To this day, it is not even known exactly how many people lived in Kowloon Walled City in Hong Kong. According to some estimates, between 30,000 and as many as 60,000 people lived within its 2.6 ha area. The streets of the ‘city’ were 1–2 metres wide, and the ground floors were plunged into perpetual darkness. This architectural aberration was the result of a colonial dispute between China and Great Britain, which led to lawlessness in the small area of the former military fort. Crime, illegal trade and prostitution flourished in Kowloon until the 1990s, when the Hong Kong authorities decided that the world’s most densely populated place was to be demolished. Despite all the social ills associated with the settlement, Kowloon Walled City continues to fascinate many.
The Hong Kong Wall
If someone had the chance to travel back in time and stood before the outer perimeter of Kowloon Walled City, they would see no wall at all, only tightly packed, interconnected blocks of flats. The history of this place, however, dates back to a time when an actual wall did indeed surround the area. For centuries (from around the 11th to the 17th century), a small military outpost stood on the site of Kowloon Walled City, defending China against pirates and other enemies. In the 17th century, the outpost was upgraded to the status of a fort and further fortifications were added. By the early 19th century, the fort was home to administrative offices, a powder magazine, the general’s palace and a military garrison.
However, no fortifications could prepare the Chinese for the British Empire, which, as the 19th century progressed, began to take an interest in Chinese ports and the opium they exported. During the two Opium Wars, which were brutal for China (1839–1842, 1856–1860), the British first seized the island of Hong Kong and then Kowloon. In turn, towards the end of the 19th century, in 1898, a humiliated China was forced to sign a treaty under which the British leased the whole of Hong Kong (including the largest northern part) for 99 years. However, Kowloon Fort was to remain in Chinese hands, provided that China did not ‘interfere with the defence interests of the British Empire’.
As early as 1899, riots broke out, and the local clans refused to hand Hong Kong over to Great Britain. The British reneged on the agreement, attacked the Chinese fort and drove out the officials, who were left defenceless. From that moment on, this small area was mired in perpetual lawlessness. On the one hand, the British lacked sufficient legal authority to administer the troublesome fort; on the other, China was too weak to do anything about the matter.
Although Chinese nationalists from the Kuomintang party later demanded the return of Kowloon Fort, the British paid no heed to this. When China was attacked by Japan in 1937, a far more serious problem than the status of Kowloon loomed on the horizon. Japanese troops committed the most heinous crimes in Hong Kong, and the region’s population was halved. The Japanese also demolished Kowloon’s defensive walls, and the rubble was used to expand the nearby airport. The lawlessness in Kowloon was exacerbated by the Japanese occupation and, subsequently, by the equally brutal civil war in China. Refugees from the north of the country found shelter amidst the anarchy of Kowloon.
A concrete labyrinth
Even before the war, numerous wooden huts and makeshift shelters were springing up within the fort’s grounds. In the 1950s, the landscape of densely populated Kowloon changed forever. The makeshift, interconnected structures went up in flames, though this did not prevent local gangs from consolidating their power. It was the Chinese gangs (the Triads) who ruled Kowloon, and the narrow streets, unmonitored by any government, became a hub for drug trafficking and prostitution. Despite thousands of police raids, the Triads continued to operate. Interestingly, the construction of new high-rise blocks within the makeshift settlement did not help.
The lack of effective building regulations led to the creation of interconnected blocks, which over time merged into a single city. The residents formed their own close-knit community, where, alongside crime, local businesses also flourished. The narrow streets resembled low service tunnels made of concrete, makeshift electrical and plumbing installations, and perpetual grime. The 14-storey blocks were built so close together that no sunlight reached the lower floors. Naturally, only the residents knew all the secret passages and nooks and crannies of this concrete labyrinth. By 1993, 350 buildings had been erected within the city, and the population density stood at 1.25 million people per square kilometre.
On the streets of Kowloon Walled City, one could find everything from illegal workshops to doctors, teachers and even restaurants. Despite the squalid conditions and water constantly dripping from above, shopkeepers tried to attract customers with neon signs and illuminated shop windows. In the brightly lit restaurants, one could enjoy local specialities such as fish balls, snake soup or a stew… made from dog.
Feng shui
The only places where residents could catch their breath were the rooftops of the blocks and the empty space in the centre. In fact, this gap in the dense development was due to the palace of an official (mandarin) from the imperial era that once stood on this site. The residents respected Chinese customs and decided to preserve the historic building. For the Chinese, such a feature might also have fitted into feng shui planning, but amidst all the chaos of Kowloon, the significance of this spot was likely minimal.
In the 1980s, Great Britain, now a shadow of its former self, began preparing to hand over Hong Kong in accordance with the 1898 treaty. For the outgoing Hong Kong authorities, resolving the issue of Kowloon was crucial, so in 1987 the authorities decided to demolish the slum. The British were seeking a peaceful handover of Hong Kong, and the status of Kowloon – which had remained unresolved for almost 100 years – could have hindered this.
The demolition of Kowloon Walled City was completed in 1994. A park was created on the site of the settlement, featuring restored government and military buildings. The demolition of the settlement did not, however, mean that the world had forgotten this dystopian place. Kowloon has inspired books, films and games, and in Kawasaki, Japan, the Warehouse Kawasaki theme park was even built, with interiors reminiscent of Kowloon’s narrow corridors. Although the theme park no longer exists, its interiors introduced new generations to the dystopian nature of Kowloon Walled City. Today, interest in this place continues to grow.
Source: Atlas Obscura
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