KOWLOON, OLD CITY - 1 (cont.)
610
was a common building feature until about the middle of last century, was erected over a path much used by Manchu officials in Kowloon City.
I have received some further interesting notes on the old Kowloon City area:
"Sino". "The rapid development of Hongkong and the lagging behind in similar progress in Kowloon City, has often led to a misconception among new-comers to the Colony that Kowloon is a newly-opened city, but this is not the case. If records of Kowloon City have been kept by its oldest inhabitants they should be most interesting and of great value, because it is known on good authority, as well as on Chinese traditions attached to Kowloon City, that this town was founded by the Chinese at least seven,
and possibly eight hundred years, before the British arrival in Hongkong.
In those days, in the "middle ages" Kowloon City was only sparsely inhabited, mostly by fishing folk and farmers with their rice fields, and communication with Canton must have been most difficult. For instance there is the old and cherished traditional story attached to the Sung Wong Terrace or rock situated on Kowloon City Hill, and easily observed from the present Kowloon City Police Station and other points.
The rock presents a peculiar shape and stands prominently in a somewhat precarious position. There is a small stone fence round the rock, which is located within the Kowloon City wall, the lowness and primitive condition of which indicates that it must have been built hundreds of years ago, when villagers found security within a city with a wall standing but a few feet high against invasion by bandits, or enemies from adjacent villages. The wall is pierced with loopholes for the use, obviously, of archers and crossbowmen:
"As regards the Sung Wong Terrace, the name clearly implies that it was preserved by the Chinese in memory of an Emperor of the Sung Dynasty, which existed some 600 to 700 years ago, before the Yuen, Ming and Ching Dynasties. According to Chinese tradition, during the final stages of the Sung Dynasty an Emperor called Dai Ping was dethroned by his enemies of the Ming Regime, invaders from Mongolia. Emperor Dai Ping, after losing many battles in a fruitless attempt to regain his throne in North China, had to flee for his life with a scanty army of a few hundred men who remained loyal to him. They travelled thousands of miles by land and sea from North to South, and finally arrived at Canton. In Canton the loyalists met with further persecution, and as the troops of the Ming dynasty founder continued their pursuit, the young Emperor and a few of his faithful bodyguards came down to Kowloon City, and camped at the Sung Wong rock, which the villagers named after the Royal visitor and reverence until this day. The Emperor never regained his position, and died a fugitive in the South. Tradition has it that he stopped for only a brief spell in Kowloon City, and then continued his flight.
KOWLOON, OLD CITY 2
"The existence of its wall confirms the belief that Kowloon City was unlike the villages in the New Territories which also existed before the opening of Hongkong as a British commercial port. It has been pointed out by Chinese historians more than once, that Kowloon City must have been the headquarters of the Chinese officials hundreds of years ago, and the officials and troops stationed there must have extended their authority over other parts of the New Territories. So much sentimental and historical value was attached to Kowloon City that the administration was preserved by the Peking Government in the convention signed in Peking, in June, 1898, when the area known as the New Territories, including Mirs Bay, Deep Bay and Lamma, Lantau and other adjacent islands, was leased to Great Britain for 99 years. The total area of the New Territories and islands is about 345 square miles. Under the 1898 Convention the City of Kowloon (like that of Weihaiwei in the Convention of the same year) was to remain under Chinese jurisdiction, insofar as the exercise of this privilege was not inconsistent with the military requirements for the defence of Hongkong.
KOWLOON, OLD CITY - 1 (cont.)
610
was a common building feature until about the middle of last century, was erected over a path much used by Manchu officials in Kowloon City.
I have received some further interesting notes on the old Kowloon City area:
"Sino". "The rapid development of Hongkong and the lagging behind in similar progress in Kowloon City, has often led to a misconception among new-comers to the Colony that Kowloon is a newly-opened city, but this is not the case. If rocrds of Kowloon City have been kept by its oldest inhabitants they should be most interesting and of great value, because it is known on good authority, as well as on Chinese traditions attached to Kowloon City, that this town was founded by the Chinese at least seven,
and possibly eight hundred years, before the British arrival in Hongkong.
In those days, in the "middle ages" Kowloon City was only sparsely inhabited, mostly by fishing folk and formers with their rice fields, and communication with Canton must have been most difficult. For instance there is the old and cherished traditional story attached to the Sung Wong Terrace or rock situated on Kowloon City Hill, and easily observed from the present Kowloon City Police Station and other points.
The rock presents a peculiar shape and stands prominently in a some- what precarious position. There is a small stone fence round the rock, whih is located within the Kowloon City wall, the lowness and primitive condi- tion of which indicates that it must have been built hundreds of years ago, when villagers found security within a city with a wall standing but a few feet high against invasion by bandits, or enemies from adjacent villages. The wall is pierced with loopholes for the use, obviously, of archers and crossbowmen:
"As regards the Sung Wong Terrace, the name clearly implies that it was preserved by the Chinese in memory of an Emperor of the Sung Dynasty, which existed some 600 to 700 years ago, before the Yuen, Ming and Ching Dynasties. According to Chinese tradition, during the final stages of the Sung Dynasty an Emperor called Dai Ping was dethroned by his enemies of the Ming Regime, invaders from Mongolia. Emperor Dai Ping, after losing many battles in a truitless attempt to regain his throne in North China, had to flee for his life with a scanty army of a few hundred men who remained loyal to him. They travelled thousands of miles by land and sea from North to South, and finally arrived at Canton. In Canton the loyalists met with further persecution, and as the troops of the Ming dynasty founder contin- ued their pursuit, the young Emperor and a few of his faithful bolyguards came down to Kowloon City, and camped at the Sung Wong rock, which the villagers named after the Royal visitor and reverence until this day. The Emperor never regained his position, and died a fugitive in the South. Tradition has it that he stopped for only a brief spell in Kowloon City, and then continued his flight.
KOWLOON, OLD CITY 2
"The existence of its wall confirms the belief that Kowloon City was unlike the villages in the New Territories which also existed before the opening of Hongkong as a British commercial port. It has been pointed out by Chinese historians more than once, that Kowloon City must have been. the headquarters of the Chinese officials hundreds of years ago, and the officials and troops stationed there must have extended their authority over other parts of the New Territories. So much sentimental and histori- cal value was attached to Kowloon City that the administration was pre- served by the Peking Government in the convention signed in Peking, in June, 1898, when the area known as the New Territories, including Mirs Bay, Deep Bay and Lamma, Lantau and other adjacent islands, was leased, to Great Britain for 99 years. The total area of the New Territories and islands is about 345 square miles. Under the 1898 Convention the City of Kowloon (like that of Weihaiwei in the Convention of the same year) was to remain under Chinese jurisdiction, insofar as the exercise of this privilege was not inconsistent with the military requirements for the defence of Hongkong.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.