What were the consequences of Kowloon Walled City?

What were the consequences of Kowloon Walled City?

The result was a city outside the law: There was no tax, no regulation of businesses, no health or planning systems, no police presence. People could come to Kowloon, and, in official terms, disappear.

Where did residents of Kowloon Walled City go?

It wasn’t until 1984 that both governments decided the Walled City had become enough of a backwards embarrassment and eyesore that they had to tear it down. In 1992, residents were evicted and given monetary compensation, and the site was converted into a public commemorative park.

When was the Walled City destroyed?

The Walled City’s fate was finally decided in January 1987, when the government announced plans to demolish it. After an arduous eviction process, demolition began in March 1993 and was completed in April 1994. Kowloon Walled City Park opened on the site in December 1995.

How many people live in Kowloon Walled?

33,000 people
Slightly north of Hong Kong Island there once stood one of the most densely populated places on earth. From the 1950s until 1994, over 33,000 people lived and worked in Kowloon Walled City, a massive complex of 300 interconnected buildings that took up a city block.

Why was Kowloon Walled City Lawless?

In 1898, the 99-year lease of Kowloon and the New Territories was established with one exception: the 2.7 hectare walled fortress. Because China never dropped its claim on the site and the British took a hands-off approach, the site became a sort of lawless enclave.

When was the Kowloon Walled City demolished?

1994
Kowloon Walled City, a densely packed and lawless warren of 300 interconnected buildings in Hong Kong’s Kowloon City district, was demolished in 1994.

When was Kowloon demolished?

Kowloon Walled City, a densely packed and lawless warren of 300 interconnected buildings in Hong Kong’s Kowloon City district, was demolished in 1994. Plenty of photographers had documented life inside the China-controlled enclave by the time the wrecking crews moved in.

Was Kowloon demolished?

Kowloon Walled City, a densely packed and lawless warren of 300 interconnected buildings in Hong Kong’s Kowloon City district, was demolished in 1994.

Why is Kowloon called the dark side?

Nicknamed the ‘dark side’, despite being permanently lit up in a fiery neon glow, Kowloon is restlessly trapped between Western idealism and Da Li (the Chinese mainland).

What is Kowloon City known for?

As early as in the Qin dynasty (221 BCE – 206 BCE), Kowloon City was famous for its pearl production. Part of the area was the location of the original Kowloon Walled City, erected during the Qing dynasty. This is now Kowloon Walled City Park. The former Kai Tak International Airport was also located in the district.

How was Kowloon Walled City built?

The early phases of the Walled City were characterised by predictable building typologies and the buildings were constructed on the principle of squatters’ rights, with random construction on spots of available land by whoever got there first.

Why is Kowloon called Nine Dragons?

First occupied by the British in 1860, Kowloon was home to farming and fishing communities for hundreds of years. Its name, which means “Nine Dragons,” supposedly comes from the Song Dynasty’s Emperor Bing, who named the area for its eight tallest mountains. The ninth dragon was, of course, the emperor himself.

What is the history of Kowloon Walled City?

(1990) Kowloon Walled City was an ungoverned, densely populated settlement in Kowloon City, Hong Kong. Originally a Chinese military fort, the Walled City became an enclave after the New Territories were leased to the UK by China in 1898.

What happened to the walled city in Hong Kong?

From the 1950s to the 1970s, it was controlled by local triads and had high rates of prostitution, gambling and drug abuse. In January 1987, the Hong Kong municipal government announced plans to demolish the walled city. After an arduous eviction process, demolition began in March 1993 and was completed in April 1994.

What happened to the walled city in 1898?

Even a new treaty in 1898, which granted Hong Kong, Kowloon, and further territories in Canton to Britain for 99 years, kept the Walled City under Chinese control. A year later, in May 1899, rumors circulated that Chinese soldiers were massing again in the Walled City, so the British sent troops across the water.

Why did the refugees come to Kowloon?

In their desperate plight some refugees may have believed that Kowloon would be a much-needed source of luck and prosperity. Others, however, recalled that this had once been a Chinese enclave in British colonial territory. The stone walls of the “Walled City” had gone, but the refugees were convinced the diplomatic ones remained.