lot of dust flew around us but we didn't know what was the dust made from.

The dustproof masks were really necessaries at there. There was no indication of living creature. Once I stepped on something soft and I found out it was dead body of cat.

Once the Walled City was still alived, the passages were always got wet and glistened by fluorscent lamp.

The water drops fell from upper plumbings sometimes. I didn't know where the drops were coming from and wiped them immidiately. Now, all of the residents were forced left, all the electricity and water supply were stopped from 8 months ago, they were complately dyied out and let them been dust. The dust seemed transformed into the powdered crystal and covered whole city.

We called out to each other and sneaked into the Walled City. Then, we came out to the street which ran east-west.

The street was too narrow to walk with whole party. There were a lot of openings anywhere, also. Soon we knew our party was not efficient. We branched off by two teams, then entered from east-side and west-side. One team headed to east-end street called and another one headed to west-end street called.

We reconfirmed our rules, gather at once in 2 hours, keep in safe, come back to the base camp at 2pm, call out each other, never behave alone. Then, we tried radio talkies, also.

We almost did anything on entire morning and we didn't eat lunch as well. Maybe we had just lost our appetite.

We climbed each buildings' rooftop. I had a radio talky and tried it.

However, nothing had been heard from the speaker, somehow. Then, I heard somebody's calling. I shouted "Where are you?". He said "I'm here!" but it was just a real voice from another expedition member.

I looked down and found a member walked through to me. I was a little disappointed, but I surprised and asked him "Something wrong?". Then, he showed me his watch.

It was already 2pm. I checked everyone's safety and we went to a restaurant in nearby. Everybody walked a lot and they seemed remember their appetite.

We found a restaurant seemed pretty good. They hanged smoked chicken (maybe) from the ceiling and smelled good.

The Walled City was not so fearful than we expected. However, some streets were filled with trash or sopped up with fences. The map which provided by H.K. government was almost perfect but situation got to been changed a little.

Moreover, a member reported that some stairs were connected to other direction. We had to check our direction each time or we got to lost.

We were getting to be relax little by little. We tried to do our investigation as scheduled.

Sunset was a sign for ending. Sun went down about 6pm. At 3pm we got gathered in base camp and made a team with 2 people. Then, we entered to the Walled City again.

The radio talkies couldn't used in the Walled City. The piled concrete walls prevented the radio. It was just like using a compass in a sea of trees. After all we could use radio talkies only when we see each other. We couldn't be relaxed.

The investigation was shared like this. The section view teams were KAIYA, TAKAHATA and TANO, MANIWA. They investigated each buildings from east-side and west-side. They measured each rooms from bottom to top took their pictures from one side for drawing its section view.

The level map team members were I and YASUDA. We tried to confirm the 1st level map and check the street environment. We checked how the city developed and what contained in the city.

The out-look team was TONO. He surveyed the height or position with level measure for out-look blue print. The video team members were NAGANUMA and OOHIRA. They shot the Walled City's moving picture with video camera.

I started to investigate about 1st level map with YASUDA. We started from east side street. That street turned on right and met with another street at the end. The scene that appeared with my head light at the end of the street was totally stole my breath. An red altar had appeared in the light of my head light. The showy printed boxes, some kind of containers, fallen down chairs were dispersed in a mess. And furthermore, darkness covered whole the mess.

I almost averted my eyes from that. However, as I got to be calm, I was getting to see their details. It was seemed like grocery in Hong Kong.

When I considered here was a east-end of the Walled City, it was easy to remind a people who lived at here and were forced moved from here.

An red altar was nothing special. It was just for every people's religion.

I was surprised too much, maybe. I think I was a little nerves at that day. I breathed deeply and started to investigate again. We checked our location with map and blueprint. We found out something was wrong. Here had to be a last street from east but we could see an another one over there.

As we moved forward, we could see the street was stopped up with garbage, old furniture or its remains.

We found a small opening on the side. We seemed miss the map. Both main street and small opening were really narrow and their width were only 1 to 2 meters.

I and YASUDA took a lot of pictures and measured the width of all the streets, then we amendment its differences between map and the facts.

The time had gone so fast. It was about to time to back. But still, we got more than half of our duty.

I was feeling it very hard to leave. Everybody were coming back to the camp by twos and threes. Some people brought some remains from the Walled City.

We put all of the remains; books, magazines, toys and so on, on the table. They would be called "Kowloon Walled City Goods" later. They were Walled City's lost articles. Today's time limit was coming and we decided to have a meeting at the hotel. We headed to the Majestic Hotel.

We got to the Hotel around 7pm. We had a meeting before dinner. We put our result on the huge level map.

However, we could filled out only a few part. We felt a huge pressure with the remains of our duty.Everyone had be a hungry but no one spoke.

Each team had finished to report. We examined our investigation again. and discussed how to measure all of the Walled City. When the meeting finished, the clock told 9pm to us.

I took out all exhausted expedition members to the good food stand. The city was still crowded.

I didn't know why but, Hong Kong's visual pollution and smells of the food always cheered me up.

We roamed around to find restaurant. There was a corner where the restaurants were gathered and we got in. We ordered what we wanted.

We tasted our dishes each other and spent a short innocent moment. We got to be separated at the restaurant.

I lay down my bed at the hotel. I knew I was totally exhausted, but I couldn't sleep. I couldn't stop to thinking.

As I let my mind thinking, my mind went to melted to the darkness and I lost my consciousness.

In the morning, I woke up and I didn't remember where I am.

Maybe, I know if I were I used to be, I wouldn't came to there. I don't know where my energy had came. My body had moved by something and I don't know what just I guess everybody may have that kind of moment a couple of times in their life.

We didn't so exhausted than we expected and we left the hotel when we gathered. We got separated by team and continued our inspection.

Finaly, Mr. Yoshida will join us today. He is restless person and always gone somewhere or stucked in editing room. He could make some time for us at last. I started to inspect of ground level again with Yasuda. We got used to that environment and our calling out each other had been smoothly.

I comfirmed my documents and environment, then I fixed the difference. I drew the formation of the stairs and took a note the things that noticed.

I measured the widthof the streets and shop's entaurance. I took pictures and check its direction and formation. All we expected each that space has some remains that tells us what they were used to be. Because, we thought the remains help us to make a document with city's details.

However, unfortunately, the inside of the shops were so ruined and it wasn't easy to find their remains. Some place had left overes; huge iron pods or machineries, but they didn't tell us enough their histories. Left overes were just left overes, nothing's more, nothing's less.

One more thing that I feel reglet is taking a pictures. There were not enough space to be back for fix a focus. It was too small.

If I could take a picture with full size of 1st floor, I could make a picture of whole street. I really wanted. I should brought wider lens, maybe it had be a fisheye lens, though.

We got used to the work a little, however, we got to be miserable again. I wondered how much we could save the Walled City. But, there was no time to think. All we had to do was just do it.

The time was passing so fast, and lunch time came in quick. Mr. Yoshida would join us in afternoon and we ate lunch in the neighborhood. We could see a modern apartment complex over the street. There were shops in the back of them.

A lot of kids were playing. There were variety of shops including; grocery shops, candy shop, and restaurants also. We chose a restaurant from them and I ordered fried rice with fried egg on the top.

I could be relax at the restaurant and I don't know why. The restaurant was just like a candy shop that I used to go when I was a kid. Mr. Yoshida was a little late and came at 2pm. Mr. Yoshida brought an another person with him. He was a camera man from one big news paper company. He came to Hong Kong for reporting there.

I entered to the Walled City with Mr. Yoshida from the entaurance that I entered in the morning. Today's big event was going to the room that Mr. Yoshida used to live with his guidance.

Mr. Yoshida's room was located at west side of the inner garden. We ahead forward to the west side. I looked up at crossroad, and I remembered my stimulation of the movie "Bladerunner".

As we strolled around south side of the garden, we got a lecture about old historical constructs called "yar men". We heard the story that big coannons were used to be just left on the street. I could imagined it clearly.

This garden had a kindergarten and community facilities. Sometime they had a table tennis tornament at facility.There was a small restaurant just over the garden and it was filled with spirits of the Walled City.

We entered to the north depth from a small opening. We saw a almost broken steel stair and it was a entrance for the apartment that Mr. Yoshida used to live.

Made a right turn and left turn then moved forward a little,then finaly, we found a stair witch went upper floor. We climb up the stair to the room.

We felt the sunlight at 11th floor. We needed to climb up some more floors to Mr. Yoshida's room. At last we reached to his room, it was almost pent house. It was pretty tough to reach here, but it seemed comfortable. Mr. Yoshida told us he had beer partys often in summer.

To go up to the roof, we had to use a emergency stair. The planes which landing to Kai Tac Air Port flew over my head. We took a break at there. br> We tried to back to the entrance. However, we came out to the different place. There seemed old pig slaughterhouse. We got no spare time and rush to going to north side.

We were going fine, but suddenly, we had to stop. We got to the dead end.

We tried to be back to the half way, but we got totally confused. The width of the street was got to be extremely narrow as the width as only two people could stand. Still more, the street was branched off and we couldn't see its further. The truth was wider one was a branch line and narrow one was a main street.

Finaly, we got to out. It was already getting to be dark and we decided to go back to the base camp. We had a meeting before dinner again. The floor plan drawing team claimed that it was hard to draw them clearly and they wanted to some adjustments.

We discussed and decided to draw in a little more roughly. Indeed, enough to understanding its detail. Further more, everyone wanted for more time.

We put a lot of time into making a section view so far. We decided to try to use a photos effectively and record the width and height only. The meeting had finished around 9pm we had a dinner at same place that we had last night.

Ifelt like the time was passing extremely fast. Soon third day morning had came. That day was a last day for one team and another team will be arriving at the evening.

The work progressing proseeded in desperate until by yesterday. Nobody knows how much we could proseed the work with the way we changed last night. Everybody were got in tension and taciturnnity.

We woke up a little earlier and started to work in 8:30am. Our aim of this project was to grab the Walled City as a one whole mass. We had to make a picture of ground level, east-west section view, and picture of its out-look for drawing a plan. Especialy, section view was important.

Section view should grab a whole picture of huge creature like its out-look. We might reconcider about the way to survey depend on today's result. Each explore members started to their work immediately.

We, ground level team, were absorbed in to investigate about main street first. We walked around with Mr. Yoshida yesterday and we could walk easily than ever. Comparatively easy to drawing street was continued from east side. There were a lot of small streets which separated from main street. I got a temptation to enter to one of them, but I did self controled for it and continued to investigate one by one.

Kwong Ming Street was totally darkened. No sun light was coming into there at all. The scene that appeared with my head light was also reflected as blacken dirty and seemed old factory.

I could see a point of the light from north exit. I found a branch line at about 20m from the exit. That branch line was accessed to the old temple. I knew it was made for a god of war. I checked and see it. It was nicer than I expected. It was painted in red and green, it has a throw backed roof and totally independenced from its emvironment.

However, the temple was totally packed with higher building and its sky were covered with a net. And, the scene was seemed pretty queer to me.

The branch line was continued further on, but we returned to the main street. We found a shop with a lot of flyer were sticked which looked like supermarket or something. When we got to there, I could feel relief finaly and I don't know why.

In Lowan Street, we could proceed the investigation in better than Kwong Ming Street. We went through north to south, there was a gentle slope in its entrance and they had a nice ambient. It was a little hard to draw a picture with its formation, but it was not so bad as a entrance.

Lowan Street met with garden at middle and sun light entered from there. And also the street had a entrance to garden and community center. In the other hand, section view team and ground level team were also struggled to investigate. We made a lunch box for ourselves and continued to survey.

We didn't have a meeting in afternoon on that day and did survey as much as we could. We didn't have a time to waste. I really wanted more time. I tried to finish my work anyway.

The time limit had came quickly. All the explore members lost their energy. When we got back to the hotel, I got a message that another team had left for Hong Kong. We decided to have a meeting at night when the another team would come.

Until by then, we had small free time for relaxing ourselves. I thought we need some relax. With going out to the night in Hong Kong, we might collect some energy from the city that created the Kowloon Walled City. Everybody's face turned to be fine a little. Around midnight, another team had arrived at hotel. We started the meeting immediately. The explore members of another team got disapointed a little when they heard our investigation results in spite of we did better than yesterday. After 3am, still we were continued to discuss about the way to investigate. Everybody were totally exhausted. We decided to investigate the way we did for one more day and our long lasting 3rd day had finished finaly. 7:00 in the morning, advanced members; Naganuma, Anno, Tono, Takahata, Maniwa backed to home. They looked worried for workd for rest, but I tried to be fine and saw them off. Latter team members were powerfull women; Kinoshita, Nada.

They made me sbsorbed into the Kowloon Walled City, and they have also more knowledge then me. Especialy for Nada, she hardly made a time to join this project and brought her travel expence herselves. Basicaly, travel expences for this peoject were paied by DAM-DAN group which I belongs to, they are doing a business on construction and town planning.

9:00am, we arrived at the Walled City. First of all, I took new members to the Walled City for about an hour. After they could understand the out-look of the city, we got separated by the work team.

Ground level team surveied rest of the main streets. TAI CHANG STREET was a trouble for us. The street was separated at north exit and wider branch line was ended at the middle. We roamed around again and again, then we found an another narrow branch line. It was under 1m wide and even it was getting to be narrow more.

As seen on the map, it shouldn't be like it and we gave up to go further more. At that time, I remembered Mr. Yoshida said TAI CHANG STREET is really problem.

We decided to go for lunch to out side of the Walled City. There was a market with 4 floors and I've ever been to the restaurant on its roof.

They have a variety of the groceries for which like; live chickens, cloths, iron pans, and so on. There was a gymnasium on next to, and that area plays a role of a cmmunity center of the Kowloon city.

The food court style restaurant had more than ten of small shops inside. Everyone roamed around and grabed something. Noodles, steamed cakes, bamboo wraped rices, we tasted them a little by little and enjoyed small lunch time.

We stimulated and continued afternoon part of work, we, ground level team started to survey on branch lines. Section view team checked east-west section, named A section, with full detailed.

In over 200m width, a lot of 12 to 14 floors buildings were packed. First of all, it was really hard to find its entrance. Not for every buildings have a stairway on their 1st floor. I found it later that structures of the buildings were differented between north 1st level (south 4th level).

Under below from 1st level were totally mess. Stairways went to this way or that way, even some buildings have their exit in next to building.

Comparatively, upper floors were connected at same place. Section view team were struggled more than ground view team. The other hand, drawing team measured basic scales part by part, then took pictures of all over.

I asked them to put an importance on

taking a picture of the roof, and also, asked to try to express the building's stick out and off from the street with pictures. When we gathered for afternoon meeting, everyone brought something from the Walled City. The Kowloon Walled City goods were getting to be expanded.

7pm, we had a meeting at hotel. Everyone put their survey results on the map, however, it couldn't reach to our predicted schedule at all. In the other hand, the advanced explore members got used to with the Walled CIty.

We prohibited first, but there was no choice. We decided to work in one person. And for the details, we decided not to measure each buildings any more. We just measured the basic section and took a picture and culiculate from the them.

I knew that next day would be a important day. There were no time to worry about. We went out to Hong Kong city for late dinner. The city light seemed never sleeps. We got be separated after dinner and I roamed around some, then I got back to the hotel. We had a same breakfast buffet as other morning. I was already got tired for that, but there was no choice. One day, after the explore, I have ever gone to the breakfast restaurant which was packed with local people, they had a excellent rice soup. Anyway, there was no time to complaining about its taste at that time, though.

Two women who came as a latter explore member were exprienced. I can say they were expert, even. KINOSHITA and NADA said that they would survey by themselves. We decided to investigate in one by one.

I started to investigate from a branch line which started from front of LOWAN STREET. That point was really strange place, there was a small triangle spot with full of tiny shops with no kichen and no bath room.

I could find that space on the map. It was located in back of community center. As I couldn't find a stairway to higher level and I had to move forward. The other side of street also lined small shops.

I found a remains of old kitchen in the beside of the triangle spot. They might used a kitchen together. There also a small room with full of old lavatories. I had no idea that what the room used for and I felt a little irritation. However, I had to rush to survey every little gaps.

In the other hand, KINOSHITA also investigated for a branch line from west- side. She got an important survey result there. It was a house which built in between the two big buildings. It had less than 3m width and typic Kowloon Walled City style house.

I will introduce its details at City construction corner. Another thing was a structure of Kowloon Walled City cubic labyrinth. I think I should tell this detail also later on.

Well, section view team also increased their progress speed. The day was the most important day for us, anyway. Everyone were keep their concentration. Then, we got an information that prohibitaion for entering to "KWONG MING STREET" for preparation of destroy.

We got imformed that at lunch meeting. Construction view team had already finished their work by lunch.

I went out to meet with a chief editer of major news paper in their H.K. branch in afternoon. Because I wanted to know the circumstances of the Kowloon Walled City. The next day, he could join to the Walled City explore. The thing that interesting for me was the Kowloon Walled City is already remains of the past for the people in Hong Kong. Their interest was already put into a new airport construction project.

I really moved for Hong Kong's reginal dynamism, and also, felt a little sympathy for the CIty. That day's meeting blew our heavy mood away. Finaly, we could see a prospect for our investigation.

Everyone got a little relaxed and we went to the Hong Kong city at night. I bought a PC-NIKKOR 28mm lens at cheap store for tomorrow's investigation.

Finaly, Kowloon Walled City explore permit was remaining only 2 days. Count down to the expire day was started, already. Ohira, he examined this project again and again, he lead us and determine our schedule and equipments.

Tano, he got sick a little, but handled the team as a leader and excellent for drawing. Kaiya, always he finds something that no one else notices. Kinoshita, he surveied precious ground level view over his norm. These 5 people whom including me, stayed there for last period of this explore.

For our help, brand new husband and wife, Mr. and Mrs. Okada came to here in stead of Nada, he joined to us with his budget and left a survey result of roof floor and went back to Japan last night. They brought us a pleasant ambient for our explore team. We separated as ground level team and section view team and it progress smoothly. We wanted grab whole picture of the Walled City, anyway. I talked myself "Yes, details are also important, but whole picture is first." and moved forward. Section view team already started to investigate for B section which across inner garden.

Average 12 to 13 floor high buildings were packed in the Kowloon Walled City. However, there were some lower buildings in some places. Its upper side made a small space and sometimes I found other explore member through the other building's window which surrounded that. We called out and checked our investigation progress each other, then paint them black without lunch meeting.

When I remember the days, I thank for the safe execution of the explore. We worked one by one and I gave everyone's resposibilities onto themselves even I should be responsible for whole this project. I also ended up for ground level view and joined for section view team. Those were also interesting.

As measuring the rooms one by one, I recorded that room formation's flexibilities and strange gaps as a facts has no doubts. More over, each room's remains were taken by photos. Hundreds of rooms have their own archives and they are so impressed, even we took each one of their pictures without any prospects for future duty of arrangements at all.

The thought that finaly I can see a totally defferented Kowloon Walled City world and it was almost conviction to me. Already we got a maps which made by Walled City community group or H.K. goverment and we could see its part of the maze. However, only section view could show its real live picture to us.

We came to know our initial plan was not a wrong. We could finish the investigation of section view with full of tiny rooms which we called A section this afternoon. We had a dinner meeting with Mr. Yoshida at 'Hong Kong TSUUSHIN' and Mr. Chung who has a beautiful Japanese wife and whenever we coming to H.K. always he takes care about us.

Mr. Chung was born in and grow up in H.K. He has been succeeded in severe H.K.'s GEM market. He also has a strict opinion for architecture. His opinion is not only from a cultural aspect but also from business man's aspect witch like what can be felt from the building and what will be changed with it.

However, Mr. Chung's memories of the Walled City were really funny. In 1980's, Kowloon Walled CIty was a existed as place for having an adventure experience for young people in H.K. He was getting to be talkative and telling us a story that he went to the Walled City to eat a dog. A van came to the Nathan Road and touted.

Black market people was doing a mini Kowloon Walled City tour for a striptease, prostitution, gambling, or dog dishes. A native Hong Kong person's stroy helped us to feel the real Kowloon Walled City life.

Mr. Yoshida also told a story about his private beer garden and serching a room in Walled City, more over those stories were which we most wanted to hear.

After the dinner, Mr. Yoshida visited to our hotel room and we talked about a lot of things until midnight. Then, finaly, we would meet a last day that we have. Last day for investigation. We entered to the city on a hour earlier than the other days. Last mission for ground view team was final checking for crossings of small alleys. Section view team was rest part of B section.

On the first day, Kowloon Walled City was existed as a extremely huge mass, but now, they were getting to be seems like missing part of us. I remembered Yasuda told me "I wanted to live here." when she left Hong Kong.

I think reason why I could think like this way was we could see our investigation's clear line and the pressure of the Walled city's over helm existance turned to be our relief.

However, we had to be tighten up our attention. We confirmed our safety and we got spread to each duty. After 10am, Mr. T from one major news paper came to the Walled City.

He said it was a first time to roam inside of the Walled City and I took him around the City just like I invited him to my home. But the truth was even I spend some times in the Walled City, I felt like I spent so many days, but it was just a bit, a coulple days. I'll never know their real life style or historical or political background. I got cold sweat all the time and that time also did.

The Kowloon Walled City was already getting to be a past, however, Mr. T couldn't hide his surprise with he walked around inside. As he stood on the roof and watched over Hong Kong island, he seemed to think over Hong Kong's turbulenced future that waiting for.

The jet was making a terrific sound and landing into Kai Tak air port. We'll never see this typic Hong Kong view when the new air port will be complated, it would be nice for residents, though.

However, I will feel someting had missed if I won't feel that excitement that I can feel when the plane enter into the mass of buildings. After the Walled City will be disappear, new air port will be complated, even Hong Kong will be handed over to China, Hong Kong City must be stay remain the same forever. We could see our investigation goal by noon. In the afternoon, Mr. YOSHIDA came to us with Ms. Motomi KOBAYASHI, a camera woman. She is working at same news paper company with Mr.T. She has ever reported Hong Kong before with her personal budget and also she has a strong interest in Kowloon Walled City. She looked surprised that our investigation and even we have women members,but also she had not a little sympathy with us.

It was about to sun set, we quit to investigate and we took a picture only for ourselve as long as the time we got. We took a lot of pictures as a datas so far, we didn't have any composure to took a fun shot at all.

It was a bit of time for us, but each members finaly got a time to take a picture that they really wanted. Everyone took a picutres of the place where they liked. I negotiated with construction office and we got a permission to extend the time limit and we finished our investigate a hour late.

OHIRA came back with huge travel bag from the Walled City. It was last job on Kowloon Walled City Goodsfor us. At night, we invited Mr. YOSHIDA and Ms. Noriko SERADA, she helped our negotiation with Hong Kong goverment, and we went to dinner.

We spent a little more than our prospect budget for the dinner. Ms. SERADA negotiated with Hong Kong goverment and we could come here to investigate. Mr. YOSHIDA's really well guide made our survey much easier.

Anyway, we might have to thank for the result that we could carry out this investigate safely at first. There is no enough line for investigate result,but we could keep average line, somehow. Everyone were getting to be drunk with the satisfuction, Hong Kong's rustle ambient, and alcohol.

Suddenly, we heard a Ms. SERADA's scream. She pointed at bath room and said "I saw it !" We went to there and found a bloody injection which was left.

Full of food stand carts and people and lights filled in the street. I could heard a somebody's groan. After finish the investigation of the city of ruins, as we inhaled the air contains Hong Kong's energy with all my lungs, I imagined the ambient that Walled City used to have.

One word still remains my mind that Ms. SERADA said to me. "There is a logic in Hong Kong. Always everybody's feelings are effect to each other. When some people get high, everybody get high. But also, when somebody get blue everybody feels same. It makes me tired sometimes, but once I got used it, I can't live without it." I think there is no gray area in Hong Kong. Relationships are always directy connected. Now, I'm sure that the Kowloon Walled City was a crystallization-like thing of Hong Kong.

Piles of rubbish below the cacophany of piping "A few heroin addicts remained in the City until the end"

Postman Mr. Lui Hui Tung Choy in his factory with his two daughters

The shelves of Chan Pui Yin's herbal store http://www.twenty4.co.uk/on-line/issue001/project02/KWC http://www.twenty4.co.uk/on-line/issue001/project02/KWC

U.S. News & World Report made a brief notice of the demolition of KWC a few months previous to the actual event. Their description of the city is indicative of outsider's perceptions about a place, a place not fitting into their ideas of normal, urban living. Although their physical portrayal of the city is accurate - "alleys choked with rubbish, rat-infested alleys and dark stairwells" - the article makes judgments based on these characteristics and ignores that a thriving community survived for over half a century. In fact much of the physical problems that gave the walled city its notoriety were, and are, problems in the rest of Hong Kong (and other world cities); the walled city merely exaggerated these conditions. As KWC, in the piece, is called, "a fetid conglomeration of 359 tenement buildings...[festering] on a 7-acre plot" and, "the cancer of Kowloon" the reader has little choice but to believe the city was an unlivable , not a self-organized community (the former implying a second-party perpetuating bad conditions for selfish gain). For people who lived in KWC their views are different...

Two works of different media attempt to portray the varied lives with Kowloon's walls: the indispensable book City of Darkness: Life in Kowloon Walled City by and Ian Lambot, and the 1997 documentary film "In Search of the Dragon's Tale" by Sae Wan Kei and Haymann Lau.

The latter began as a portrayal of a Hong Kong street musician, Maurice, but evolved into a portrayal of the man, the walled city where he was raised, and the back to China. Interviews with Maurice, his family and friends, and residents of KWC give the viewer an account of life in the city that the media ignores. The film does not attempt to paint a pretty picture of KWC. The documentary format lends the movie an objectiveness that helps the viewer to develop his or her own conclusions.

Maurice reveals that the walled city was "unregulated for three", three referring to the vices tolerated within the city due to its lack of rule by neither Hong Kong nor China. So the existence of prostitution, gambling, and drug abuse and dealing became synonymous with KWC since after the second World War. Ironically these "three" flourished with outside help: the wealthy citizens of Hong Kong frequenting the prostitutes, live sex shows and gambling dens within the walls. Maurice and his friends talk about these happenings matter-of-factly, denying any inherited deviancy from growing up in these surroundings. Instead they learned to, "cultivate a positive outlook on life...to transcend suffering and grow in conditions of hardship...seeking spiritual rather than materialistic fulfillment in life".

Girard and Lambot's book arose from the two meeting while living in Hong Kong, both fascinated with the city for different reasons: Girard with the resident's ways of life, Lambot with the city as an architectural phenomenon. The end-product illustrates both their differing and similar views, the former in the two types of photographs (architectural vs. "people-oriented") and the latter in the importance of community in their portrayal of the residents. Over 30 people were interviewed about their daily lives in KWC, from factory workers and shop keepers to dentists and the single postman responsible for all 35,000 inhabitants. Following are descriptions of a few of those people.

Mr. Lui was assigned to KWC in 1976, delivering mail until its demise 16 years later. Donning a hat for protection against the ever-dripping pipes, Lui began his route on Lo Yan Street, making his way up through the roof, jumping from building to building, disappearing down into the city's darkness. With this knowledge and ingenuity, Lui was considered one of the few authorities on the city.

Hui Tung Choy had run his own noodle factory since moving to KWC in 1965. He lived in the city with his wife and two daughters.

"We chose the Walled City because rents were low and you didn't need a license. To se up outside you'd have to go through various Gov't departments - labor, health, fire services and so forth. The City was Chinese territory so no one took much notice of what was going on here. We used to be in Sai Tau village [the adjoining 'squatter' settlement pulled down in 1985]. When we first moved here the rent was little over $100 a month; now [ca. 1990] it's about $1300. We have a flat up above but we cook and take our showers here [in the factory]. My kids also do their homework here. All the people around here know us. There hasn't been any trouble over the years. The only problem now is that as more people have moved away there are more rats and cockroaches everywhere."

Chan Pui Yin arrived in Hong Kong from Chiu Chow [China] county in 1947, opening his own herbal medicine store in KWC eight years later. "The Walled City was much more prosperous then. People from all walks of life hung around the place, very much like the lobby of a cinema. My clients came from all over the place - some from across the island. Once I'd settled here I found that there was less crime in it than outside. Although the police were not around there was a volunteer group to help keep the peace. It is a bit like back home in the villages of China - a harmonious state of anarchy. I don't really want to move. The compensation that the Gov't is offering us is the same as that offered to people living above the ground floor. But my shop could be sold for 20 times more. I would like to continue my business outside, but a new clinic would probably cost $2 million. Where can I practice when I move out?

Tung Tau Tsuen Road at dusk An entrance from Tung Tau Tsuen Road The view north to The rooftop playground

The architectural appeal of KWC is undeniable: the surrealistic conglomeration of buildings, up to 14 storeys high, looming over the surrounding, "normal" urban realm. With unimaginable density and living conditions it was also an anomaly, an anti-architectural entity; no designer could have dreamt of or attempted to create it.

For a polemical analysis of KWC, refer to Laurence Liauw's essay, "KWC FAR 12", in MVRDV's book FARMAX, which focuses on the density, fluid organizations, and blurred typologies of the place. These pages will take a superficial approach to the Walled City, looking at it in terms of its physical make- up: exteriors, streets (or alleys), and the roofscape. Hopefully this approach will give readers an understanding of KWC, helping them to reach their own conclusions.

KWC confronts the adjacent city most directly on the north, along Tung Tau Tsuen Road. Here one was bombarded by the illuminated signs of doctors, dentists and others fortunate to have businesses along this thoroughfare. The precarious, illegal balconies that residents built to extend what little space they had were also dotted across the facades. Much of the time laundry was hung on these balconies, along with the constant presence of plants, creating a colorful backdrop to the bland exterior walls.

The south and west "elevations" of the city overlooked a park built after the adjacent squatter huts were cleared in 1985. This act helped to bring more sunlight into the city, while enlarging its presence with more definitive boundaries. The same balconies were present here with slight hints at the cracks in the buildings that gave entrance to the Walled City.

Entering KWC any connection to the outside world, physically and naturally, was lost a mere 50 feet inside. The streets, typically no more than 6 feet wide, and their lack of sunlight disoriented the visitor, if they dare step into the city. No automobiles could fit in these tight alleys, full of garbage and a constant dampness from the miles and miles of overhead piping (umbrellas were almost required gear for moving about). Often the smell was unbearable, with the artificial lighting giving these circulation spaces a muted, colorless quality. Occasional glimpses of adjacent businesses and residences reminded the visitor of a communal existence within the walls. In a few spaces throughout the city glimpses of sunlight and sky were visible through cracks between buildings, giving an indication of KWC's most cherished spaces, its rooftops.

The one place to escape the dark, smelly and claustrophobic spaces of the city was KWC's roofscape. Used by residents to move horizontally across the city, it was also a place to get a breath of fresh air, look at Lion Rock to the north, watch the planes taking off and landing at nearby , or for kids to play, among other things. This escape from life below could be seen as an incentive, but also a necessity. Without it day-to-day life within would have been unbearable, especially considering most residents did not venture outside of KWC. In this sense it is just as important as the streets and places of business and living below. POLITICS

Briefly mentioned in the history portion of this web page, the existence and evolution of KWC are intertwined with the political struggles between China and Great Britain, occupying Hong Kong since 1841. Basically the indecision and ignorance between the two countries over the occupation of KWC lead to the city's lack of government, and its inevitable self-organization and problems with crime and drugs.

In the Peking Convention of 1898, which leased Hong Kong to Britain for 99 years, the Walled City was excluded, the Chinese governing the area on condition they would not interfere with troops stationed to defend Hong Kong. Britain quickly rescinded the unofficial agreement, announcing in December 1899 that KWC would become "part and parcel of Her Majesty's Colony of Hong Kong". After Britain attacked the Walled City the same year, only to find it deserted, they failed to demonstrate control over the city, leaving it pretty much alone, their inaction adding to confusion over the city's rule. China, likewise, never recognized Britain's claim to the Walled City, though for the years between the turn of the century and World War II the city was more of a tourist attraction than a residential settlement. Two events led to a resurgence of people back into KWC: Japan surrendering in WWII (previously having demolished most of the city to lay airport runways during their brief occupation), and the formation of the Republic of China in 1949. The refugee influx, due mostly to the latter, was steady, reaching about 10,000 residents in 1970. In this time the British government attempted to evacuate the squatters after an unsuccessful proposal to turn the jurisdiction of KWC into a "Garden of Remembrance of Anglo-Chinese trusteeship" (which the Chinese flatly rejected). The evacuations lead to riots as the expelled tried to return to the city, causing the British to drop the evictions to prevent further deterioration of Anglo-Chinese relations. From this moment on (ca. 1949) the British Government adopted a "hands-off" policy towards the Walled City.

What happened in the following years gave KWC its reputation as "a cesspool of iniquity, with heroin divans, brothels and everything unsavory." The blossoming of the city under no apparent rule continued with occasional, unsuccessful raids and evacuations over the years. A murder trial in 1959 illustrates the confusion over governing the city: a British court ruled that since the murder had been committed within the Walled City it was out of their jurisdiction, but looking at the Peking Convention they realized the city under Chinese jurisdiction was temporary. Fifty years later and still nobody is certain who's rule KWC falls under!

In the "bad" years of the 1950s and '60s much of the power lay in the hands of the Triads: a republican secret society against Imperial Manchu rule, when formed in the late 19th century, turning to more "dubious activities as a way of raising funds" (drugs, prostitution and gambling). Much of their control dissipated when police made over 3,000 raids and 2,500 arrests in the 1973 and '74, another turning point.

The 1970s saw improved Anglo-Chinese relations and a continuation of the "high-rise" boom of the previous decade. This decade, and the following, also saw KWC at its peak: the population increasing up to 350,000 in 1983, with less crime than the rest of Hong Kong. With the improved relations between Britain and China the announcement, in 1987, of the Walled City's demise is not surprising. Neither government saw it as an asset or as something they wanted to take responsibility for, but both agreed that it had to come down. The city existed outside the realm of the understandable or the comprehendible; a grotesque, dense mass that exhibited a certain beauty at the same time. It depended on the political tension of two countries to exist, yet, ironically, was an un-political entity. By cleaning the slate both governments wanted to start afresh, but hopefully material, like this web page and the resources mentioned in the bibliography, will keep the city alive. KWC TODAY

Courty and Old South Gate of the Walled City Sculptures pavilion and flower and trees lined pathways.

Opening hours 6.30am - 11:00pm

Free Admission Photos from http://www.fortunecity.com/campus/averett/374/memories/kc_fr.htm

r_old_city_inside_corridor_feb87.jpg (640x470, 50KB) r_old_city_corridor_with_men_feb87.jpg (640x461, 55KB) r_old_city_outdoor_industry_feb87.jpg (640x463, 77KB) r_old_city_old_people_service_feb87.jpg (640x463, 37KB) r_old_city_old_canon_feb87.jpg (472x640, 54KB) r_old_city_chapel_and_school_feb87.jpg (640x452, 47KB) r_old_city_road_sign_feb87.jpg (640x463, 45KB) r_old_city_notice_feb87.jpg (640x463, 55KB) r_old_city_outside_temple_feb87.jpg (640x470, 76KB) r_old_city_outside_view_feb87.jpg (640x461, 82KB) r_old_city_outside_park_view_feb87.jpg (459x640, 79KB) r_old_city_outside_cage_feb87.jpg (448x640, 78KB) r_old_city_outside_cage2_feb87.jpg (461x640, 79KB) r_old_city_sky_feb87.jpg (640x458, 23KB) r_old_city_inside_temple_feb87.jpg (640x458, 40KB) r_old_city_corridor_feb87.jpg (467x640, 63KB)