1959-02-07 — Page 8

THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, 、 FEBRUARY 7, 1959.

LETTER FROM A HEADLESS GHOST

What's in a name?

By as the Central Market, Yaumati, and the back stracts of Tsimshatsui, are delighted to be told that the name, Hong- kong, perhaps botter

Houng Keung, translated as Fragrant Harbour.

MANY visitors, aftor passing through such aromatic districts

pronounced

is

JOHN LUFF

I have no intention of starting an argument, and the only forth- right statement I will permit myself is to say that, in its origin, the the surrounding district receive note name Hongkong was not applied to the whole of the Island.

There are two Chinese characters, and although we Europeana have run several of the Chinese characters together to pronounce them in a manner approximating to the Chinese phonetical rendering. I should say we are wrong. After all, who asks for Whitehorsewhisky?

Vessels of the Est folia Con- The original name for Stanies, jany frading between and

T

The next I can vouch for. It

Many places in Honkgong and the records I am using de- it,. Kwa Tuen Laine, ກ their

could In fancied which

be translated, reemblance to a familiar object, "The Dragon injured by road Maybe a visit to Thus the vid name for Causeway excavation,"

Tong Law Won, which this spot will reveal the Dragon's Bay.

This injuries. none hos Httle igificatce now means Brass Gong Bay.

taken because reclamation has

way the ancient entoura of Causeway Bay, Ting Lung Chau, ar the Istand of Lanterns, is new

Shau Ki Wan is only recently that Robinson Kellett Island.

Ruad hos test is ancient ap- Chaton Chek Chu, is more ebreure. 11

means Slɩve Bay,

pearance. The rapid vallding. Eure pr

often used the could conmanorate a sanguinaty belwern pirates and

Ap-li-chou, Just off Aberdeen the huge blocks of flats have schorage at Aberdeen, and fre- battle

bay. Or as menus in Chinese, Duck's Tongue completely caliterated its

But when I quently took on water supplies 1. hermen in the

the fran

watert: H

near early accounts tell us, the land- Island. Both Chinese and British cient landmarks.

for 1 arrived just after the war. Aborder marked on modern ing of a pirate horde who slow now e So Hongkong should be promage as Waterfall Bay.

the villagers on the rockey Cheung Chau; Long Island. Bul and was sent to live in Conduit

Road, both Robinson Of the nounced Heung Keung,

But the whole sifficulty about promontory below St Stephen's a generalion age, it wad

College. Another theory is, it common to refer to it as Donb- Cerduit Roads could refer to the pillars of the Island, at least lustrating rural areas doubt for the Englishmas. Is the thing is, what has

the British could be a stroll frisurely. meaning in fragrant, in the sense sirgem to du with fragrant har red temple which then steed on that

the cutskirts of the village.

fanciful in their nomes a the that incense is fragrant. It can bour?

Chinese. not be given the abstract wider form that the English fragrant, can be riven,

Every Chinese character has immy its own meaning, and it contention that all Chinese place be rendered in nomes should mono-syllable form to better render the Chinero sense,

first character, there is little

✩

word,

The character Keung means harbour. But the reason for this name is hard to fiol. I am aware of most theories, and I have turned up several references concerning! The name. I think the best thing to do is to say name, something on how the Hongkim, was first used by the British, and you can then please yourself as to which theory you find most apt.

pure

For this fresh water stream, running down the hillside, be- In the nainers' came feGAN kas, and ceking the name of the

were they

told plaze, Pcua Reung.

Now I will add confusion to cafusion. The prople who were really friendly to the creigners were the Tasks, or beal people. In pointing to the Island in the direction of the waterfall where they were sathored, the British sallert would ask the name,

Of this I am certain. Chek Chi, or Stanley as we call it, was a bundred years ago nothing but an arsenal for the pirate, Chui Apo, I got this information from a newspaper giving an ac- count of the Police investigation following the murder of the two officers mentioned in the article. Murder Mos: Foul." Almost every villager was employed in the peaceful pursuit of making gun-powder for Chul Apo.

the same name

quite

10-

and

were peaceful where one could

But at one spot, where the road narrows and winds, none Everyone who takes a car

dare walk at night, and once f through the New Territories saw, on Ghost Night, certain la familiar with Hint rock fires plited to placate the head- formation that Juts out less host who claimed that arco. against the styline. Known And to that area was known as how to all as Amah Rock, It Man Kwai Rudd, or Nerce Ghost has been called by the Bridge. British, Amah and Child, and Statue Rock. The Chinese name is Mon Fu Shek, while has the meaning of the witc looking for her husband.

Lyc Mun, our

entrance to

Repulse Bay is known to the Chinese Chin Shui Wan, and The boat people would reply in the meaning in, Shallow Water Originally, when the land was almost a dewrted rock, the their diclect Hongkong, meat Bay, named in

to opposition Spanish

called sailors

it the ing fragrant stream. I needed "Ladrones," the sane name they only the word Keng On their Shun Shui Wan, or Deep Water from local folk lore, it relers 10

gave a group of islands that stil bear that name.

Later we And Hongkong is known to the Chinese as lang Heung Loo To, the Isle of the Red Incense Burner.

tone) is be mistaken for Kwong. find where the a seaport, to British translation fur Hong- Harbour, Fragrant kong originates.

The reis easy. Entering the The latter find interesting, nase Hengkang on their charts, for I came upon such an ex- the British mariners mistook the

of local designation of planation at the School Chinese, attached to the Univer. ond applied it to alty of Hongkong.

Island.

Hongkong,

the whole

Western Sat Yin cen, er Cump, has nothing to do with the established near West

camp

Our teacher pointed to the Point, by the Military a century similarity between the Peak ago. It goes back to about 1800

and an Incense burner, advanced

the

theory

CT

Bay.

The

Late

Hongkong harbour, has

caning, Grap Fish Cale; and as far as i am able to gain anything

an enormous fish which lived for in those waters, seeking whom Chinese Victoria Peak was Tai Ping he might devour. Shan Tan, or the Peak of the

At the other end of the tar Mountain of Peace. This was

Huis Kap Shai Mun, literally, Or Tse K Shan, altered. to

No doubt Holated Flag Mountain. Most Rapid Water Gale. local many of our

yachtsmen

of the mountains around e could testify to the fact that this Colony have picturesque HANICS,

Tal Mo Shan Is Big latter is well named. Cloud Mountain. Ma On Shan The Chinese mark their maps Moun- At North Peint with characters means Horse Saddle tain, Tai Hang means the Big which Gutter.

The Paat Si Range takes its

Since writing this. I have received the following.

"Sli

ro

"Regarding your ference to Man Kwai Kul motor traffo rendered ΣΤΙ walk too dangerons. I can assure you It to risky to farther haunt this area.

"Yours elc,"

"The Headless Ghost,"

His Excellency Sir Francis Henry May, K.C.M.G., who became Hongkong's

Governor in 1912. May Road was named after him.

named

He earned immense respect*· Aberdeen Street, as the village In spite of heroic efforts made

sume from the early Chinese settlers of the same name, was by the Royal Engineers,

to In the Colony, so much so that after the Earl of Aberdeen who hundreds of Chinese houseg

Wad Foreign Secretary during the north of Queen's Road were upon his departure in 1850, a destroyed, and about thirty lives huge Chinese procession formed the 1840s.

up at Taipingshan, and pro were lost,

coeded to the residence of Mr Hiller. They carried presents

named and an address which recorded Slaunton Street was

the was losing an after. Sir George Staunton, that Hongkong

famous translator of the original statutes of the Totsing Dynasty upright and honest friend."

(the penal code of China). This

After the holocaust, the whole area was rebuilt with consider Chinese and alle improvements and the most streets a little eastern and vestern

There are but a few of the ricturesque names which recall Old Hongkong, and it will well repay the reader to get a map, printed In both English. and to do research on hin own account,"

It might be interesting at this point to show how a few British names entered into the designa- some of Hongkong's

convey exactly that tion of meaning. But formerly, the snail streets and landmarks. bay there was known as Trat Chi Muf, or Seven Sisters' Bay. Legend has it that Seven Sisters committed suicide at this in- happy spot,

Chinese sad name commemorates slory.

and the

this

Take for instance Jervels Street and Bonham Stränd; these two thoroughfares recall a dis- astrous Are of 1851.

were named Jervois Street and Bonham Strand.

The newspapers were so definite, and printed following ambizuotis

10%

the

Blato-

☆

was done that as far as possible, the penal code of Hongkong

ment: The Colony had "lost, should conform where desirable if not the brightest, cerafinly to the penal code of China. Jervois Street was so named

one of the most honest, con- Jervels, after Major Generu

scientious and straightforward who

personally directed the

of its servants." Royal Engineers in fighting the Bro.

named Bantam Strand was after the Governor, Sir George Bonham, who gave liberal aid to the are victima,

Sir George Staunton with a trusted servant of the East India Company long before tho British came Hongkong, and- later, s Member of Parlia ment, he strongly supported the

and when the pirate, Cheung Po,

camps thre that enablished

Chinese Mythology. And every- there could be same explana- lertified portions on the Island. from the Eight Fairies of

was at North account, Wo Hs Eastern cre Lun on that

Lung, means

I have never heard the Chi- have to wait for the

early Point, and bis central fortifled one knows that Kowloon, better Dragons referring to the nine

nese name for the lower end of nineteenth century before we position was just below the site 45 Kau

running

troops out here when Hongkong oat Stubbs Road, but onez Itinast Bud

Hongkong cupled by the Central Police, mountain ridges

have been fairly common, ter figuring in Brish ken.

the name

Station,

BY THE WAY

о

by "Beachcomber

THE rollymolly and tumble-

Remarking, "One thing

abbor

I

the

eun-trivy at Bournemouth

hos reached such a stage that Is trousers trailing

ene candidate mure or less makes

no difference.

floor."

But local party officials were The whole bag of tricks conewhat puzzled when

D

gentleman arrived with the VERYBODY

claim that he intended to stand

who has read

Nine

From Kowloon.

A formation near Kowloon City has an interesting name. Sun Wong Tel, or the Terrace of Emperor Sung. This unfortunate young man, Emperor of China century, during the thirteenth

was on the run. Oral tradition has it that he spent a night in a cave on that ridge in the year 1278.

Professor F.S. Drake of the Univerally of Hongkong, tells while me that this tradition, true in substance, is Wrong In detail,

It is more likely that Em- about Mr Mikoyan's bon-peror Sung settled somewhere have about the site of Sung Wong Toi,

for the Unplanned Economy honte in America must Party. He was told there never watted in confidence

for the and that he did not shelter in a

had been any such party. "Well, climax. Surely there would be cave, but rather his courtiers there is now," said he.

"ve

a photograph just started it." He gave his being kind

· showing

him erected a dwelling there. He

to children. And, moyed around Kowloon for some

IAC BY Basil Kortright. But after some delay, there it was,

three years after the Mongol.

an elderly lady identifled him I prove, if proof were needed. Kublai Khan, had overthrown

us Baren Kirchwasser, who had It the distinguished representa- the Sung Dynasty.

once proposed to her daughter. live of a country is caught by

On December 28, 1851, during n considerable gale, a fire broke out in what was then known as Sheungwan Market.

FOUR D. JONES

HOKAY!

ENOUGH OF THIS YATTER TE YAT... TO WORK!. ...AS FOREMAN OF THIS ERE DEPT.I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE ERE BUTTONS. AUTOMATION, MY POOR

PROLE IS BIG BROTHERS GIFT TO THE UNIVERSE ...AND-KID YOU NOT?

I MAY

#GET A WORD IN,

M. CREEP THE STATE POLICE SAID I WAS;

GOIN HOME...

•AND I W... WHAT

in

lier Street commemorates Mr Charles Batten Hiller, who wan magistrate and coroner Hongkong as long ago as 1813.

He was later promoted Con- sul to Siam,

HOME....HOME! ...THIS IS YOUR ONE.

THANKS TO OUR BELOVEDUNION, WE{ THE WORKERA AVE... ...BTC. ETC. ETC.

OK/MY

GIDDY

AUNT

Mr Hilter died the same year policy of Sir John Davis in the as he left Hongkong.

face of much current criticism, that if trade was to be establish- Cough Street, like Mounted here, then British out- rough, was named after Major- post was necessary, away from General Sir Hugh Gough, the squeeza of the avaricious

Oficer General

Commanding mandorius,

So, what's in a name? Quito d Iqt sometimes!

became British.

"BIG BROTHER 'PRESENTEDME WITH' THESE TUREE STARS | ONE FOR EACHT 100 PROLES SNEAKED ON, -AHU!!.../BRG COMES

DUR BHOP STEWARD \WITH YER UNIÓN

CARD...

by MADDOCKS BRUM.CHARLIE/ I'VE GOT HISOR...IM UULUMINION CCC

CC...CARD.

TINL

CLINT VOLINK

WINKLE

TOWR

CLONE

NEW

Lady Sheaffer

`IRRIPEERT"

FOUNTAIN PEN

Naver before--- fountain

pen to express your personal taste in fine jewelry, Naver

foes

bear an ink botüit... use drop-in cartridges of Skrip wilting Ouid.

Ja mam : UKITEL PAREA COLLER

"Foulenough again," sald

dejected offcial.

Another tragedy

Diffident Charlie always felt

strong belt

That if he wore

*

0

the camera at such a moment.

Big Busines: miles through its

of he's "Why,

tears and glimpses a vision

Professor Drake also informa

with three

a briter world. human! vouchsafed a million-me that the stone alre, It he comes here and Chinese characters has been moved from its original site, and

broad, siroker a dog, we're done for. that considerable wartime

As well as braces, there would Oh, I say, look here!

be

No risk of a calamity.

++

tortured, interpolated fo Alas! One night in Chislehurst THE screams of people bring

Df a long-playing record of a Wagner opera, can-

Bath articles of clothing burst, broadcast And in a huff his Uncle Bol Cut Charlie's name out of his

Jofll,

CHESS

by LEONARD BARDEN

Hete 1 a position from

vandalism has obliterated dis- On this tinguishing marka historic site.

However, there is still

restore to opportunity ancient reminder

(2) this

of China's

not be regarded as anything but ancient troubled days.

an abuse of subliminat adver- tisement of a horror-fim.

(Report of Glenbow Art Circle.)

Try this game

'AN

by

N epigram, or what passes for an eplgrum' today," says an article, will do more to win you a reputation for elever- ress than any amount of con- vorsation." That lo true. Wateli people's faces when you dominatically, "Tehekov was the

of Debussy

literature," or "Rembrandt's

reveal shadows

dun- more than all Tiepola's Hight."or"Scribe and Berdou were marons, not architects," or "Grieg'o mony ate Turgenev feet to music." It is as engy os falling off a tip cocktail stoči, Wise words

Eating is coming to be regard. game won by the young Englished as a process similar to that master Peler Ciatke: White to of putting petrol in the tane,

move and win

London Expreis Barpton,

(Mr Laurence Esatbrook.)

TARGET

U S

L

LDS

CEO

four letters

mote can

From the elter in the square on the leh? t

teach word,

each of the small squzece may be need unce ash, ach word must contain the targe-jetter in the rentre. square, and there must be ai Foust one aise-letter word in the 1. Nu pluralar no tocelan names wotne proper. TODAY'S TARGET, Él words. good to wages, selgood

CARLESTOW.

YESTERDAY'S Va averam an

SOLUTIUN

ERY B wohra pri 1999 TAYE DISTUR mari Lama, varma olen sker yandan

p

YAGENZIA cung Pangwe van" renuk

London - Express Barrios.

FERDINAND

BRICK BRADFORD

I'M SORRY, MISS GORDON. I JUST DIDN'T WANT

PAM UPOREJ

PAM? YOU ARE THE ONE THAT IS EADILY UPSET: YES,

TO BAY CABILY

ANOCREDI

THERE'S NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT, FAMI YES, BRICK BRADFORD BIN A HOSPITAL IN PUERTO RICO IP BASTLAND HAR LIPT

TO BE WITH HIM!

I HO

THORNT HE

WOULD CALE

WHY SHOULD HE! HE TOLD ME RI WAO

▷ LEAVING FOR

PUERTO RICO!

By Miis

By Paul Norris

THERE'S SOMETHING VICIOUS ABOUT THATAVAN. I SHOULD QUIT, BUT I LIKE PAM... MAYBE FUL

STAY ARCAND

SWISSAIR

AUSTIN

för

THE ENTHUSIAST

| METRO CARS (M.K) LTD.