map
map
1 政府中央倉庫 6 春秧街街市
Government Store Chun Yeung Street Market
2 發電廠 7 商務印書館廠房
Power Station Printing House of The Commercial Press
3 皇都戲院 8 青年書局
State Theatre Youth Book Store
4 北「角」 9 渣華道市政大廈
The Point of North 'Point' Java Road Municipal Services Building
5 寶泉庵 10 北角邨
Bo Chuen Um North Point Estate
<p> </p><p><br /></p><span><!--more--></span><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>
現存的地方 Existing Places
己拆卸的地方 Demolished Places
9 J
8
6 7
4
2
3 5
1
4
11 北角碼頭 16 寶石樓
North Point Pier Ruby Court
12 中巴宿舍 17 怡景大廈
Staff Quarters of China Motor Bus (CMB) Elegance House
13 中巴車廠 18 新聞大廈
Depot of CMB News Building
14 難民營
Refugee Camp
15 健康西街 1-11 號（公務員樓）
No. 1-11 Healthy Street West
(Civil Servants' Co-operative Building)
11
10
A D
R O
A V
A 12
14
18
16 17
A D
R O
’ S
N G
K I 13 15
序
North Point
Possession Point
2
1935
6
50 60
Dickson
Dickson
15
M.H.
8
FOREWORD
Nor th Point, simil ar to Pos s e s sion Whereas Mr. Lu Yan depicts in the 2nd
Point in Sheung Wan, was named for its episode of Xiang Gang Zhang Gu that King’s
geographical location when Hong Kong Road, straddling the whole district, was
was ceded to Britain. Its naming speaks completed in 1935 and propelled the
of the place’s initial remarkable features, growth of the east with better connectivity
such as the rocks and protruding contour. along the coast.
The place is also a strategic military site, Nor th Point in its early years of
located at the mid-point of Hong Kong development was predominantly
Island’s coast and serves as the supply char ac ter ised by Fujianese and the
point between the east and the west. culture. The communit y moved from
Sai Ying Pun and formed a Fujianese
As Mr. Ye Lingfeng’s Xiang Dao Cang Sang neighbourhood. Developing with time,
Lu writes, Tsat Tsz Mui Road (literally the district encompassed open markets,
Seven Sisters Road in English) used to be cinemas, temples, as well as public and
a village bearing the same name. The area private housing. Strategically important
was barren in the early colonial period, and in the northern Hong Kong Island, North
developed gradually following Central and Point is also home to an oil depot on
Sai Ying Pun. Oil Street, a power plant on Electric
Road, a pier that serves both vehicle and
passenger ferries, terminus of bus and
tram, as well as publishing houses and
newspaper offices.
10
CACHe’s North Point, Hong Kong: Oral Being the social hub of North Point, Chun
History chronicles the changes in North Yeung Street is an open-air market filled
Point over the past few decades, through with neighbours and hawkers. A shared
the stories shared by locals: Tony recalls space between trams and pedestrians is
how Sk yroom Terr ace ser ved as the an iconic scene in which the former slowly
social centre for Fujianese where he move towards the terminus. Dickson, one
visited his grandparents in his childhood; of the interviewees who kept the vegetable
Mr. Wu and Mr. Chan gives an account of stall ‘Sang Kee’ on Chun Yeung Street,
how they established Bo Chuen Um for shares his memory of running the stall and
the community with social and religious bonding with neighbours.
functions; Mr. Chan describes how his
Chinese tonic food shop Wah On provided Sister Fung grew up in North Point and
the community with the essential Chinese helped with the family business in running
herbs, and collaborated with Bo Chuen Dai Pai Dong on Tong Shui Road as a child.
Um in combining fortune stick drawing Her story reflects how Dai Pai Dong took
and Chine s e medicine pr e s cr iption an important role in the grassroot Chinese
services, which is still common among old society, with the whole family dedicating
neighbours. sweat and stamina to making a living
together.
In the 50s and 60s, passion in reading Changes also happen to the newspaper
novels and newspaper was part of Hong industry and these have all been witnessed
Kong’s popular culture. With a book for by North Point. Ms. Sung is the former
10 cents rental fee, book shops used to chief editor of Sing Tao Daily and Sing Tao
be a favourite place among kids who Evening News for many years in the News
enjoyed reading comic strips and adults Building, who has witnessed the ups and
who liked burying their heads into martial downs of the media landscape. King’s
ar ts novels. Such impressive scenes Road was home to other newspaper
were shared by Mr. Chan, the owner of outlets such as Sing Pao and Mingpao,
Youth Book Store on Java Road. Selling with editing, typesetting and movable type
books and publishing books promoting printing teams spreading across storeys in
knowledge among young people in his a building. To provide readers with rolling
shop, Mr. Chan remarks the great contrast news, evening posts were produced by 15
in reading culture between the past and newspaper companies with circulation of
the present. 10,000 copies a day.
12
Public housing is al so a distinc ti ve Mr. Ng, who lived in a tonglau at the
feature of North Point, with well-designed intersection of King’s Road and Shu
examples of North Point Estate, Model Kuk Street, used to play in the vast open
Housing Estate, Healthy Village as well as space along the promenade, North Point
civil servants’ quarters on Healthy Street Estate, Healthy Village, Tanner Hill Estate
West. Roman recalls the fond memories of and staff quarters of China Motor Bus
his family of four in Ruby Court, which was Company Limited. Such accessible places
built under Civil Servants’ Co-operative performed as open playgrounds in which
Housing Scheme. From his description, kids like Mr. Ng could enjoy and socialise
the spacious unit with high ceiling allows with other kids.
good ventilation and maintains a pleasant
room temperature even in the hot summer. With this publication, I hope you enjoy the
Neighbours are also very helpful to each fascinating oral history of North Point as
other. much as I do.
Dr. Wing Tat HUNG, M.H.
Chairman of The Conservancy Association
Centre for Heritage
目錄
CONTENT
16 前言
19 Preface
21 第一章 北「角」之名從何來？
32 Chapter 1 The naming of North 'Point'
33 第二章 樓上香火盛 拜神求藥方
44 Chapter 2 Temple that heals both the body and soul
45 第三章 春秧菜市叮叮車鳴
56 Chapter 3 Chun Yeung Street - where the passing
tram is flanked by hawker stalls
57 第四章 大牌檔四方飯街市續營
66 Chapter 4 Market complex – a new life for Dai Pai Dong
67 第五章 鬧市書局 堅守半世紀
78 Chapter 5 A book shop that stands the test of time
79 第六章 報業興衰記
88 Chapter 6 The rise and fall of the press
89 第七章 獨特建屋計劃 公務員合作社
100 Chapter 7 Civil Servants Co-operative Building Society Scheme –
One of the kind in Hong Kong housing
101 第八章 北角海岸 似近還遠
113 Chapter 8 The lost connection between people and the waterfront
114 北角大事年表
119 Chronology of North Point
120 影像資料
123 List of Images
124 鳴謝
125 Acknowledgement
前言
40
50
80
16
8 8
PREFACE
D i s t r i c t h i s to r y c o n n e c t s w i t h t h e Influenced by both the Second World
development trajector y of the society. War and political instability in China,
Ur ban pl anning and the changes in Nor th Point became a new home
urban fabrics on the community level is to a huge number of r ef ugee s . T he
a reflection of the city’s wider aspirations first wave of immigr ants came from
and demands. The living memories in the Shanghai with considerable amount of
neighbourhoods are the epitome of Hong capital. They settled in North Point and
Kong’s story over time. resumed their businesses such as high-
end hotels, restaurants, tailor shops,
North Point used to be a barren land at the hairdressing salons, nightclubs and Luna
time when Sheung Wan and Central have Park. Cinemas and theatres emerged
already been developed into compact and subsequently including Metropole
vibrant districts. Seeing the overspilling Theatre, Empire Theatre, Olympia Theatre
development pressure from the west Hong and Odeon Theatre. In the blink of an
Kong Island, the government decided to eye, North Point became a posh ‘Little
carry out reclamation in North Point and Shanghai’ where both the rich and the poor
to plan the construction of an oil depot, could enjoy themselves. In later years, the
a p o w er pl ant , go do w ns , pier s and Fujianese community arrived and formed
for tresses in the district which soon ‘Little Fujian’. Buildings invested and
became a strategic base for the city’s owned by Mainland Chinese enterprises
development. Oil Street, Tin Chong Street such as Kiu Kwan Mansion and Metropole
(literally Power Plant Street in English), Building were erected, being the strategic
Power Street and Fort Street are all the base for left-wing political forces in the
street names that commemorate the 1967 riot.
district’s historical traces.
18
The post-war period was golden for Hong all these impressions, the beauty of North
Kong development. With the booming Point’s coast is rarely cherished. How
economy and advanced society, population many of us have ever taken a ferry trip
surged and a number of public estates from North Point, appreciating its ever-
were built such as Model Housing Estate, changing coastline?
Healthy Village and North Point Estate.
Bet ween the 5 0 s and 8 0 s w hen the Interviews in the book chronicle the stories
industrial development was at its peak, and unique features of North Point from
famous local brands started their venture different perspectives and timepoints,
and set up factories in North Point, such with the hope to reflect the city’s history
as locally made film cameras “Halina” by through the lens of the district.
Haking Industries with a huge overseas
market in America and Britain. Publishing The eight stories of North Point in this
houses were also clustered in North Point, book are eight lively depictions of stories of
as evidenced by the street named Shu Hong Kong as well.
Kuk Street (literally ‘Bookshop Street’ in
English). Considering the limited time in preparing
the publication, we appreciate readers’
The common impressions about North suggestions and feedback that help to
Point might be the noise barriers along enhance the accuracy, breadth and depth
the Island Eastern Corridor, the terrifying of the district’s history included in the
price of luxury properties and the newly book.
commissioned Central-Wan Chai Bypass
and Island Eastern Corridor Link. Behind
20
1 北「 角 」 之 名 從 何 來？
North Point 1845
Collinson
1930
人物簡介
區宜東 Tony，土生土長 80 後，自小和家人到北角
探望外公外婆，現居於北角。
22
Tony
1000
3
5
1956 Tony
6
54
Tony
Tony
Tony
Tony
40
Tony
Tony
50
Swatch
60
20
Tony
Tony
Tony
Tony
24
CHAPTER 1
26
1 THE NAMING OF
NORTH ‘POINT’
The name ‘North Point’ first appeared in
a surveying map prepared by Lieutenant
Collinson in 1845. On the map, it shows
an array of spurring rocks along the
nor thern coast of Hong Kong Island,
next to the east point and west point
representing Causeway Bay and Sai Wan
respectively. Eventually, the name of this
area was known from Seven Sisters to
North Point.
Profile
Tony, a local born in the 1980s who currently lives in
North Point, started his memory in North Point with
frequent visits to his grandparents as a child.
CHAPTER 1
Compared to other coastal parts of Hong Skyroom Terrace, constructed in 1956
Kong Island, North Point was developed with 54 units, which was formerly the
at a later stage as it had limited flat Skyroom Nightclub of Luna Park.
land. As shown by the sur veying map,
a road named Shaukiw an Road w as Tony, who lives in North Point now, used
a l r e a d y e x i s te d a l o n g t h e c o a s t of to visit his grandparents who resided in
North Point when the district started to the basement of Skyroom Terrace. As
develop, which was partially renamed it takes two levels of steel stairway to
King’s Road in the 1930s. Nowadays, one access the flat, any movement along the
side of King’s Road is the mountainous staircase to get to the flat would make
area where luxury blocks and schools a distinct sound like a ring bell. As Tony
are loc ated, w hile the other side is recalls, the flat exuded spacious and
a flat coastal reclaimed land, which roomy ambience upon entrance. With a
houses residential and commercial size of 1000 sq. ft, the originally three-
development. r oom fl at featur ed a double-height
ceiling which allowed the erection of two
The coastal features of Nor th Point attics with staircase on both corners
have changed a lot with the continuous of the house, so that the flat became
waves of reclamation. Based on maps five-room to meet the needs of the six-
of various ages, the proximity of State person family. Situated in the basement
Theatre on Hei Wo Street is where the with the adjacency to a back lane, the
spurring rocks used to be located. Its only w indow of the fl at w as alw ay s
geographical trace can still be seen with closed. Despite that, it never gave a
the elevated level on the street. There sense of stuffiness even without air-
stands a 6-storey residential building, conditioning.
28
‘There used to clansmen from Fujian
who had been staying there for a few
months until they saved enough money
to move out,’ Tony remembers. With
Tony’s grandparents’ hospitalit y, the
spacious room became a tempor ar y
accommodation for their Fujiane se
clansmen when they feld from China and
stopped by Hong Kong.
Since the 40s, China underwent waves
of upheaval, from the Second World
War, the civil war, the Great Chinese
Famine to the Cultural Revolution. Large
CHAPTER 1
Chinese population fled to Hong Kong. moved to and settled in Nor th Point.
While some of the Fujianese chose Hong T h e h o u s e o f To n y ’s g r a n d p a r e nt s
Kong as a transit point of travelling to epitomised the Fujianese’s immigration
South Asian countries, some chose to story in North Point.
stay behind. From the 50s, it saw a wave
of migration of the Fujianese to Hong A s Tony r e c all s , his gr andp ar ent s’
Kong. They tended to settle in Sheung house w as full of guests for dinner
Wan, Sai Ying Pun and North Point. ever y Sunday night. And he obser ved
the difference between Cantonese and
In the 1960s, the population surged and Fujianese meals, and the latter tends
rent rocketed in Sai Ying Pun. With the to be richer in sauce. Despite spending
massive redevelopment of North Point a lot of time with the clansmen, Tony
which involved redevelopment of low- did not understand the dialect so
rise buildings into 20-storey towers, the he spoke with them in Mandarin. All
housing supply in the district increased, these experience left Tony a profound
which resulted in a cheaper rent. This impression for Fujianese food, language
set the scene where a lot of Fujianese and bondings.
30
CHAPTER 1
Being a teenager, Tony spent his time Tony moved to Nor th Point from Tai
in the nearby shopping malls. ‘Walking Koo recently whereas his grandparents
f r o m S k y r o o m Te r r a c e , t h e S t a t e have moved out of Sk yroom Terr ace
Theatre was on the left and the shopping year s ago. Coincidentally, Tony c an
mall of the Empire A par tments was see Skyroom Terrace from his current
on the right. The malls used to be very apar tment that reconnects him with
vibrant and I bought my first Swatch his childhood memory, he is even more
and electronic games there,’ Tony says. amazed when knowing that Skyroom
Skyroom Terrace is also convenient to Terrace is the place where the name
public transport including tram, bus and ‘Nor th Point’ originates from - A big
MTR. astonishment to know that the place
witnessed his growth has such a great
meaning in the historical development of
Hong Kong and North Point.
32
2 樓 上香火 盛
拜神求藥方
70
1971 10
3
18%
3% 5 1972
人物簡介
吳煜 煜，1949 年在福建出生，1978 年來港。
現任香港寶泉庵董事局副董事長。
陳一銘，1949 年在福建出生，1959 年來港。
現任香港寶泉庵董事局監事長。
陳德守，1948 年在福建出生，1961 年來港。
於華安參茸行工作逾 30 年。
50
50
90
34
3 3
2008
3
3
1999
36
30
1966
20
CHAPTER 2
2 TEMPLE THAT HE AL S BOTH
THE BODY AND SOUL
S i n c e t h e 19 7 0 s , N o r t h P o i n t w a s
known to be ‘Little Fujian’. According
to the census statistics in 1971, 3 out
of 10 residents in North Point had the
Fujian origin. The Fujianese community
accounted for 18 % of popul ation in
Nor th Point, being the sixfold of the
average 3% in the city. Since the Chinese
gover nment relaxed the polic y of
emigration for Fujianese in 1972, newly
arrived Fujianese immigrants started to
settle in other areas such as Quarry Bay,
Profile
Wu Yu Yu, born in Fujian in 1949, migrated to Hong Kong in 1978.
Currently the vice-chairman of the board of directors of
Hong Kong Bo Chuen Um.
Bension Chan, born in Fujian in 1949, migrated to Hong Kong in 1959.
Currently the committee member of the board of directors of
Hong Kong Bo Chuen Um.
Chan Tak Sau, born in Fujian in 1948, migrated to Hong Kong in 1961.
Working in Wah On Ginseng for over 30 years.
38
CHAPTER 2
To Kw a W a n , H un g H o m a n d Kw un almost a year, to reunite w ith their
Tong. However, Nor th Point remains husbands or fathers. In early days, some
the centre for Fujianese, with shops, Fujianese planned to temporarily stay
predominantly ow ned by Fujianese, in Hong Kong, but eventually got used to
selling their own food and products. It the living here and settled down instead.
reflects the well-established social tie of
Fujianese community in North Point. To support each other and strengthen
the social tie, Fujianese communities
Due to political instability in China in tended to form their own associations
the last decades, a large number of based on their own villages, offering
Chinese reluctantly moved away. They ser vices such as opening clinics,
chos e S outheas t A sia as their ne w Cantonese classes and selling
home to search for new opportunities, discounted Fujianese food and products.
considering its coastal advantage. The It was easy to notice the signages of
majority of those were Fujianese, who the associations on tonglau lining the
hoped to star t a new page and lead streets like King’s Road and Chun Yeung
a better life for the family. However, Street in North Point.
b e c a u s e of t h e v o l at i l e d i p l o m at i c
r el ations , it w as not eas y to tr avel Apar t from the associations, temples
bet ween China and Southeast A sian carry much weight in Fujianese’s heart.
countries. Women carr ying children They underpin the traditional culture
tended to stay in Hong Kong as a and religion from their homeland. In
stopover and wait for the opportunity, the 1950s, Fujianese would visit the
w h i c h m i g ht t a ke a f e w m o nt h s to Yueh Fei temple on Electric Road when
Fujianese temples were not yet built
40
CHAPTER 2
in Nor th Point. However, due to the decided to raise fund and buy flats to
dif ference in customs and beliefs in house the temple. ‘We had been raising
r el igio n , ar gum ent s w er e co mm o n money for so many years, and we finally
b et w e e n C a nto n e s e a n d Fu j i a n e s e bought three flats at different times.
communities for the proper food The last flat we bought was in 2008 that
offerings. Subsequently, the Fujianese we merged all the three flats to become
community collectively established their the biggest temple housed in tonglau in
own temples. One of those is Bo Chuen North Point.’
Um in Majestic Apartments founded by
clansmen from Shenhu, Jinjiang that Apart from the function of worshipping,
worships Baosheng Dadi. the temple also serves as a social hub
where the elderly would come up and
There is a large number of temples that chill, play cards and mahjongs, and even
serve the same deities in North Point. make meals together. ‘Sometimes the
Wu Yu Yu and Bension Chan, who take neighbours just drop wedding invitation
charge of Hong Kong Bo Chuen Um, cards here and let friends pick up when
explain that this is meant to cater to the they have time,’ they say.
varying customs of worshipping across
villages in Fujian. They recall building It also works as a traditional Chinese
temples in the past was a tremendous medicine clinic. Baosheng Dadi, the
task, which required persistence and deit y worshipped in the temple, also
concerted efforts from the clansmen. has healing power in Fujianese culture.
The first group of Fujianese community Devotees who seek for medical advice
who arrived in Hong Kong in the 1950s can pick a dedicated lot pot based on the
did not set up temples to worship the medical categories from bone-setting,
deities from their homeland. Eventually, e y e d i s e a s e s , g e n e r a l m e d i c in e to
some clansmen summoned Baosheng pediatrics. Free prescription is provided
Dadi over to Hong Kong in the 1990s and according to the dr aw n lot, w ith an
worshipped him in private residence around 1/3 of the usual dosage.
which was also open to other clansmen.
As the number of devotees rose, they
42
The tradition of providing free Chinese are cleared on quarterly basis between
medicine changed when Chinese Wah On Ginseng and Bo Chuen Um.
Medicine Ordinance came into force
in 1999. As the government set up the From Mr. Chan’s obser vation, there
Chin e s e M e di c in e C o un c il of H o n g is around one devotee coming to the
Kong, the manufacturing and the trade shop every day. ‘It happens in the event
o f C h i n e s e m e d i c i n e i s r e g u l a te d . that seeking doctor doesn’t help much
Certificate is required for prescribing with the sickness. A nd it does have
and selling Chinese medicine. healing power with such small dosage
of prescription. That explains why lot
Neither a Chinese medicine retailer nor drawing for Chinese medicine is still
a wholesaler, Bo Chuen Um was not well received by devotees,’ Mr. Chan
qualified for prescription. Since then, the says.
temple has been collaborating with the
ginseng and dried seafood shop, Wah Such a custom is especially popular
On Ginseng on North Point Road, which in the flu season, with the major it y
is also originated from Fujian. ‘We are seeking for advice on general medicine.
devotees ourselves and stay close with C o m p a r a t i v e l y, b o n e - s e t t i n g a n d
the neighbours, so we are willing to help pediatrics are less sought after. There
prescribe with our qualification,’ says are al so Cantonese seeker s, w ho
Chan Tak Sau, the shopkeeper of Wah are mainly the elderly, coming to the
On Ginseng. Now, devotees can bring temple for the free prescription. On the
to the shop the draw lot signed by the contrary, the young generation tends to
temple and get free prescription. With visit clinic and hospital.
the records of prescription, balances
CHAPTER 2
The patrons of Wah On Ginseng are
predominantly old neighbours. Opened
in 1966, Wah On Ginseng is among the
oldest Chinese herb shop in North Point.
‘The other shops were more or less
opened in the last 20 years, by Fujianese,
Teochew people and Cantonese,’ Mr
Chan says.
There used to be practitioners stationed people. ‘Some shops offer the ser vice
to provide medical advice. But such of cooking Chine se her bs , w hich is
practice no longer exists in the shop due especially popular among young people
to the departure of senior practitioners. who want to consume the medicine at
ease,’ He says.
Keeping the shop for over 30 year s,
Mr Chan witnesses the changes in the G o in g t hr o u gh th e p o l i ti c al un r e s t
industry and the changing demand for and diaspora in the last centur y, the
types of herbs. ‘The older generation Fujianese community settled down in
values tonic herbs for vitalising and North Point and supported each other
strengthening body. They are willing to w ith the e s tablishment of temple s .
spend grands on these. Some Chinese Such important social assets stand the
residing in Philippines would fly over a test of time and remains ser ving the
few times each year to buy these tonic community.
herbs,’ Mr Chan comments. He al so
observes the rising market for the young
44
3 春秧菜市叮叮車鳴
1933
1953
1957
1969
600
人物簡介
Dickson，1990 年於北角出生，由 6 歲起開始到
春秧 街「生記」菜檔幫忙，直至中學畢業。
1960
1968
Dickson
3 6
7 16
B
Dickson 1995 Dickson
Dickson
46
Dickson Dickson
8
Dickson
2004
1922
1924
Dickson
2006
48
Dickson
Dickson
50
3 CHUN YEUNG STREET -
WHERE THE PA SSING
TR AM IS FL ANKED BY
HAWKER STALL S
North Point is well known for the unique
scene of the tr am passing bet ween
hawker stalls on Chun Yeung Street.
Given its name by the government in
1933, Chun Yeung Street did not have
tram to pass through until 1953 when a
new tram terminus was established on
Tong Shui Road. Since then, the ‘ding
ding’ sound of tr am has become an
important element of North Point urban
scene.
Profile
Dickson was born in North Point in 1990.
He spent his childhood and teenage years,
from age six until secondary school graduation,
helping with his family’s vegetable stall Sang Kee.
CHAPTER 3
Before the introduction of tram, Chun
Yeung Street was already a busy street
filled with hawker stalls offering daily
necessities, fresh vegetables and meat,
becoming the first market in the district.
I t w a s r e co r d e d in 19 5 7 th at s o m e
hawkers marked their names on the
ground and even slept overnight to claim
their territories. The statistics in 1969
showed there were over 600 hawker
stalls on the street.
The overcrowding environment packed
with hawker stalls, customers, trams
and vehicles raised the concerns about
traffic congestion and hygiene. Hawker
Control Force was established in 1960,
with the first target of action at Chun
52
Yeung Street to inspec t the license Dickson says Chinese New Year is the
of each haw ker s tall on the s tr eet. busiest time for Chun Yeung Street in
S ub s e q u e nt l y, C i t y D i s t r i c t O f f i c e , which products are piled on the front
set up in 196 8, cooper ated w ith the of the stalls, almost blocking the tram
local kaifong associations and Urban track. People from For tress Hill, Tin
S er v ice D ep ar tment to c ar r y ou t a Hau and Tai Koo all come to visit the
series of clean-up actions to tackle market. The vibrant scene, brimming
illegal hawking and cleanse the street w i t h c u s to m e r s , r ef l e c t s t h e g o o d
of trash. In one of the actions, the trash quality of products sold on Chun Yeung
amounted to 30 truckloads. In addition Street.
to the clean-up actions, cleaners were
regular ly sent to the street 3 times In Dickson’s eyes, Chun Yeung Street
a week and refuse collection points is the symbol of his childhood. ‘I spent
cleared 7 times a day. more time on Chun Yeung Street even
than home. I knew ever y stall on the
Half a centur y has passed, but Chun street,’ recalls Dickson, who lived there
Yeung Street remains to be the busiest from age 6 to 16. The street gave him
open-air market in North Point. Sang a sense of home. ‘Everyone called me
Kee, the first vegetable stall located “Ar B”. Ever yone knows each other,’
at the intersection of Tong Shui Road’s he remember s. T he neighbour hood
Tr a m Te r m i n u s , w a s o p e n e d b y is tightly knit ted w ith mutual tr us t
Dickson’s family since 1995. Dickson and help. ‘They would help to tend the
helped to tend the stall af ter school other’s stall when the owner needs to
since the first year in primary school. On be excused for a while, even leaving the
weekends, he helped to peel vegetables cash pot behind.’
that were sold to restaurants.
CHAPTER 3
Spending his childhood years on the godowns for shipping purpose. Later
street, Dickson has also developed a on, due to an economic downturn, the
stronger bonding with the Fujianese or iginal scheme w as scr apped and