13 minute read
Big Day Out
Haunted Hong Kong
Nicole Slater investigates some of the city’s scariest places this Halloween
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With a city as densely populated as Hong Kong, there is a horror story around every corner. So turn off that scary movie and step into some of Hong Kong’s most haunted locations.
Bride’s Pool
Located in the northeastern New Territories in Plover Cove Country Park, Bride’s Pool is a scenic area, made up of several waterfalls and pools. While this whimsical location may sound like the perfect day out, the tale behind its name may stop you in your tracks. Legend believes that a bride-to-be was carried along the pools by four porters in a sedan chair on her way to meet her groom during a storm. One of the porters slipped and the bride and her porters fell over the waterfall and drowned in the pool below. She never made it to her groom and is believed to lurk around the pools dressed in her traditional gown waiting for him. While the story is just folk law, Bride’s Pool was listed as a hiking accident black spot by the Hong Kong Government, after a series of serious accidents and fatalities in the area.
Nam Koo Terrace
Nam Koo Terrace
In the heart of Wan Chai lies a two-storey red house dating back to WWII. History states that the house was turned into a brothel during the Japanese reign and many women were forcibly taken there and subjected to a range of horrors, the house has been abandoned ever since. Over the years many passersby have reported hearing screams and seeing shadows during the night. A group of youngsters broke inside the house to search for ghosts in 2003, resulting in one girl being hospitalised after it was believed she became possessed.
King George V School
Originally built on Nathan Road in 1894, King George V School moved to its current location in Kowloon City in 1936 due to the increase in the number of students. When the Japanese army invaded China a year later, many women and children fled Shanghai and needed a place to stay. The school became a refugee camp and as the war continued the site turned into a hospital for the British forces. When the Japanese took over, KGV was used as a hospital for prisoners of war. It was rumoured that the Pavilion was once a torture chamber and the field adjacent was a mass grave. After an extensive excavation in preparation for an artificial playing field in 2002, no such evidence was found. While many of the rumours have been debunked, people still report seeing the lost souls in the clock tower and room P14.
31 Granville Road
The apartment block on Granville Road is the scene of one of Hong Kong’s most horrifying murder cases. In 1999 a 23-year-old girl was kidnapped, imprisoned and tortured in the apartment by three men. The case was nicknamed The Hello Kitty Murder after parts of the girls body were found stuffed inside a Hello Kitty doll. Rumour has it CCTV cameras have captured images of her ghostly body standing outside the building’s entrance.
Murray House
Originally located on Queen’s Road East, Murray House was once used as an execution spot during the Japanese occupation. It is believed that over 4,000 Hong Kong residents were tortured and murdered on the premises. After the Second World War the house was handed back over to the Hong Kong Government and converted into offices. Many workers reported ghost sightings and odd occurrences such as blueprints going missing and equipment breaking down. The reports were so troubling that in 1963 the government brought in 90 Buddhist monks to perform an exorcism at the house. The ritual took a grueling 10 hours to complete but despite their best efforts the reports didn’t stop. A second exorcism was held in 1974 and televised throughout Hong Kong. No further activity has been reported since.
Blake Garden
During the 19th Century, Blake Garden was a residential complex housing hundreds of families. When the bubonic plague struck in 1894, thousands of people across Hong Kong were subjected to a slow and painful death. The complex was one of the most affected areas and was demolished soon after. A garden was built as a remembrance to those who lost their lives and to this day reports of children dressed in traditional clothing playing in the park are a common occurrence.
Sai Ying Pun Community Complex
Located on the corner of High Street and Eastern Street, Sai Ying Pun Community Complex was built in 1892 and served as quarters for international nurses, later transforming into an asylum. During World War II the building was used as an execution ground and thousands of bodies were dumped in a mass grave just across the road. The building was abandoned in 1970 and many stories of headless ghost sightings began to surface. The building was repurposed in 1990 and
is now a community centre for local residents.
Seize the day Nicole Slater meets the people fighting the stigma around mental health in Hong Kong
This year has been tough on the mental wellbeing of many Hongkongers, with job cuts and political tension, many people are nervous about the future.
According to research conducted by Mind HK earlier this year, 1 in 7 people in Hong Kong will experience a common mental health disorder in their lifetime, but only 1 in 4 will seek help. We spoke with councillors across the city who are doing their part to keep us thinking positively about the future.
Jessica Yeung
Common Care Central
Through her own personal experience with mental health, Jessica Yeung founded Common Care Central, an online mental health resource, to help those needing a convenient and affordable form of therapy. With sessions available seven days a week, Yeung is on a mission to normalise mental health and increase access to mental healthcare.
What makes Common Care Central unique?
Through her own personal experience with mental health, Jessica Yeung founded Common Care Central, an online mental health resource, to help those needing a convenient and affordable form of therapy. With sessions available seven days a week, Yeung is on a mission to normalise mental health and increase access to mental healthcare.
How can people start?
Getting started is the hardest part. I would say that there are two things that are important when you are considering beginning therapy: First: Finding a therapist you feel comfortable and suits you is the most important part. I personally had a costly trial-and-error experience when finding a good match, so our platform provides a service that helps you find a suitable match by considering your needs, preferences, and budget. Second: it’s important to go in with the right expectations on what therapy is about. Therapy is a therapeutic alliance and it takes hard work, persistence and patience. Healing takes time.
Dr Ivan Chow
Marina Medical
Dr Ivan Chow is a physician in family medicine who has worked in primary care for many years. He treats his patients with a holistic approach,
managing their physical, emotional, spiritual and social aspects. Currently, he is based at Marina Medical, a private outpatient clinic providing primary and speciality care services.
What are the most common issues you encounter?
Anxiety and depression. This year in particular has seen a rise in patients experiencing mood problems and those who have recovered from mood problems are having relapses. I encourage everyone to pay more attention to themselves, think positively, engage in physical activity and don’t let the fear of being labelled with a mental illness prevent you from seeking help.
What are some warning signs to look out for?
If the following warning signs occur, I will suggest they seek help from a mental health professional: Dramatic changes in sleep and appetite, decline in personal care, social withdrawal, loss of interest in activities previously enjoyed, drop in functioning, problems with concentration, memory and speech, loss of motivation, suspiciousness of others and suicidal ideas or deliberate self-harm.
Do you have advice for those close to someone suffering?
Listen, give support and encourage them to share their thoughts and feelings. Learn about the symptoms, causes and consequences. Don’t say things like, calm down or stop stressing. Feeling depressed or anxious is not a choice.
Dr Mark Greene and Dr Michael Eason
Lifespan Counselling
With over three decades of counselling experience between them, Dr. Mark Greene and Dr. Michael Eason founded Lifespan Counselling. The boutique psychology group practice has a diverse team offering support for a wide range of topics including addiction, stress addiction, stress, relationship issues and child therapy.
In psychology, there is a concept known as post-traumatic growth (PTG); that is, we can grow and evolve from challenging experiences. If we can accept the temporary nature of events in life, then 2020 certainly provides many long-term opportunities for growth and an awareness of resiliency.
What are the most common issues you handle?
In Hong Kong, many people struggle with work/ life balance issues, which in turn leads to stress, depression, addiction and relationship issues. By treating mental health like any other health concern, we can further encourage people to seek counselling when facing issues that impact them psychologically.
Do you have any advice for people wanting to start?
Reaching out to someone you trust and asking if they have any personal referrals is a good idea. If you view seeking help as an empowering process, you begin therapy from a position of strength and self-awareness.
Glen Heyburgh
Centre Minds
Growing up, Glen Heyburgh was always compassionate and ready to help others. After fighting his own battles he decided to study psychology and help give back to society. Heyburgh joined Centre Minds in 2018 and has been a listening ear to those who feel alone, unheard, irrelevant or unwelcome.
Is there social stigma about mental health in Hong Kong?
There is a social stigma attached to mental health, however this is not unique to Hong Kong. The more mental illness remains hidden, the more people think it’s something to be ashamed of. Most discrimination comes from people who have little or no experience of mental illness. Try to consider it as their problem, not yours.
How you respond to stress during the Covid-19 pandemic can depend on your background, support system, financial situation and many other factors. Excessive stress can affect your body, take care of your mental health and seek help from a qualified professional.
Do you have advice for couples struggling during this time?
Lockdown rules have forced couples to spend longer periods of time together. These periods of close contact have acted as a stressor, which has intensified negative relationship behaviours and dissatisfaction for couples with existing vulnerabilities. Couples should constructively deal with conflict by working together towards solving issues and responding sensitively when the other is feeling stressed.
If you or anyone you know needs help, please contact the Hong Kong Samaritans 24-hour hotline, 2896 0000
Common Care Central
commoncarecentral.com
Marina Medical
marinamedical.hk
Lifespan Counselling
lifespancounselling.com
Centre Minds
centreminds.com
Ask a vet...
Dr Pauline Taylor shares her thoughts on the latest dog poisonings
A new spate of sudden dog deaths around Sai Kung and Southside is worrying and I want to encourage dog-owners to always be alert when taking your dog for a walk, keep your dog in your eyesight at all times. When I arrived in Hong Kong in 1995 one of the first things my boss told me to be aware of was poisonings along Bowen Road and Blacks Link on Hong Kong Island.
At the time I had no idea that I would soon be saving the dog of the last Governor of Hong Kong, Whiskey Patton, a small, lovable, but greedy Norfolk terrier that ate poison on Blacks Link.
Over the years a variety of different poisons have been involved, some identified by chemists, many not. They include slug and rat killers, weed destroyers, insecticide and worm and mite nerve paralyzing agents. Many are easy to purchase over the counter. The poison used recently on the Island is deep pink granules mixed with an aroma-strong snack of tasty fresh food laid near starting points of common walks.
Once eaten, it’s a race to the death to get the poisoned food out of the dog’s stomach by whatever means possible. Vets use drugs to make a dog vomit, but by the time this happens, it’s usually too late. Vets will do everything in their power to save a poisoned dog, but in reality this is not an easy task.
What to do if you suspect your dog has eaten poison:
• Try and remove the poison from the dog’s body • Get a photo or sample of what your dog may have eaten • If the suspected poison has already been swallowed then making your dog vomit is critical and as soon as possible • Give salty water if you can. I’ve also recommended washing soda lumps pushed over the throat followed by some water to wash it down. (Pets Central Animal Welfare Foundation provides samples of washing soda free of charge at any of our clinics or hospital) • Immediately call a nearby vet. Any vet. Let them know what is happening to give them time to prepare. • If your dog loves eating things on walks consider muzzling them
We just don’t know who is poisoning dogs. Don’t push the wrong buttons with people who may want your dog to go away forever.
Got a question for Dr. Pauline? Email editorial@hongkongliving.com
What to plant in October
Weather facts:
- Average high temperature: 28°C - Average low temperature: 23°C - Average rainfall: 100.9mm - Average rainfall days: 7.4 days
For my years acting as superintendent of the Botanical Gardens, I found October the most pleasant of all months. Temperatures in this delightful month range from 23°C to 28°C. The air is relatively dry but not intolerably. Ah, the browning of the leaves reminds me of my important duty.
October soil is the most nurturing of all, best used to grow nourishing vegetables. Seeds of the following may be sown: mustard and cress, delicious lettuce and radish, adorable brussel sprouts and flavourful parsley, sage and thyme. You shall also plant out cabbage, cauliflower, vegetable marrow and celery.
Flowers, whilst their life most fleeting, will dress your garden with magnificent colours. Seeds of the following flowers are most preferable to plant: French and African marigolds, nicotianas, sweet alyssum, daisy, sunflowers and pansy. Prune your roses and nourish them with a generous dressing of manure. Remember, you shall not sow your seeds too shallow nor too deep, water your plants too much, nor too little. Moderation is key.
At last, I offer you advice of utmost importance for your craft. Plants demand care and love likened to our soul. Mere skill does not maketh a good gardener, but passion and heart. Take care of your plants with the care and attention you would give your children - a motto every earnest gardener should keep at heart.
By William James Tutcher F.L.S. (1867-1920)
Superintendent of Hong Kong Botanical Gardens. Paraphrased from his seminal 1906 work Gardening for Hong Kong.
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