Ep. 229 | The Walled City of Kowloon

The China History Podcast
Written By Laszlo Montgomery

Laszlo finally gets around to one of the most requested topics of all time. In this episode, the history behind the Kowloon Walled City is introduced from its humble beginnings starting in the Southern Song to its later demolition during the early 1990s.

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Terms in Episode

Pinyin/TermChineseEnglish/Meaning
Cheung Sha Wan长沙湾District in Kowloon
Dōng Lóng Zhōu东龙洲Tung Lung Chau, an island off the Clearwater Bay Peninsula up in the New Territories
Jiāozhōu Bay胶州湾Located in present day Qīngdǎo
Jiǔlóng Chéng Zhài九龙城寨And another way of saying The Walled City of Kowloon in Chinese
Jiǔlóng zhài chéng九龙寨城One way of saying The Walled City of Kowloon in Chinese
Kai Tak Airport启德机场The old airport of Hong Kong. Named after the two financiers of the airport Ho Kai and Au Tak
Liáodōng Peninsula辽东半岛Peninsula located in Liaoning Province....meaning "east of the Liao River"
Lǐ Míngdōng李明东The guy I used to know in HK who grew up in the Walled City, known affectionately at Save the Children as Ah Tung
Mong Kok旺角Another district of Kowloon. I used to keep an office there.
Qing Dynasty清朝China's last imperial dynasty lasting from 1644-1911
Shāndōng山东Northern coastal province in China. A pretty historic place for most of Chinese history
Song Dynasty宋朝Dynasty that lasted 960-1279
Sun Yee On新义安One of the most famous of all Hong Kong Triads. Still around today with an estimated 55,000 members worldwide
Tokwawan土瓜湾District in east Kowloon south of Kowloon City and north of Hung Hom
Wēihǎiwèi威海卫Now called Weihai, a city in Shandong
Xiāng ròu香肉Literally "fragrant meat" but means dog meat.
Yámen衙门A name for any government office in feudal China
Zhài寨An administrative term meaning a fort where an official resided
Zhào Zǐyáng赵紫阳1919-2005, China premier 1980-87, CCP General Secretary 1987-89
Zǒnglǐ Yámen总理衙门The foreign office during the Qing dynasty

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