九龍城寨 (Kowloon Walled City Park)

While doing a last minute research the night before I left for HK, the Kowloon Walled City Park was put in my priority list. I love parks, more so parks with ruins.

the preserved ruins inside the Walled City

The park is located in New Territories and it used to be a military fort. First constructed in 1847, the place was meant as a defense fortress cum accommodation for civil and military personnel. During the Tai Ping Rebellion in mid 19th century, the walled city was invaded by the rebels. The military officials were forced to evacuate the area. After World War 2, the walled city started to gain its notorious reputation as a dark sin city, becoming a big drug den where illegal activities abound from prostitution to unlicensed medical practitioners. As such, crimes were more than frequent.

Interestingly many people lived normal lives in that enclave with no sewage system and water supply was scarce. Eventually the Chinese and British government decided to demolish the tall buildings that mushroomed there and to relocate the people in order to transform the whole area into a public park.

broken stone tablet with the words 九龍城寨 (Kowloon Walled City)

small falls inside

fragrant juniper trees lining the paved path

restored structure

pagoda where people nowadays practice tai chi and do exercises

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I wish the Manila government would also do something for Tondo, Manila. While the area is not enclosed like the early Kowloon Walled City, the parallelisms lie in that both are infamous for illegal things and for the anarchic (in the widely popular sense of the term, and definitely not the original noble definition it has). We can learn a lot from how the Chinese and British managed the evacuation and relocation of the original residents. It will take greater political will to do so and only a true government, something that really cares for its people, can do this. Unfortunately we all know that government officials are nothing but greedy pigs who seek office to pocket the people's money. Sigh.