Tales of Yue Kwong Chuen

Tales of Yue Kwong Chuen

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Foreword Dr Chloe LAI Integer Foundation Association Limited

The Southern District is fascinating. For centuries, Aberdeen Harbour has been a busy harbour that provided shelter for brave seafarers. It is a living testimony of the city’s fishing village heritage.

Although urbanisation has bridged Ap Lei Chau with the mainland, the sea allows for the former island to remain tranquil despite the hustle and bustle of the harbour and traffic brought by the MTR. Contrary to the tranquility of the seaside, the Aberdeen mainland is a vibrant town centre. In the nearby Wong Chuk Hang, there are a variety of offices, industrial workshops, artist studios and galleries.

The district also provides accommodation for people from all walks of life, including the famous Wah Fu Estate. A short walk away from the harbour is the Aberdeen 175

Our first involvement in the neighbourhood was Tales of Aberdeen, which was a project supported by the Lord Wilson Heritage Trust a couple years ago. Since then, we have always wanted to return and collect more stories of the area for those who made the place fascinating. With support from the Southern District Council, the Integer team is finally able to conduct a thorough documentation of Yue Kwong Chuen.

along Aberdeen Reservoir Road and close to the Aberdeen Country Park, the Estate captures the attention of hikers with its architecture. It has a total of 5 blocks and is home to around 1,100 families. The beautiful name of the Estate, which can be understood as “fishing lights” in Chinese, honours the fishing heritage of Aberdeen.

Each block is named in relation to the sea and means something to fishers. In 2018, families waiting for public rental housing were able to apply for temporary housing under the Transitional Housing Rental Scheme. In a couple of years , the Society will redevelop the Estate.

A rental estate of Housing Society, Yue Kwong Chuen was completed in 1962 as the first rental estate in Aberdeen. Built

Tales of Yuen Kwong Chuen is a compilation of human stories, photographs, architectural drawings and botanical

Country Park. Such complex terrain and human endeavour lured us to the Southern District time and again.

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artwork produced in 2020 and 2021.

The book includes research that situates Yue Kwong Chuen amidst the fast-track urbanisation of Hong Kong. One of the longer reads features architect Yuen Tatcho, while another examines the cultural linkages between fishing communities of Aberdeen and Yue Kwong Chuen. There is also an in-depth report about the Estate’s trees.

With a humanistic approach, our team observes and captures the present while tracing the trajectory of how design and construction of the Estate came into place.

Yue Kwong Chuen is a textbook case of using people-centric design to compensate for crowded living conditions of working class families. The beginning of the Estate 177

was humble, yet full of noble intention and relentless hard work. Yue Kwong Chuen has become the sweet and lovely home of more than 1,000 families who are proud of their home.

This publication is a collective effort. In fact, it is possibly the first book in Hong Kong that takes an interdisciplinary approach to examine a public housing estate from multiple perspectives. It could not have been completed without the commitment of each and every one of our contributors.

Without the support of the Southern District Council, the project would not exist in the first place. We have just begun to narrate stories of Aberdeen, and we look forward to collecting more stories of this fascinating part of Hong Kong in the future.

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Content 175

Foreword

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Research on Architecture & History

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Reading Yue Kwong Chuen from Architectural Design

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Yue Kwong Chuen: Home of People-on-the-water on Land

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Stories

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Our Reservoir — LAM Yuk King & YUEN Pui Tong

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A Home at Long Last — TSUI Chun Hung & TSUI Hei Wun Frigga

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A Small Heaven — Cherry LAU Pik Yuk

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The Freedom of My Own Home — LAU Sau King

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The Trials and Joy of Yue Kwong Chuen — LEUNG Kum Ho & LO Siu Kan & WONG Tak Pui & Juju

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Playground in My Memories — CHEUNG Yuk Tim

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Remembering the Primitive Days — CHEUNG Suk Kuen

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My Beloved Southern District — CHENG Che Chuen

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Snapshots

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Architectural Drawing

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Plan

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Elevation

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Section

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Details

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Tree Survey Report

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Nature and Human Ecology

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Map of Yue Kwong Chuen Trees

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Trees in Yue Kwong Chuen

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Botanical Art

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Panorama

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Pak Sha Lau

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Shun Fung Lau

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Ching Hoi Lau

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Research on Architecture & History The following two articles examine Yue Kwong Chuen from two perspectives. One looks at the cultural linkage between fishing communities in Aberdeen and residents of the village, while another centres around the village’s architectural design.

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Reading Yue Kwong Chuen from Architectural Design I. Modern design concepts and public housing in Hong Kong The design of public housing in Hong Kong has been heavily influenced by modern architecture.

In 1896, Louis Sullivan, an architect of the Chicago School, coined the design principle “form follows function” 1. In 1919, Walter Gropius founded the design school Staatliches Bauhaus in Weimar, Germany. The school advocated a simple, function-driven and low-cost approach in architecture 2. In 1926, Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier set out his “Five Points of a New Architecture” (“Les Cinq Points de l’Architecture

[1] “Where function does not change, form does not change. The granite rocks, the ever- brooding hills, remain for ages; the lightning lives, comes into shape, and dies, in a twinkling.” Sullivan, Louis H., “The Tall Office Building Artistically Considered”. Lippincott’s Magazine (March 1896): pp. 403-409.

[2] 王建柱，包浩斯現代設計教育的根源。臺北市：藝風堂出版社。2003-05: p.46

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Moderne”)3. He also created an urban planning blueprint for Paris featuring high-rises and groundlevel public spaces4. The style he developed is known as “functionalism”.

The Bauhaus School and Le Corbusier, together with their like-minded contemporaries, laid the foundation of modern architecture. On the premise of functionality, modernist architects created buildings characterised by simple, threedimensional geometrical forms, increasing height and the use of inexpensive materials. In addition, many purely decorative elements were eliminated.

This approach was met with mixed responses in the West, where population density was relatively low and resources were plentiful. In Hong Kong, however, it was quite a different story. In the early 1950s, the city experienced a population boom with the influx of refugees from mainland China.

At one point, inhabitants living in squatter areas accounted for 25 percent of the local population5.

Housing shortage was a serious problem, so much so that functionalism eventually became a guiding principle for designing public housing estates.

[3] Richard A. Etlin, Le Corbusier, Choisy, and French Hellenism: The Search for a New Architecture, The Art Bulletin, Vol. 69, No. 2 (Jun., 1987), p.275 1. Pilotis – replacement of supporting walls by a grid of reinforced concrete columns 2. Roof gardens – move the garden to the rooftop where the view is the broadcast and the air is least humid 3. The free designing of the ground plan – the absence of supporting walls 4. The horizontal window – large openings for a good view 5. The free design of the façade – from the façade, each floor looks like an individual floor that does not affect each other

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II. Background of design In the 1950s, the local population in Aberdeen grew rapidly. The Typhoon Shelter was cramped with fishing junks which also served as the abode of local fishers. Squatter huts that sprung up on the shore in great numbers had tiny living space with poor sanitation. Despite Hong Kong’s rapid economic growth, most locals were low-income earners with no means to improve their living conditions. In 1975, HKHS found a hillside site and sought approval from the government to build a public housing estate for low-income households. The project would become known as Yue Kwong Chuen (literally translated as “Fishing Lights Village”).

In 1958, Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS) commissioned architect Yuen Tat-cho to take charge of the Yue Kwong Chuen project6. An eminent architect of his time, Yuen read architecture at University of Liverpool in the UK. His famous works included Wing Lung Bank Building, Tung Ying Building, the old Hang Seng Building and East Town Theatre7. He was heavily influenced [4] Le Corbusier (1923). Vers une architecture. Flammarion (1995), pp.1-150 [5] 香港記憶. 2012 [2021-01-07].https://www.hkmemory.hk/collections/public_housing/land_ squatters/index_cht.html [6] Hong Kong Housing Society Annual Report, 1958, p.12 [7] 吳啟聰 、朱卓雄，建聞築蹟──香港第一代華人建築師的故事， 經濟日報出版社（香港）， 2007，pp.110-114

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by functionalism. A good example is the old Hang Seng Building8. When it was completed in 1962, the tower was the tallest skyscraper in Hong Kong and the city’s first building that had steel beams, steel columns and curtain walls. It took much less time to complete the tower than in the traditional way. The use of steel columns, which occupy less space than reinforced concrete columns, meant more surface area for the interiors of the building9. In the year of its completion, the super typhoon Wanda hit Hong Kong. The old Hang Seng Building showed its mettle - its curtain walls were well able to withstand strong winds that travelled at a speed of some 200 kilometres per hour. All this reflected Yuen’s knack for putting into practice the principle of functionalism.

Yue Kwong Chuen was a low-cost project, but Yuen did not lower the design standard. For him, even low-cost buildings with a simple design should provide residents with a pleasant living environment that offered sufficient living space and privacy. He deemed it important that people did not feel claustrophobic in their own home10.

[8] Renovated in 2007 and now known as Nexxus Building.

[9] Ibid.

[10] Hong Kong and Far East Builder, vol.18 no.1 (June 1963), pp.96-99

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III. Exteriors and public space Located on Aberdeen Reservoir Road, Yue Kwong Chuen consisted of five blocks and occupied 163,500 square feet, equivalent to a little more than two standard football pitches.

The estate was completed in two phases. The first phase covered Pak Sha Lau, Shun Fung Lau and Hoy Kong Lau, respectively completed in 1962, 1963 and 1963. Pak Sha Lau had 10 storeys and 155 units; Shun Fung Lau and Hoy Kong Lau respectively had seven and 11 floors and housed 195 and 282 flats. The second phase saw the completion of Ching Hoy Lau and Hoy Au Lau in 1965. Both blocks were nine-storey-high and respectively contained 269 and 274 units11.

Echoing the functionalist approach in modern architecture, the five blocks were ingeniously laid out in a way that maximised natural light and ventilation12. The hilly nature of the site of Yue Kwong Chuen could have led to a decision to simply flatten the hill to make construction easier.

But the architect chose to adapt to the terrain, so that except for Ching Hoy Lau and Hoy Au Lau, [15] Hong Kong Housing Society Annual Report, 1962, p.14; 1963; p.14; 1964, p.12; 1965, p.37 [16] These design features echo the modernist concept that places emphasis on sunlight and ventilation, with reference to the five points: 4) long horizontal windows: large openings for a good view. 5) free façade: from the façade, each floor looks like an individual floor that does not affect each other.

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all housing blocks are notably different in design and height, and the lower the floor, the smaller the floor area. The height of the five blocks echoed the topography of the hillside, forming a step-like layout that promoted air ventilation and avoided the wall effect. In ascending order in terms of height, the buildings were arranged like this: Shun Fung Lau< Pak Sha Lau< Hoy Kong Lau< Ching Hoy Lau< Hoy Au Lau. Yue Kwong Chuen from a bird’s eye view resembled a boat. The five buildings stood at a considerable distance from one another. Pak Sha Lau, Shun Fung Lau and Hoy Kong Lau formed a triangle. The lawn in the middle of the triangle was a public space. There were plenty of trees in the space surrounding the estate. The roots of old trees spread out to pavements and even grew around iron railings. All these created a pleasant environment. From the balcony or through the window of a Yue Kwong Chuen unit, one could get a good view of children running around in the public space and laundry hung in the lawn13. The architect’s attention to detail was reflected in elements such as the staircase that [13]吳啟聰、朱卓雄，建聞築蹟──香港第一代華人建築師的故事，經濟日報出版社（香港）， 2007，p.116.

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ran alongside Hoy Kong Lau. It enjoyed natural light that shone through the grille wall during the day and was lit up by streetlights at night. The two rectangle-shaped areas formed by Hoy Kong Lau, Ching Hoy Lau and Hoy Au Lau also helped create the same effect. There was even a party room14 where residents could host celebration events such as wedding banquets, meetings and all kinds of community activities.

With a cascade of five housing blocks and three open areas, Yue Kwong Chuen provided an interesting public space setting. A walk from Shun Fung Lau to Hoy Kong Lau through Pak Sha Lau (instead of passing through the triangle) began on the ground level of Pak Sha Lau. One went through the main entrance, walked up a few flights of stairs to reach the fourth floor and took the exit on the other side. To go upslope, one had three options: walk up on Aberdeen Reservoir Road, take the long staircase at Pak Sha Lau, or walk one’s way up via the sheltered corridor that connected different buildings. The public space between corridors and staircases is a good place for residents to rest and exercise.

[14] In HKHS 1962 Annual Report, the room was described as “community room”. In the report of 1964, it was called “party room”.

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Despite the strong emphasis on functionality and efficiency, Yue Kwong Chuen had no shortage of aesthetic elements. For example, the precast concrete grille walls on staircase fences, at building entrances and between different storeys of the buildings featured interesting circle and square patterns15. And playing with geometric patterns is a typical approach in modern architecture.

IV. Interiors and living space In terms of construction materials and techniques, there were not many choices given the low budget of the project. Yuen opted for a reinforced concrete frame structure, which was commonly used for public housing estates in Hong Kong at the time. Brick infill walls were covered by cement plaster. Water pipes and electrical wires were neatly arranged and exposed on the building façade. That is markedly different from the contemporary practice of hiding water pipes and electrical cables behind walls or in the patio of a housing block.

[19] Similar designs cannot be found in other housing estates of HKHS, such as Sheung Li Uk, Ming Wah Dai Ha, Moon Lok Dai Ha, Kwun Tong Garden Estate and Chun Seen Mei Chuen.

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Yuen wanted to make sure residents did not feel trapped in their abode, and he achieved just that with a simple design - a “central corridor” and a vertical air well. The central corridor was a long hallway that can be regarded as the backbone of the design. Imagine a giant magician pulling both sides of the hallway outward with his fingers to create space for numerous housing units16.

The magician also pulled the hallway vertically to create empty spaces between the floors, which were in practice a ventilation shaft, or air well, drawing fresh air from outside into the building, letting in natural light, and providing residents with a high degree of privacy. Each unit was also fitted with big windows to maximise sunlight.

The area outside a housing unit and before the central corridor was in effect a private area for residents to hang laundry or store things that were better left outside home17. As both ends of the corridor were half open, a draught ran through the hallway enabling wet clothes to dry quickly be free from damp smell. The central corridor was also a sheltered public area for residents to socialise with neighbours or simply take a walk.

[16] Hong Kong and Far East Builder, vol.18 no.1 June 1963), p.97 [17] Ibid

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According to the Hong Kong Building Code today, the width of a fire escape (including the corridor) should be at least 1.05 metre-wide, which is the average width of corridors of residential buildings in Hong Kong. By comparison, the central corridors at Yue Kwong Chuen were much broader, with a width 3.3 metres. That was wider than the pavements of some old streets in Hong Kong.

Nevertheless, according to some elderly residents, HKHS prohibited them from putting any of their belongings in the area outside their flat, although Yuen had intended for residents to hang laundry there. Some units had a balcony, and that was often used by residents to dry clothes. On a visit to Yue Kwong Chuen at the end of 2020, we noted that some residents placed a mini-Taoist shrine, a typical item in many Hong Kong homes in the old days, inside their flat. The traditional iron gate of the unit of such residents looked old and the residents had apparently been living there for a long time. As for units with a more modernlooking door, most inhabitants moved into Yue Kwong Chuen in 2018 under a special project.

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These tenants tended to have more personal belongings placed outside their flat, perhaps due to a more relaxed management approach of HKHS. Such was an interesting aspect of architecture and space. Quite often there is a discrepancy between the architect’s vision, the concerns of those who manage the space, and the actual practice of the space user. The latter two may adjust the usage of the space based on their own considerations, and in the end the user knows better than the creator how to make good use of the space.

Under the housing policy advocated by the late Michael Wright, HKHS flats have their own kitchen and bathroom. The principle was applied to even the older Sheung Li Uk. Likewise, Yue Kwong Chuen adopted the policy. All units of four of its buildings, namely Pak Sha Lau, Shun Fung Lau, Ching Hoy Lau and Hoy Au Lau, were equipped with a kitchen and a bathroom.

Among the five blocks, Hoy Kong Lau commanded a relatively lower rent. Designed for low-income families in Aberdeen, the building featured

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communal kitchens, public laundry rooms and common bathroom facilities to be shared by residents18. Such a design was also adopted at Kai Tak House and Tak Ming House of Kai Tak Estate in Wong Tai Sin, as well as Ming Wah Dai Ha Block A in Shau Kei Wan. Each floor of Hoy Kong Lau was equipped with one communal kitchen, and each household had their own kitchen cabinet and stove area. For the communal bathrooms, a specific toilet cubicle was designated for each household. Big families had their own cubicle; for small households, two shared one cubicle.

Unlike the other four blocks, Hoy Kong Lau had no air well, but the long, narrow building structure meant the kitchens, bathrooms and and all flats enjoyed natural light. That was a rarity in Hong Kong. There were also brise soleils to protect the flats from overexposure to the sun.

According to elderly residents, the communal kitchens were where housewives bantered and chatted. But during hot summer days, the sweltering heat generated by dozens of stoves made the kitchens rather unpleasant places to be19. When cooking there, mothers did not want [18] Hong Kong Housing Society Annual Report, 1959, p.16 [19] Ta Kung Pao, 1969-08-01

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their children to be around for fear of accident.

The solution was often to board up the lower part of the door of their unit before heading to the kitchen, so that their little ones could not leave home.

To prevent abuse of the common facilities, HKHS put in place strict rules: the kitchens were locked at 9.30pm and the bathroom lights were switched off at 11.00pm every day. These regulations brought inconvenience to the residents. If they wanted to cook at night, they had to move their stove from the kitchen to their own home before the closing time. When nature called, they visited the bathroom carrying their own lamp20.

By 1982, there were significantly better and more facilities and amenities at new public housing estates in Hong Kong. The quality of life of Hongkongers in general had also improved notably and people became more demanding about their living space. A former Hoy Kong Lau resident we interviewed said that in those days she wished she had her own toilet. It was against the backdrop of progress that the “Wright [20] Ta Kung Pao, 1969-08-01

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principle”21 was adopted for a renovation project at Hoy Kong Lau. Thanks to the revamp, all units in the building were given a private kitchen and bathroom. In addition, two adjoining units on the ground floor were turned into one big room for tenants to use as a public space and for students to study22.

Apart from the fixed kitchen and toilet, the interiors of housing units at Yue Kwong Chuen were supported by columns and beams, so that there was no need for a main wall. The lack of partition allowed residents to use the interior space the way they liked. Such a design also helped save the construction cost. In terms of size, the housing units were rather small - none was bigger than 300 square feet. However, they were decent enough and represented a big progress in those days, when many units in squatter villages in Hong Kong were only slightly bigger than a bed space. Moreover, flats in those squatter areas were partitioned with thin wooden boards or iron sheets, allowing for little privacy.

On the other hand, housing units at Yue Kwong [21] Named after Michael Wright (1912-2018), th Wright Principle refers to en-suite flats for people living in subdivided rental estates.

[22] Wah Kiu Yat Po, 1981-01-10

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Chuen were separated by a 11 centimetre-thick wall that provided good soundproof and a much higher level of privacy to residents23.

[23] Hong Kong and Far East Builder, vol.18 no.1 (June 1963), p.97

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V. Conclusion In light of the architectural design of Yue Kwong Chuen, we can see that costs and topographical constraints do not necessarily undermine the quality of a living space. Yue Kwong Chuen offered residents privacy while giving them communal spaces. Every household had a pleasant abode of their own and they were also connected with each other by public spaces such as the central corridor. The sensible spatial division and interior design details did not require expensive materials or sophisticated building techniques. All it took was genuine care for the interest of the inhabitants and good craftsmanship. Reading about the living space in Yue Kwong Chuen, one may be able to feel the delight of the residents moving into a public housing estate that gave importance to their interest.

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Yue Kwong Chuen: Home of People-onthe-water on Land

I. Fishing Communities in Hong Kong Hong Kongers who live on land often refer to fishing communities as ‘Tankas’. This appellation has a long history, even as early as the time of Emperor Taizong in Northern Song Dynasty (930-1007 C.E)1. The word ‘Tan’ referred to a specific tribe of ‘barbarians’ in ancient dynasties2, typically with derogatory meaning. Since ‘Tankas’ is considered discriminatory3 to fishing communities, this article intentionally marks the term with quotation marks, and instead uses the term people-on-the-water when referring to fishing communities.

The worldview of people-on-the-water is very different from that of people living on land. This difference can be seen from their everyday [1] 樂史，太平寰宇記， 卷一百五十七，嶺南道一，新㑹縣（四庫全書本） [2] 常璩，華陽國志，卷一，巴志 [3] 王惠玲，羅家輝，記憶景觀––香港仔漁民口述歷史，三聯書店（香港）有限公司，2015，p.46

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vocabulary. When people on land signal the action of moving forward, the term is ‘go straight’; while people-on-the-water say ‘row forward’ instead.

The older generation sees the breaking of glass as a sign of misfortune, therefore they cushion the effect by saying ‘blooming flowers on the ground, bringing prosperity and wealth’ when they drop something accidentally. For fishing communities, on the other hand, they say ‘may we be safe year after year’ instead, since the concept of the ‘ground’ makes little sense to those who live on the water4.

Fishing communities rely on boats to make a living. Most of them are fishers, while a minority of the demographic trades goods between coastal cities for a living. Each family lives on their respective boats, which are compartmentalised just like housing on land. Bonded together by living on the same boat, families who live on the water usually share a strong collective spirit.

In the old days, people-on-the-water mobilised themselves frequently, and moved their boats around depending on weather, fish migration, and

[4] 可兒弘明，香港の水上居民－中国社会史の断面－，岩波書店，1970，pp.3-4

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harbours providing replenishment for necessities.

They lived wherever their boats resided.

People-on-the-water live different lifestyles depending on their fishing methods. Some fishers work near shores, using lights and traditional fish nets to attract fish in the dark. As a result, they are more connected to land. At the end of each day, they move boats back to the shore. However, the downside of fishing near the shore is that the area for fishing, as well as the variety and quantity of fish, are limited. Fishers who are more adventurous and ambitious tend to fish in deeper waters. In the 1950-60s, electric boats became popular, which improved the power and durability of boats.

Offshore fishing is more difficult than inshore fishing, since fishers have to face unpredictable weather as well as the constant threat of pirates.

People-on-the-water has had close connections to the city for a long time. According to the Hong Kong Government Gazette, dated May 15, 1841, there were 16 villages on Hong Kong Island inhabited by 7,450 people, including 2,000 boat dwellers5.

Many people-on-the-water had stayed in Hong [5] 危丁明，仙蹤佛跡：香港民間信仰百年，三聯出版社，2019，p.115

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Kong waters for several generations, and their ancestors were buried ashore. They are mostly fishers who were active around the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, with distinct clothes, customs, and languages. The term ‘Tankas’, which is used to refer to people living on the sea generally, can also be applied specifically to people living on the sea who speak Cantonese. Those who speak Chiuchow or Fujianese are called ‘Hoklo’6. Those who speak Hakka or Shanghainese are called Hakka. However, fishing communities do not care about their place of origin too much. Their sense of identity comes rather from the unique ways of living on the water.

II. Aberdeen as a gathering place of people-onthe-water People who are accustomed to living on land rely on a land-oriented map, which is why Aberdeen is typically considered inaccessible and remote.

From the perspective of people-on-the-water, the area enjoys the protection of two natural barriers, namely Victoria Peak on Hong Kong Island in the

[6] Ibid. p.58

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north, and Mount Johnston in Ap Lei Chau in the south. These circumstances make the harbour safe from typhoons. Geographically, Aberdeen is surrounded by the sea on three sides. It also faces the vast fishing territories of the South China Sea. Waters to the south of Po Toi Islands is suitable for Purse-seining or Stern Trawling (meaning one fishing boat towing one fishing net), while the waters further away in Guangdong Province is suitable for Pair Trawling (two fishing boats towing one large fishing net). This explains how fishers tend to gather in Aberdeen7.

During the British colonial era, the fishery industry had developed steadily until the outbreak of the Pacific War and the defeat of Hong Kong, when the Japanese army dealt a heavy blow to the fishery industry. After the war, in October 1945, the Hong Kong government set up a wholesale fish market and Fish Marketing Organisation (FMO) in Aberdeen to revive and centralise the fishery industry. FMO made profit from selling fish, and all the income was either used as low-interest loans for fishers to improve their fishing equipment, or reinvested in relevant fishing infrastructures.

[7] 王惠玲，羅家輝，記憶景觀––香港仔漁民口述歷史，三聯書店（香港）有限公司，2015，p.100

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Located across Aberdeen, Ap Lei Chau focused on shipbuilding and other marine maintenance services, which was one of the factors that attracted more fishers to the harbour.

In the early years of the People’s Republic of China’s establishment in 1949, fishers were not allowed to enter and leave Chinese waters as freely as before. They had to apply to the government for access, with a daily quota. The income fishers made had to be spent locally and could not be taken away in cash. These are the same factors that drove the water-dwelling population to congregate in Hong Kong’s coastal waters.

In the 1960s, Hong Kong’s fishing industry was close to its peak, with Aberdeen being the largest port in Hong Kong, followed by Shau Kei Wan, Cheung Chau, Castle Peak and Yau Ma Tei)8.

According to the government’s annual report, there were 10,400 fishing vessels and 86,000 fishers in Hong Kong in 19609. In the 1960s, fishers in Aberdeen accounted for 90% of the population in the district 10.

[8] Hiroaki Kani, A General Survey of the Boat People in Hong Kong, Southeast Asia Studies Section, New Asia Research Institute, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1967. (Monograph series; no. 5).『香港艇家的研究』（香港中文大学‧東南亞研究専刊之五） [9] Hong Kong 1960 - Report for the year 1960, Hong Kong: Government Printer, 1960, p.100 [10]“香港仔- 從漁港至工業區”，香港歷史與社會網站，香港中文大學中國研究計劃 http://hkhiso.itsc.cuhk.edu.hk/history/node/3779

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III. Changes in the relationship between waterbased and land-based societies In agriculture-based economic systems in traditional societies, most governments tended to emphasise agricultural development. There were no regulations or protection for people-onthe-water. Even worse, communities living on the water were generally discriminated against. One of the reasons people on land and water connect is because of their dependency on each other for daily necessities. People-on-the-water were unable to live a self-sufficient life, therefore had to sell fish and products in coastal cities in exchange for water, rice, and other necessities. In return, people living on land got to enjoy marine food as a result of fishers’ labour.

The said social conditions did not improve at all even in the 1940s. People living on land still regarded people-on-the-water as illiterate and uncultured. Before the Pacific War, people-onthe-water rarely visited urban areas. If they were caught by police downtown, they would be beaten by batons and driven back to their

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boats 11. It is worth mentioning that although most were considered ‘illiterate’ according to the 1961 government census, which stated that 63.3% of the men and 90.2% of the women were uneducated12), they in fact had a wealth of maritime knowledge and living wisdom, as well as artistic creations to express their feelings. Examples include ‘fishing songs’ and ‘saltwater sighs’, which were passed from generation to generation by word of mouth.

This way of circulating knowledge meant that they had better memory than people living on land in general. The oral history gathered by Wang Huiling and Luo Jia-hui13 provides an account of how fishers had depicted life on the water.

There was a shortage of food after the war, and people-on-the-water played the role of producing and supplying food. As a result, their social status improved14. Fishers started to identify as stakeholders in society. Some of them organised fishers’ cooperatives as a means to voice opinion and lobby the government for rights15 .

From

[11] [12] [13] [14] [15]

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the

perspective

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tourists,

fishing

王惠玲，羅家輝，記憶景觀––香港仔漁民口述歷史，三聯書店（香港）有限公司，2015, p.69 Ibid. p.34 王惠玲，羅家輝，記憶景觀––香港仔漁民口述歷史，三聯書店（香港）有限公司，2015 可兒弘明，香港の水上居民－中国社会史の断面－，岩波書店，1970，p.33 王惠玲，羅家輝，記憶景觀––香港仔漁民口述歷史，三聯書店（香港）有限公司，2015, p.70

communities are not only an important member of Hong Kong society, but also a reason why the city is charming. Aberdeen’s fishing harbour is a mustsee destination for tourists. The symbol of the sailing ship was even used as the logo of the Hong Kong Tourism Board in 1957. The fishing harbour and fishers’ culture are distinct from the rest of Hong Kong’s thriving commercial and industrial downtown area, forming an integral part of the city’s diverse urban landscape16.

IV. Yue Kwong Chuen: A milestone in the integration of fishing communities into city life As a result of the changing relationship between water dwellers and land dwellers, more people became willing to live on land. Some people-onthe-water preferred a stable place to live in, so that family members who were old, sick, pregnant, or too young could live on land while the fishers travel long distances.

The migration of fishing communities to land was a long and gradual process. Before Yue Kwong Chuen was completed, there was no public [16] Lam, Fung Ki Selina, Experience the vanishing lives : Fisherina Aberdeen, Chinese University of Hong Kong Graduate School, Division of Architecture, 1999, p.4

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housing in the Southern District. Only a portion of well-off people-on-the-water could afford to move into tenement buildings, while others lived in transitional houses such as ‘houseboats17’, shacks, or squatter huts. Whenever there was a typhoon or heavy rainfall in summer, fishers’ property and lives were at risk because there was limited space in typhoon shelters and on-shore shelters.

In June 1960, Typhoon Mary hit Hong Kong and caused a lot of damage to the city’s coastal areas, which drew public attention to the welfare of people-on-the water18. In the same year, Hong Kong Housing Society named their housing estate as Yue Kwong Chuen, which translates into ‘fishing lights’ in Chinese, making the estate a haven for fishers who moved onto land. The naming of the estate was considered one of the most beautiful among other low-cost housings19. There are a total of five buildings, namely Shun Fung Lau, Pak Sha Lau, Hoy Kong Lau, Ching Hoy Lau and Hoy Au Lau. Each of these names were representative of something important to the fishing community.

In 1962, when the first phase of the estate was

[17] A ‘houseboat’ is a boat built for residential use only. However, not only ‘houseboat’ was used as residential boats. In the past, they did not distinguish between working boats and residential boats and different types of fishing boats could be their homes [18] Hong Kong Housing Society Annual Report, 1960, p.22 [19] 香港工商日報, 1962-12-06

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complete, Aberdeen had a population of 16,690 people onshore, 27,479 people on board, and 8,692 people settled down in the Ap Lei Chau neighbourhood20. If we exclude residents of Ap Lei Chau, the estate provided at least 1,110 residential units for 7,077 people out of a total population of 44,169 people in Aberdeen. It amounted to around one-sixth of the district’s total population. It was indeed good news for fishing communities.

It is well worth mentioning that the threshold of applying for a flat in Yue Kwong Chuen was quite high. Ng Chan, who belonged to the people-ofthe-water community, applied for a place. The housing manager got back to Ng saying that he had to sell his fishing boat in order to apply for lowincome public housing. Ng naturally rejected the offer since the boat was an important tool for him to earn a living21. It turned out that the only people who moved into the estate were fishers employed by boat owners or those who sold their boats and started working on shore.

In 1966, all flats in both phases of Yue Kwong Chuen were occupied. Towards the end of the same [20] Hong Kong Housing Society Annual Report, 1962, p.14 [21] 王惠玲，羅家輝，記憶景觀––香港仔漁民口述歷史，三聯書店（香港）有限公司，2015，p.268

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year, hundreds of water-based families in Staunton Creek, which is around the present-day Wong Chuk Hang MTR Station, were given a deadline by the government to relocate to a designated area in Shek Pai Wan. They were asked to build their own squatter huts22. These families specifically requested to move into Yue Kwong Chuen, yet they were not eligible.

This specific request shows that Yue Kwong Chuen was generally considered by Aberdeen residents as an ideal place to live in.

V. Fading away of water-based society When people-on-the-water migrated to land, they realised the importance of education for children, therefore started enrolling children in schools. It used to be difficult for people-on-the-water to provide stable and continuous education opportunities for their children, while the generation that moved into Yue Kwong Chuen had the opportunity to educate their children from an early age. In fact, a lot of them attended the kindergarten located in Yue Kwong Chuen.

During 1965 to 1973, Japanese historian Hiroaki Kani [22] Ta Kung Pao, 1966-11-20

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conducted a historical research on Hong Kong’s water-based society at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. It was when Yue Kwong Chuen was established and families started to move in (19621965). The historian once interviewed a family of 59 descendants who moved to live on land. Among these family members, only four of the older ones continued to fish, while the younger generation took part in the industrial and commercial sectors23.

This aligns with our feature interview that fishers’ descendants who received education did not choose to become fishers themselves.

One of the main reasons is that life at sea was difficult and dangerous. With the economic transformation and stable development of Hong Kong at the time, the profitability of fishing was low compared to other industries. Except for a small portion of people who loved the sea and enjoyed the fishing industry, others turned to alternative occupations to make a living. While it is wonderful to see people-on-the-water and their children living and working happily on land, it is a pity to see the water-based culture fade away.

[23] 可兒弘明，香港の水上居民－中国社会史の断面－，岩波書店，1970，pp.169-170

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VI. Community Traditions of Aberdeen and Yue Kwong Chuen A lot of people considered Aberdeen and Yue Kwong Chuen inconvenient and inaccessible, yet the district also benefits from remoteness and slower urbanisation, allowing for a relatively more independent and smaller economic circle. The area is full of small local shops, so residents do not need to go downtown for daily necessities.

The older and more traditional stores are also able to operate like they used to, and have not been completely replaced by large business groups.

This small economic circle has helped people build community while preserving their traditional culture and lifestyle.

Due to the uncertainty of life at sea, people-onthe-water are generally keen on worshipping the gods. According to the HKHS’ records in 1963, some fishers stuck to their beliefs and customs even as they moved to Yue Kwong Chuen24. An old lady who was arranged to live on the seventh floor had rituals done around the staircase and

[19] Similar designs cannot be found in other housing estates of HKHS, such as Sheung Li Uk, Ming Wah Dai Ha, Moon Lok Dai Ha, Kwun Tong Garden Estate or Chun Seen Mei Chuen.

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her flat.There were offerings for the ancestors and gods at the door. Traditionally, Aberdeen fishers worshipped gods including Tin Hau, Tam Kung, and the lesser known Chu Tai Sin in other areas25, to pray for safety.

Among the residents of Yue Kwong Chuen, there are a number of ‘Hoklos’ who speak the Chiuchow dialect. They value Yulan Festival, or Hungry Ghost Festival, rituals very much. Old newspapers show that residents of Yue Kwong Chuen and Shek Pai Wan Estate have worked together for a large-scale Yulan Festival from the 7th to the 9th day of the 7th month of the lunar calendar. Activities included chanting sutras, inviting Chiu Chow opera troupes and giving out ‘peace rice’ to the poor26.

The Dragon Boat Festival is another important event of the year for the Aberdeen community.

Nowadays, dragon boat races are held in Sai Kung, Shatin and Stanley. In fact, the Aberdeen Dragon Boat Race has a history of over 100 years and is said to be the first place where dragon boat races were held in Hong Kong. Fishers were usually in different parts of the sea, but during the Dragon [24] Hong Kong Housing Society Annual Report, 1963, p.15 [25] 黎志邦，《從前有個香港仔》，香港人，2018 [26] 香港潮人盂蘭勝會小冊子，香港潮屬社團總會，2014, p.11

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Boat Festival, everyone would get together in Aberdeen and Ap Lei Chau to celebrate.

Today, the organisers of dragon boat races are still Aberdeen residents, especially the fishing communities. They organise the event on a voluntary basis year after year, to pass on the legacy of the race. “The fishing harbour style race course, surrounded by fishers watching the race and enthusiastically cheering for the athletes, and the bamboo scaffolding along the waterfront promenade, preserving the original seating for spectators, has become an annual social event for the older residents to gather27.”

Conclusion Yue Kwong Chuen is a testimony to the fading away of water-based communities, the changes in the relationship between people-on-the-water and people living on land, and the integration of Aberdeen fishing communities with city life.

Although they have left the sea, a lot of them still identify as people-on-the-water and are proud

[27] 香港仔龍舟競渡大賽委員會Facebook主頁：https://www.facebook.com/aberdeendragonboat

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of this cultural identity. We can observe from their enthusiasm in organising traditional celebrations each year, that they will always remain a community that strives to keep their culture alive.

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Stories In a total of 8 interviews, residents share their experiences and memories about the estate.

One of the interviewees has lived in Hoi Au Building for over 40 years, while another has been a resident since birth, among others.

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Our Reservoir

LAM Yuk King, aged 83, is a first generation resident at Yue Kwong Chuen and has been living there since 1963. She is married to YUEN Pui Tong.

YUEN Pui Tong, aged 87. He was a taxi driver before his retirement.

Every morning before the sunrise, Lam Yuk King and her husband Yuen Pui Tong talk a walk to the Aberdeen Reservoir. They usually leave home at 5 a.m. and return at 8 a.m. Upon reaching the reservoir, Lam does her morning exercise. Sometimes, Yuen stays by her side, and at other times he walks the extra mile to Wan Chai Gap. This has been their common habit for over a decade, which started sometime after Yuen retired. If they were to move one day, the fresh air around the reservoir is something they would definitely miss.

Now in their eighties, the couple has lived in Yue Kwong Chuen for nearly six decades. They are the first generation of residents that have settled here. Before coming to their current home, they lived with their kids in a cubicle apartment in Wan Chai. There were no windows and 224

the toilet was shared with owner and another tenant. As Lam says, “People say that living in subdivided flats is difficult.

But at least people have their own toilets now. We didn’t even have that back then!”

Back then, Yuen was a chauffeur to a doctor. The doctor was so kind as to cure Lam of her pulmonary hydrops, and to help them apply for the Housing Society’s low-cost housing. In 1963, the Yuen family moved to the newly-built Hoy Kong Lau of the estate. Although it was still a shared toilet, it was already much better than the cubicle in Wan Chai. As Lam recalled, “The common kitchen was so big. It was such a happy crowded place, and we each had a stove to ourselves!”.

Since their kids were still quite small, Lam had to keep an eye on them even while cooking. She installed a wooden board to block the doorway so that her kids wouldn’t leave the house unattended.

The next year, the Yuen family moved to the nearby Pak Sha Lau, which was an ensuite unit. As their livelihood improved, Lam gave birth to their third child. On weekdays, Lam’s eldest daughter attended kindergarten in the village and Lam brought her two sons to the wet 225

market. “It was not easy to carry one boy while holding onto the other,” Lam recalled.

The Yue Kwong Road Market was yet to be built, and the hawkers stationed their stalls on the Aberdeen Reservoir Road – or “the slope” as Lam called it. The wet market – which sold meat, fruits, seafood, poultry, brooms, towels, and bedsheets – could satisfy the daily needs of the residents in the village.

As night fell, “the slope” would become a quiet place. Only the stall which sold congee and wonton noodles was still open.

The hawker stationed his wooden trolley, set up his kerosene lamp, table and a few chairs, took orders and prepared the food.

The aroma of the boiling congee enticed quite a few residents from the couple’s building to join the queue. Lam says the food is quite good, but their family seldom visited, “Most of the time we cooked our own meals. After all we only had one breadwinner to feed five mouths. It was not easy.”

Their children have since grown up and only husband and wife remain in Yue Kwong Chuen. But they never feel alone, since they knew all the old kaifong and workers around the district.

“People

treat me very well, thank God.” Lam is especially fond of the garden right outside their window, “There’re tangerine trees and papaya trees…and the papaya taste very sweet”. In order to stay close to the garden, the couple are not willing to move to nearby flats which had escalators. Tin Wan, which lies even further away, is of course out of the question. “How could we take our morning walks if we live in Tin Wan?” In spite of the long years, Lam remains fond of everything here in Yue Kwong Chuen.

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A Home at Long Last TSUI Chun Hung Chamberland, aged 39, is a freelance photographer. He applied for the Housing Society’s Transitional Housing in mid2018, and moved into Yue Kwong Chuen with his wife and daughter at the end of the year. The Tsui family has lived in Pak Sha Lau since then.

TSUI Hei Wun Frigga, aged 4, is the daughter of Tsui Chun Hung. She is in K1.

Since moving into Yue Kwong Chuen, Tsui Chun Hung finally feels that his family has settled down. Over the years, the 39 year-old freelance photographer has moved home for over a dozen times. He has lived in subdivided units, industrial buildings, as well as the studio he worked in. In the seven years since he began queueing for public housing, he has even formed his own family. Yet, in part affected by the pandemic, the queue for public housing remains long.

Previously the family lived in Tung Tau Estate in Kowloon, but the flat was small and could hardly accommodate the family. They had to ask grandma to help take care of their daughter. In July 2018, Tsui’s wife noticed that they were eligible for the Housing Society’s transitional housing, scheme, which offered around 200 vacant units in Yue Kwong Chuen. They decided to give it a try. “Since 227

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Yue Kwong Chuen had no lifts, there were only 2000 applications. We had a ten in one chance to live under the same roof for five years”, said Tsui. “I don’t mind that there’re no lifts here, not to mention that the stairs are quite easy to navigate.”

By August the lots were drawn and the Tsui family came in at number 141. The next month, they were allocated a unit at Pak Sha Lau with a nice view towards Aberdeen Reservoir Road. “There was even a terrace, and my wife was so delighted!” Under the scheme, the Society also helped them fix the interior. By the time they moved into the flat in April 2019, they only had to install the floor tiles, air conditioner, and water heater. “Although the paint on the ceiling began falling off after a few months, I think that is still acceptable.”

Tsui prefers the peace of Yue Kwong Chuen to the hustle bustle of Tung Tau Estate. “Aberdeen has all the things you need in life. Back in Tung Tau Estate, I had to go to Wong Tai Sin or Kowloon Bay before there is a bank. Nowadays, I just need to walk ten minutes to Aberdeen”.

Kwong Chuen is close to Ocean Park.

“We bought our annual pass right after we moved here. It only costs around $1,000 for me and my wife. My daughter was only two years old back then and didn’t need a ticket. We go to Ocean Park every week, sometimes we even go twice per week!” As Tsui explained, “Ocean Park used to be so far away when we were living in Kowloon! Nowadays, we could go play after getting off school at 4, take a round trip on the cable car, and go back home for dinner at 6.”

Tsui and his wife cherishes their time with their daughter. This is why they have chosen freelance work. A lower cost of living is essential to maintaining such a mode of life. “We don’t want to be burdened by a heavy rental cost. In order to live in a better flat, we have to earn more and occupy ourselves with work.

This would also mean finding someone to caretake our daughter. I’d much rather take care of her by myself. In all honesty, how long could we remain close? The most would be ten years maybe?” As Tsui beholds his daughter bouncing around, he answers with a heartfelt smile.

Another pleasant surprise is that Yue 230

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A Small Heaven

Cherry LAU Pik Yuk, aged 23, has been living in Pak Sha Lau since she was born.

She is lives with her parents, younger brother, and two little hamsters. She works at a pet shop in Causeway Bay. The first thing that Cherry does upon returning home, each day, is to feed her little hamsters. At first the hamsters had no name. But she soon came to refer to the male as “little uncle” and the female as “little sister”. They live in two small cages placed on the windowsill next to the front door. Next to the cages is a water tank where she used to raise tortoises and goldfish.

Cherry’s house is also arranged as a square. She lives in Pak Sha Lau of Yue Kwong Chuen with her parents and younger brother. In its original layout, the 300-square feet flat was only divided into a common area, a kitchen and toilet. The Lau family further partitioned the common area into two rooms – one for the parents with a double bed, and one for the siblings with a bunk bed.

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In fact, the flat used to house even more family members. Before Cherry graduated in primary school, she used to sleep with her grandma on the sofa bed in the living room. Grandfather had his own room, while Cherry’s parents and brother slept in the other room. It was not until Cherry began attending secondary school that her grandparents moved out to Ching Hoy Lau. For the first time in her life, Cherry had her own bed. “Although I don’t have my own room, we each had a space to ourselves. Mom had her computer desk, my younger brother had his working desk, and dad had the dining table. I don’t have my own desk but I have two wardrobes!

I’m the one with the most clothes in my family!” Cherry added, “We have a closeknit family even though our house is not that big”.

Cherry used to part time at McDonald’s.

She uses her salary to purchase an annual pass to the Ocean Park, so that she could go there after school. “I bought an annual pass for three consecutive years! This is a great collective memory for us, Southern residents.

I guess nearly half of our schoolmates bought a pass back then. It was a great bargain as they only charged full-time students 233

HK$500 per year!” As someone who likes sports, Cherry likes running to the South Horizons, or swimming and sunbathing with her friends in Repulse Bay. Occasionally, Cherry also likes to pose as a model for photography enthusiasts. After roaming the streets and alleys of different districts, she concludes that Yue Kwong Chuen is a great place for photos. The entire housing estate is built upon a hill, and each of the five blocks has its unique structure and design. “This is hard to find in other districts and conveys a pleasant nostalgic vibe! Pak Sha Lau and Shun Fung Lau have their unique staircases, whereas the other three blocks have extended corridors. As for good lighting… well it presents almost everywhere in our estate.”

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The Freedom of My Own Home LAU Sau King, aged 68, moved into Shun Fung Lau with her family of five in 1988. She has worked as a volunteer for Yue Kwong Chuen for over a decade, and is now the chairperson of the Shun Fung Lau Mutual Aid Committee.

Lau repeatedly mentions that, upon arriving in Yue Kwong Chuen in 1988, she immediately gained weight from 110 to 130 pounds. This was all because she was delighted about finally having her own home. With her newfound sense of freedom, she would watch TV with her husband after sending their three kids to bed. Sometimes, the husband would also prepare some late-night snack, “We had rice with chicken, spare ribs or even beef and egg … I couldn’t sleep without the filling snack.”

She still remembers the hard times in the decade before they moved into Yue Kwong Chuen. In 1978, she and her husband got married and moved to Wong Chuk Hang Estate, where she had to take care of family members from the husband’s side. “There was his grandparents, parents, uncle and cousins. I had to cook for them, do the daily chores, and take care of my own kids. It was so 235

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tough.” In order to make the ends meet, she also worked at a nearby factory, “There was only a one-hour lunch break.

I had to go all the way home to eat, and prepare my kids for shower. If it got cold, we even had to boil our own hot water.

There were no water boilers back then”.

The work was so fatiguing that she had to drink strong tea with milk and extra sugar – for breakfast, lunch, and dinner – to make it through the day.

“It’s much better to have your own place. I could eat, sleep, and watch the TV whenever I wanted. Even when the Cantonese oldies showed up on screen, I still didn’t want to sleep,” said Lau with a hearty laugh.

Back then, she thought that her unit at Shun Fung Lau – which faced the southeast and had its own terrace – was only a temporary abode. There were neighbours who said that Yue Kwong Chuen was to be demolished in five years. The unit had no partitions except the kitchen and toilet, so they had to partition it with wardrobes.

Nevertheless, they made do with the unit for three decades. Lau remains content with almost everything in Yue Kwong Chuen. The only downside is that their 237

unit is on the second floor, “There are many mosquitoes come summer time.

We try to see who could snap away more mosquitoes.”

hopes to continue living in the Southern District, “I know all the neighbours and the air quality is nicer. These are important factors.”

For the past decade, Lau has devoted herself as a volunteer in the estate. She is passionate about raising funds for charities, “We raise funds for Tung Wah, Pok Oi, Yan Chai, Po Leung Kuk. We usually set up stalls on the streets and sometimes visit the residents door by door.” Lau is always happy to share on her charity work, “Although we don’t raise as many money as Shek Pai Wan Estate or Wah Fu Estate, the important thing is to help those in need. Yue Kwong Chuen only has about 1,100 households after all.”

Despite the fact that Yue Kwong Chuen might be demolished in the coming years, Lau remains optimistic, “I have never lived in a brand new unit.” She hopes that the new unit would be bigger. Back in the 1980s when they applied for these units from the Housing Society, her kids were still young and were counted as “half a person”. This meant that their 5-person family were only allocated the space of 3.5 persons. Notwithstanding this, she 238

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The Trials and Joys of Yue Kwong Chuen LEUNG Kum Ho, aged 77, is a boat person who moved into Hoy Kong Lau of Yue Kwong Chuen with her five kids in 1982. Before retirement, she worked for over two decades in East East Wonton.

Nowadays, she prepares Chinese herbal tea and sells them at the Aberdeen market once every two weeks. Her tea has attracted quite a few return customers.

LO Siu Kan, aged 54, is Leung’s daughter.

She moved into Yue Kwong Chuen with her mom and siblings in 1982.

WONG Tak Pui, aged 55, is Lo’s husband.

He married Lo in 2000 and moved into Yue Kwong Chuen.

Juju, aged 6, is the family cat. She has a round face and short legs, and is well loved by the family.

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Leung Kum Ho and her family lives in Hoy Kong Lau, in a unit that measures less than 300 sq. feet. The unit used to be part of the public kitchen. In 1982, the Housing Society renovated the entire Hoy Kong Lau, so that each unit had its own toilet and kitchen. The family moved in soon afterwards.

Leung is a boat person who used to live on a boat with her mother and seven siblings. Later on, they moved into Shek Pai Wan Estate, where 15 members from three generations were cramped together in two units. Leung and her husband, who gave birth to five children, always wanted to have their own unit. Unfortunately, before they could move into Yue Kwong Chuen, Leung’s husband died in a boat crash. Since then, Leung no longer worked on a ship.

Leung, who was only 15 years old at the time, began working in a factory in Aberdeen. She remembered envying those who lived in Yue Kwong Chuen.

“It was a beautiful place. The walls are colourful and every household had their own terrace. Nor was it as crowded as Shek Pai Wan,” she recalls. Yet, by the time they moved into Yue Kwong Chuen, 241

the family was busy with their father’s funeral arrangements. Moreover, it turned out that not every unit in Yue Kwong Chuen had a terrace. This made Leung feel rather disappointed.

Initially, Leung thought that Yue Kwong Chuen would be a safer place, only to find that it was similar to Shek Pai Wan. During the 1980s, a burglar once broke into their house. Before he could steal anything, however, Leung’s younger brother discovered him. The burglar soon escaped and hobbled away.

For the Leung family, Hoy Kong Lau’s dark and long corridors are also full of danger.

Leung once got robbed in the corridors.

She also saw drug addicts walking by and searching for drugs. Since Hoy Kong Lau is connected to a total of six exits, those who break the law could escape rather easily.

Apart from public safety, the family is also worried with the building quality of Yue Kwong Chuen. As Leung recalls, soon after they put their utensils inside the kitchen cupboard, it fell from the wall because it was not properly adhered to the wall. Over the years, the paint and

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concrete on the ceiling kept falling off, revealing the rusted structure underneath.

This is why, once every few years, they have to live temporarily at their friend’s place so that the ceiling could be fixed.

The subpar renovation work bespeaks the haphazardness of their abode. Rumour has it that the Housing Society wanted to rebuild Yue Kwong Chuen back in the 1980s. But the plans never materialized because there were not enough units to relocate the residents. As Leung complains, “The Shek Pai Wan Estate was rebuilt and people had since moved back in. But Yue Kwong Chuen is still its old self! The Housing Society doesn’t seem to care about how torn down our place is.”

Despite the complaints, the Leung family also share good memories about Yue Kwong Chuen.

Back in the old days, Leung’s children could only sleep on the floor. Despite the stern living conditions, Leung tried to give the most freedom to her kids. The two sons wanted to raise fish – and Leung obliged by buying two big fish tanks. Yet, the fish tanks were still too small for the pirarucu. One night, the pirarucu leapt out from the fish tank. The son, who was 243

fast asleep, did not discover the fish until the next morning.

Lo Siu Kan has grown fond of the different types of evergreens in Yue Kwong Chuen.

She is also fond of the branches which almost touch their windows, “The birds also chirp and sing every morning”. Such is the unique charms of Yue Kwong Chuen.

Unfortunately, after Typhoon Hato swept across Hong Kong in 2017, the Housing Society trimmed a lot of the trees. As a result, there is also less bird singing.

North Point or Sai Wan largely because of its cheaper rent. She is worried that, if the family were to move to Tin Wan, the rent would be doubled. Notwithstanding this, she hopes that their new unit would be slightly bigger, “I hope the new unit could at least hold two to three sofas, so that our family could sit together and watch the TV. I also hope that, even after moving in all our cupboards, there would be some empty space left for us to enjoy.”

Lo is also fond of Yue Kwong Chuen’s location, and its proximity to the Aberdeen country park and Aberdeen market. “We are so near the park that we often seen the wild boars. They are quite cute,” exclaims Lo. Her husband Wong Tak Pui also hikes along the park every Sunday, and sometimes play with remote controlled cars. As Wong explains, “It is only an hour’s walk away from the Peak, or two to three hours away from Wan Chai and Central. Hiking is a relaxing and convenient pastime.”

The other advantage about Yue Kwong Chuen is its cheap rent. As Lo explains, they have chosen to stay here instead of 244

Playground in My Memories CHEUNG Yuk Tim, aged 65, moved into Hoy Kong Lau of Yue Kwong Chuen in 1962, when she was just six years old.

She moved out in 1985 after getting married.

The entire Yue Kwong Chuen is Cheung Yuk Tim’s playground. Despite her age, Cheung could still recall the joy and laughter she had in these roundabouts, seesaws, swings, and slides.

Back in the 1960s when children were everywhere, Cheung had to queue before she could play the swing. When it was her turn, she would show the other kids her skills. “I’m spectacular playing with the swings! I turn and turn around the loop, and maintain my balance all the way.”

There also used to be a long slide in the side of Hoy Kong Lau near Shek Pai Wan Estate. The slide was much longer than the plastic replicas found nowadays.

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“There’s no need to queue. But the blazing sun would make the slide so hot that we had to tread carefully down.”

Hoy Kong Lau also used to be the liveliest block around the area. It contained neighbourhood stores, stationary shops and kindergartens. When friends from outside came to visit, Cheung would buy an ice pop and share it with her friends while playing on the roundabout.

As someone who studied in afternoon schools, Cheung would make use of the time before school to play with kids in the kindergarten. Back in those days, children in kindergartens attended class together.

They would learn the alphabets and sing some songs. The lessons would end at 11 am and was followed by playtime.

Hide and seek, rope skipping and Grandma’s footsteps … everyone was welcomed to join the games. Sometimes they played in the park, and sometimes they played in the corridors. The crayons for hopscotch usually came from the school. “We picked up the leftover crayons and drew the hopscotch on the ground.

We only need to draw a few circles and the game would start immediately.”

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Long, Long Corridors Although the long corridors of Hoy Kong Lau are rather dim, they sparkle in Cheung’s memories. Once, she forgot to bring her keys and decided to slip in through a vent window near the ceiling.

“I slipped in like a snake. I had a very small figure back then and people called me ‘tiny girl’. Among my siblings, only I could slip in like that. Our bunk bed was placed right underneath the vent, so I would never hurt myself.”

When playing along the corridor, Cheung was also on the lookout for her mom. Mom was an experienced mahjong player who used to bet quite a bit of money. Back then, the rent for each housing unit was only $700, and Cheung’s mom would bet around $250 per round of mahjong.

But grandpa didn’t like his daughter-inlaw playing mahjong. That’s why Cheung and her siblings had to notify their mother whenever grandpa came to visit. During such times, mom would hide the mahjong table away, and pretend to be drinking tea with her fellow neighbours.

Sharing The Kitchen and Television There were eight members in the Cheung family. Cheung Yuk Tim came fourth, with two elder sisters, one elder brother, as well as two younger brothers. Cheung’s father used to work in a rice shop, before working as an auxiliary policeman.

Sometimes, he would also help out at the old rice shop in Sai Wan. In fact, the six children of the Cheung family studied in four different schools.

While the two younger brothers studied in kindergarten, Cheung Yuk Tim studied in the old public school (i.e. Aberdeen Government Primary School), and her elder brother and sister studied in the new public school (i.e. Island Road Government Primary School). Last but not least, her eldest sister studied at Pui Tak Canossian Primary School. This is why Cheung would walk to and from school alone. By the time she was home, her mom had already begun to prepare dinner.

Mom always took care of the children and did all the daily chores. In retrospect, Cheung thinks that this had to do with her mom’s love, but also the design of Hoy 248

Kong Lau. The early units of Hoy Kong Lau did not have standalone toilets, and the public kitchens were situated in the middle of each floor. The public kitchens would become crowded and dangerous come dinner time, which was probably why mom never let her kids near.

After dinner, Cheung would go watch TV at her neighbour’s flat. When it got crowded, the children had to kneel and watch outside the gate. “The flat belonged to the friend of a friend. It was like that back in those days. Later on, when we had our own TV, other children would also come to watch.”

Cheung could no longer recall the content of the TV programmes. Yet, she still remembers that the TV was locked inside a wooden box, and only father had the key to unlock it. During weekends, her parents would allow their children to watch TV, until the Queen’s icon appeared on screen at midnight.

Unerasable Memories Beside the public kitchen is the public 249

washing room. Cheung recalls that her family had a semi-automatic washing machine. Her mom would move the machine into the public washing room each day, so as to connect it to the only water hose. The semi-automatic washing machine was a bucket that could move by itself. Yet, all other functions had to be done manually. It was quite a chore to wash clothes with the machine.

“In fact, some families kept the water hose on for days on end. We heard that – for a few months – even all of our rent was not enough to cover for the cost of water. This was why the Housing Society remodelled Hoy Kong Lau so that each housing unit had its own water meter, kitchen and toilet,” said Cheung with a laugh.

The Cheung lived on the 5th floor – with the shared toilet and kitchen – for around ten years. By the time the Housing Society remodelled Hoy Kong Lau, and the Cheung family moved to the 6th floor, Cheung Yuk Tim was already in her early teens. As her older siblings had formed their own families, only five of them still lived in Hoy Kong Lau. This was why – despite the 300 sq. feet space having

to accommodate a toilet and kitchen – Cheung felt that it was more spacious than their unit on the 5th floor.

After yet another decade, Cheung also got married and moved to Sai Wan with her husband. Every time that Cheung came back to visit, she couldn’t bear to leave. “If it was too late after dinner, I would stay over for the night. There was one time when security came to check and see if we had an extra resident. But they understood that I was only here for the night, and so let me be.”

Despite Yue Kwong Chuen’s upcoming redevelopment, Cheung does not feel regret. “My parents have passed, and the neighbours are all different … Perhaps it is better to redevelop so that it could accommodate more families. There’s no regret if one thinks of it this way.” Indeed, the Yue Kwong Chuen in Cheung’s memories is filled with constant laughter and cannot be torn down.

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Remembering the Primitive Days CHEUNG Suk Kuen, aged 67, has lived in Ching Hoy Lau for over three decades.

Before retirement, she worked as a clerk for an NGO, and is currently secretary for the Ching Hoy Lau Mutual Aid Committee.

“My life before moving into Yue Kwong Chuen was quite primitive,” said Cheung Suk Kuen with a laugh.

She is referring to the 1970s, when she became Mrs. Choi after getting married with her boyfriend of two years. She used to live with her family in the old Shek Pai Wan Estate, where her father planted vegetables and raised chickens on the hills of Wong Chuk Hang. Her father built a small wooden hut on the hillside as a place to rest. After she got married, the hut became Cheung’s residence. “The hut was literally built upon a cliff. There were no electricity nor water supply. It was dangerous as one had to climb on all fours to arrive at the hut. It was pitch black at night, even though I was not afraid of the 251

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dark.” Cheung and her husband built two additional rooms next to the hut, which served as their kitchen and toilet. “We used kerosene lamps and stove…We also got a stool from a factory nearby. There was no flushing but my father dug a ditch to store the faeces which also served as fertilizers.”

At first, only Cheung and her husband lived on the hillside. Later on, Cheung’s father invited another newly-wed couple to the hut, which was followed by Cheung’s brother and wife. The hillside became a small village for a dozen people. Despite the freedom, living on the hillside was quite inconvenient. On dry days they would face water shortage; whereas on rainy days the ceiling would leak.

Typhoons were the worst. Cheung could still recall how she was woken up by her husband in the middle of the night. “He told me that the ceiling was nearly blown away. It was time to run! Back then our kids were still very young, so we had to grab our water bottle, infant formula and diapers with us. We escaped to our neighbours and sat at the living room.”

That night, Cheung was exasperated by her husband who wanted to go back to 253

their house and secure their TV set. “The ceiling was gone by then! I forbid him from going for the TV, what would happen to us if he lost his life? I would rather pay for another TV set!” To their surprise, after the water in the TV set dried up, it was actually able to function again.

The primitive life went on for another eight years.

In the 1980s, the Cheung family was finally allocated a unit on the top floor of Ching Hoy Lau in Yue Kwong Chuen. There was also a terrace without a cover. “We used the terrace to make dried peel. We bought the fresh peel from the market, and dried it until it went from green to brown.” They had a great relation with their neighbours, and the corridors were always busy as kids would run around. The only downside was that it got hot during summer. “As we lived on the top floor, the ceiling absorbed a lot of heat in the morning. Since our neighbours also cooked and switched on the aircon, sometimes it was so hot that we felt as if steam were coming off our scull.”

After a few years in Yue Kwong Chuen, Cheung gave birth to their youngest

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daughter. The family wanted more space and submitted their application to the Housing Society. In the 1990s, the family of five moved into a larger unit on the 4th floor, which had no terrace. “We didn’t realize how inconvenient it was without a terrace. We had no place to dry our laundry and there was one year when we discovered mould on them.” As time went by, Cheung’s knee joints deteriorated. As it was located on the hill with slopes and stairs, Yue Kwong Chuen became rather inconvenient for her.

Notwithstanding the complaints, Cheung still speaks fondly of her memories of the old days. “It’s so special to me that I feel like it could be a good movie!” Cheung’s smile adds the most sincere touch to this unique flick of hers.

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My Beloved Southern District CHENG Che Chuen, aged 74, worked in a toy factory before his retirement. He also worked as a security guard and has lived in Hoy Au Lau for over 40 years.

Cheng Che Chuen was overwhelmed with joy the first day he arrived in Yue Kwong Chuen. It was after he and his wife received the news that they were allocated a unit in Hoy Kong Lau. Despite not yet receiving their key, they walked with their three kids from Tin Wan to Yue Kwong Chuen. It was an opportunity to check out their new neighbourhood. “Should we move into this place?” asked the parent, and Cheng could still remember the kids’ nodding and saying yes.

Cheng and his parents and siblings used to live together in the resettlement area in Tin Wan, where life was crowded. Since moving out with his own family, Cheng could still help out his family members in Tin Wan. After all, it was only a ten258

minute walk from Tin Wan to Yue Kwong Chuen. The only downside is that Yue Kwong Chuen was a bit far from work. He used to work in a toy factory in Tai Kok Tsui and it took at least two hours of travel per day. After the factory moved to Wong Chuk Hang, it was much easier to go to work and there was more time for rest.

After a few years in Hoy Kong Lau, the Cheng family moved to the more spacious Hoy Au Lau. There was a terrace which faced Yue Kwong Road which was filled with greeneries.

“The trees blocked the sun and it was very breezy!” The family could dry their laundry on the sunlit terrace, as well as raise a number of potted plants such as shallot and pepper.

Cheng is fond of the neighbourhood love in Yue Kwong Chuen. Before retirement, he had already worked as a volunteer for the Kai Fong Association, helping with simple maintenance work around the estate. After retirement, he became a member of the Hoy Au Lau Mutual Aid Committee, and was elected chairman six years ago. Nowadays, Cheng frequents the committee’s venue on the 4th floor of Hoy Kong Lau. This is where the committee provides mostly free amenities 259

such as classes on calligraphy, karaoke, and Baduanjin. The teachers are also volunteers.

“We have an excellent neighbourhood. Even if some neighbours quarrel, there’s always those who take charge to resolve the issue. During festive times, we host parties with the Aberdeen Kaifong Welfare Association. Hundreds of people participate and it’s always great fun,” said Cheung proudly.

Three of Yue Kwong Chuen’s buildings (i.e. Pak Sha Lau, Shun Fung Lau and Hoy Kong Lau) will be demolished and redeveloped in the coming years. The new buildings may help accommodate those at Ching Hoy Lau and Hoy Au Lau to enable the second phase of redevelopment. As Cheung explains, he is worried that the new buildings might lead to unaffordable rent. If this were the case, he might have to apply to move to another area. Yet, he is sure that he would miss Yue Kwong Chuen. “I never wanted to move away, even in the old days when work was far away. After retirement, living here has been even more rewarding. I really want to stay here. All along, I see the southern district as my true home.”

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Snapshots A series of snapshots with attention to everyday details.

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When you want to dry your laundry but fear it might rain.

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The semi-public space that connects residents’ flats to the corridor is an extension of their homes.

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This flat must belong to an Andy Lau fan.

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Scaffolding within a well has got to be a Hong Kong-exclusive sight.

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The wide corridor gives the elderly abundant space to stroll and exercise just outside where they live.

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Natural light comes through the well, pouring sunshine over plants on the railing.

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If you look outside Bak Sha Lau, you will notice that Yue Kwong Chuen is built on the hillside.

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Openings on the wall are decorative and allow natural light to come through.

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Architectural Drawing Although Yue Kwong Chuen was a housing estate built with a humble budget, its architectural design does not disappoint. It provides a wellventilated and well-lit living environment for residents. The following section is a series of architectural drawings of each block.

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Site Plan 1:400 281

The big section shows the alignment of the 5 blocks in Yue Kwong Chuen, as well as how public spaces, car parks, gardening areas, and trees are situated.

The density of flats in the estate is rather low. The 5 blocks are aligned like a boat, with a triangular park in front of the “boat”.

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All rooftops in the estate are out of bounds. It is likely that most residents do not know what their rooftops look like. The roof plans display clusters of trees, surrounding environment, and the arrangement of residential areas. Among the 5 blocks, only Hoy Kong Lau is not equipped with a well. The rest of the blocks all have a ventilated and well-lit sky well. The wells vary in 283

size and shape, with a width of approximately one third of a flat. Contrary to the podium on the rooftop, the ground area serves as a space for parking and leisure. Some residents bathe their quilts in sunshine by hanging them along the slope, or dry tangerine peels and take care of potted plants. These are some of the bottom-up usages of the estate’s public space.

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Yue Kwong Chuen was built along the mountain, thus not all ground space could be fully utilized. Walking along the “ground floor” between Hoy Kong Lau and Shun Fung Lau, you could see a huge rock and visible building structure on one end. There is no lightwell in Hoy Kong Lau, making it rather dim, yet it is one of the kaifongs’ favourite places to gather.

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Who are the people living in these flats? You could make a guess based on what they put outside their windows. The elevation diagram is a record of how residents make use of their window and balcony space.

Some of them hang white tank tops or colourful hoodies, while some stick tape like an asterisk to protect windows from typhoons.

There are also households with no clothes hanging outside, curtains closed. Each of them has a unique story to be unfold.

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The four big section diagrams showcase the relationship between the indoor and outdoor area of Yue Kwong Chuen. Although indoor areas are not spacious, the corridors are wide, making the estate comfortable to live in, nevertheless. Staircases and corridors are convenient and accessible, allowing residents and visitors to travel from one place to another with ease while enjoying fresh air, regardless of sunny or rainy weather.

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Here are 3 section diagrams of Pak Sha Lau, Shun Fung Lau, and Hoy Kong Lau, created with reference to interviews and photography that show how residents live. Their bathrooms, bedrooms, and living rooms are visible in the illustrations.

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Pak Sha Lau, Shun Fung Lau, and Ching Hoy Lau and Hoy Au Lau are unique for their skywells and illuminating surface. By looking at the light and shadow, we could better understand how space is used and how life feels like in the estate.

In Ching Hoy Lau’s diagram, the direct rays and refraction are both visible. The black triangle on the left indicates how light travels through the balcony into the house. The white lines across the building are its beams and columns. Below the flowerpot is a series of railings.

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This is the boundary of Yue Kwong Chuen, valuing both function and aesthetic. The design of fences and retaining walls are humanistic.

The lower part was built with granite, at an approximate height of an average grown-up’s waist. In terms of function, it was constructed to prevent people from falling towards the slope.

In terms of cost, since the wall was built by irregular and modest material, it is cheap yet challenging to the builders. The upper part was built using iron bars with a triangular tip. The design is simple and does not block the view, allowing light to enter the estate. Since Yue Kwong Chuen was built along the mountain, the different terrains naturally restrict people from entering and leaving the estate freely.

The fences therefore are not a perfect antitheft measure. Nonetheless, they are helpful in marking the estate’s boundary.

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Space for hanging laundry is really important for the residents. The diagram illustrates how residents on the ground floor of Shun Fung Lau make use of hanging racks and spaces. Unlike residents of upper floors who have the flexibility to hang clothes outside the window, those who live on the ground floor lack space for hanging laundry. As an alternative, they set up laundry racks in the space outside their flats. The empty space outside the building can ensure that people’s clothing bathe under sufficient sunlight. The racks are usually grouped two by two, and used alongside bamboo sticks for laundry. The way they do it is by connecting one end of the stick onto a U-shape device, and another to an O-shape device, respectively.

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Geometric shapes such as circles and squares are a signature. Walking in between Hoy Kong Lau and Ching Hoy Lau, you could easily notice the grid walls. The design of grids connect the inside and outside of the building, while improving ventilation and illumination.

Moreover, people could peek from one side to another. These details make spaces more fun to be in. There are two kinds of grid walls. The one on the ground floor is covered by an iron sheet, preventing people from littering. This type of wall is taller and located near the old public kitchens for better ventilation.

Bolts are installed on the side, causing no impact to the overall appearance.

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Yue Kwong Chuen’s design is full of thoughtful details. The staircase of Pak Sha Lau is near the trees, therefore the drainage is easily blocked by tree leaves. Located at the centre of the estate, Hoy Kong Lau is surrounded by walkways.

The drainage is larger and circled with metal material.

Both covers are in the shape of a hemisphere, looking like a pudding from the side. The top is flat, preventing other objects from covering the drainage and affecting its purpose.

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Tree Survey Report Through site visits and close observation, researchers record tree species, amount of trees, and their characteristics. This section looks at Yue Kwong Chuen with an ecological lens.

The data is then translated into visual representation, namely charts and a map that locates where each tree is, with species and tree ID specified. There is also a list regarding the abundance of each species.

In the proportionally-drawn chart, the black line along the y-axis indicates tree height (in metres).

The outer circle in green is indicative of the canopy spread (in metres), while the inner, opaque circle represents the trunk diameter at breast height (in centimetres). Along the x-axis are the tree species and tree ID. Marked with “N” are native trees while those marked with “I” are introduced trees.

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Nature and Human Ecology Yue Kwong Chuen is adjacent to the Aberdeen Country Park. Green areas in the estate and its surrounding areas attract different kinds of animals. Urban birds such as Tree Sparrows and Spotted Doves are frequently seen in the estate. Since the estate is located near Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter, groups of Black Kites soaring in the sky are commonplace. Birds, such as Large-billed Crows that favour forest environments, can also be seen in the estate. Apart from trees, Yue Kwong Chuen is home to many flowering plants, which attract butterflies, bees and other insects. There are also gardens in the estate to provide residents with planting space and a green environment.

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3 m ea e T0 Co ite-l tl yr A s M 37 po e p T0 O ap rtle y Cr B M 37 en e T0 ue rap nga Q a C ar 37 en ac ga n T0 M ue Q on ara c 38 mm Ma T0 Co on yrtle 39 mm M T0 Co ape nga Cr ara 39 T0 een ac d n u nM Q wi o 14 mm -the ig F Co rn-in ed v 15 Tu ea B e-l 41 sit i T0 ppo pan O ngi 16 Fra m 47 Pal ni a T0 ip ng Ki ang Fr 19 A lm 47 Pa T0 ing m l K Pa 20 ng Ki alm P 22 ng Ki 21

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Map of Yue Kwong Chuen Trees

Survey Area

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ee Tr er

The survey mainly focuses on the Yue Kwong Chuen area, including Aberdeen Reservoir Road, Yue Kwong Road, and the stairs between Yue Kwong Road and Aberdeen Reservoir Road. Trees on the pavement and trees within the boundary of the estate were also included in the report.

Investigators recorded trees with a diameter of breast height (DBH) equal to or larger than 95mm. The list of trees includes those at identifiable locations, as well as tree species easily identifiable and unrecorded. Since some of the trees are inaccessible, located on slopes or within fenced areas for example, investigators assessed the DBH, canopy spread and tree height by visual assessment and measurement tools. Therefore, the data is not fully accurate and serves as reference only.

Overview

m te -s ed g Fi

ga an ar ac ig F M d on ve a a m ng m -le a Co site car 36 po Ma g Fi T0 Op on d A m ave 36 m

Camel’s Foot Tree

9

Orchid Tree

2

Weeping Fig

9

Turn-in-the-wind

2

Queen Crape Myrtle

6

Indian Almond

1

Common Red-stem Fig

5

Camphor Tree

1

Common Macaranga

5

Flame of the Forest

1

Frangipani

4

Sweet Gum

1

Opposite-leaved Fig

4

Yellow Pui

1

King Palm

4

Bamboo Palm

1

India-rubber Tree

4

Citrus

1

Big-leaved Fig

3

Loquat

1

Carambola

2

White Jade Orchid Tree

1

Papaya

2

Fragrant Dragon Tree

1

Trees in Yue K

30 H:30m T:125cm C:12m

South West of Pak Sha Lau

20

H:16m T:90cm C:12m

10 H:8m T:10cm C:7m

H:6m T:10cm C:3m

H:7.5m T:45cm C:7m

H:3.5m T:10cm C:3m

Height (m)

325

T004

01

T008

T008A

02

T009

India-rubber Tree

Bamboo Palm

Weeping Fig

Citrus

Weeping Fig

I

I

I

I

I

India-rubber Tree I

Kwong Chuen

Legend Height (H) Trunk Diameter (T) Canopy Diameter (C) Native Species N Introduced Species I

North West of Pak Sha Lau

H:12m T:25cm C:6m

South East of Pak Sha Lau

H:11m T:25cm C:6m

H:11m T:30cm C:4.5m

H:10m T:20cm C:4.5m

H:10m T:60cm C:7m

H:8m T:20cm C:4.5m

T010

T011

T011A

T012

T013

T017

White Jade Orchid Tree

Common Red-stem Fig

Camel's Foot Tree

Loquat

Camel's Foot Tree

Weeping Fig

I

N

I

I

I

I 326

30

South East of Pak Sha Lau

20

10

H:10m T:50cm C:8m

H:10m T:40cm C:10m H:7m T:20cm C:6m

H:7m T:20cm C:5m H:4m T:20cm C:4m

Height (m)

327

T021A

H:5m T:25cm C:6m

T018

T019

03

04

T021E

Weeping Fig

Weeping Fig

I

I

Camel's Foot Tree

Indian Almond

Camel's Foot Tree

Common Macaranga

I

I

I

N

Legend Height (H) Trunk Diameter (T) Canopy Diameter (C) Native Species N Introduced Species I North West of Ching Hoy Lau

H:20m T:90cm C:10m

H:6m T:20cm C:4m

H:8m T:15cm C:2m

H:7m T:20cm C:5m

H:8m T:15cm C:2m

H:8m T:35cm C:6m

T021F

T021G

T021H

05

T022

T023

Orchid Tree

Common Red-stem Fig

Papaya

Papaya

Weeping Fig

I

N

I

I

India-rubber Tree I

I 328

30

North West of Ching Hoy Lau

20

10 H:9m T:40cm C:4m

H:7m T:25cm C:6m

Height (m)

H:9m T:35cm C:7m

H:7m T:25cm C:5m

H:6m T:20cm C:4m

T024

T025

T026

T027

T028

T028B

Frangipani

Fragrant Dragon Tree

Weeping Fig

Weeping Fig

Carambola

I

I

Orchid Tree

I

I 329

H:9m T:35m C:5m

I

I

Legend Height (H) Trunk Diameter (T) Canopy Diameter (C) Native Species N Introduced Species I North West of Hoy Au Lau

H:8m T:30cm C:6m

H:10m T:25cm C:7m

H:10m T:25cm C:7m

H:10m T:55cm C:6m

H:10m T:45cm C:6m

H:6m T:12cm C:3.5m

T029

T030

T031

06

07

08

Weeping Fig

Common Red-stem Fig

Common Red-stem Fig

Big-leaved Fig

Big-leaved Fig

Yellow Pui

N

N

N

N

I

I

330

30

North West of Hoy Au Lau

South W Hoy A

20 H:18m T:75cm C:8m H:15m T:90cm C:10m

10 H:8m T:60cm C:7m H:5m T:15cm C:3.5m

Height (m)

331

H:6m T:16m C:3.5m

H:6m T:15cm C:4m

09

10

11

12

13

T034

Flame of the Forest

Camel's Foot Tree

Camphor Tree

Big-leaved Fig

Sweet Gum

Common Red-stem Fig

I

I

N

N

N

N

Legend Height (H) Trunk Diameter (T) Canopy Diameter (C) Native Species N Introduced Species I

West of Au Lau

South East of Hoy Au Lau

H:22m T:125cm C:8m

H:13m T:30cm C:4m

H:6m T:30cm C:4m

H:6m T:22cm C:4m

H:12m T:20cm C:5m

H:5m T:15cm C:4m

T033

T036

T036A

T037

T037A

T037B

India-rubber Tree

Common Macaranga

Opposite-leaved Fig

Queen Crape Myrtle

Common Macaranga

Opposite-leaved Fig

I

N

N

N

N

N 332

30

South East of Hoy Au Lau

South East of Ching Hoy Lau

20

H:12m T:22m C:6m

10 H:8m T:22cm C:5m

Height (m)

333

H:9m T:30cm C:5m

H:8m T:30cm C:5m

T038

T039

Queen Crape Myrtle

Common Macaranga

I

N

14

H:7m T:20cm C:5m

H:6m T:18cm C:4m

15

T041A

T041B

Queen Crape Myrtle

Common Macaranga

Turn-inthe-wind

Turn-inthe-wind

I

N

N

N

Legend Height (H) Trunk Diameter (T) Canopy Diameter (C) Native Species N Introduced Species I South East of Hoy Kong Lau

H:10m T:22cm C:7m

H:10m T:30cm C:6m

H:7m T:25cm C:5m

H:4m T:20cm C:4m

H:4m T:15cm C:5m

H:4m T:15cm C:5m

16

T043

17

18

T047

T047A

Opposite-leaved Fig

Queen Crape Myrtle

Queen Crape Myrtle

Queen Crape Myrtle

Frangipani

Frangipani

N

I

I

I

I

I 334

30

South East of Hoy Kong Lau

20 H:18m T:22cm C:5m

H:13m T:19cm C:3m

H:12m T:20cm C:3m

10

Height (m)

335

H:12m T:20cm C:3m

H:16m T:20cm C:5m

H:11m T:19cm C:3m

19

20

21

22

T053

T053A

King Palm

King Palm

King Palm

King Palm

Camel's Foot Tree

Camel's Foot Tree

I

I

I

I

I

I

Legend Height (H) Trunk Diameter (T) Canopy Diameter (C) Native Species N Introduced Species I North East of Hoy Kong Lau

H:15m T:25cm C:5m

H:15m T:25cm C:4m

H:15m T:30cm C:6m

H:5m T:25cm C:4m

T060

T061

Camel's Foot Tree

Camel's Foot Tree

I

I

T062

H:5m T:20cm C:4m

T063

Frangipani

Frangipani

I

I

H:3.5m T:20cm C:4.5m

T065

23

Opposite-leaved Fig

Carambola

N

I 336

Botanical Art A series of watercolour paintings that illustrate 11 commonly seen plants in Yue Kwong Chuen. The first 5 are specifically selected and introduced by tree researchers. Detailed description can be found on the bottom corner of each page.

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Camel’s Foot Tree Scientific name: Bauhinia variegata Family: Euphorbiaceae Growing habit: Deciduous tree Flowering period: April to May

Detailed Description Camel’s Foot Tree originated from Southern China. It is a deciduous tree that can reach up to 15 metres in height. The bark is smooth and dark brown in colour. Leaves are in sheep hoof shape, true to its name. Flowers have 5 petals in lavender or pink colour, with the uppermost petal having stripes in a darker colour. The pods are dark brown and flat when they ripen. In full blossom, the pink flowers open all over the tree’s crown. The beautiful flowers make Camel’s Foot Tree a popular option for street trees and gardening.

On a side note, Hong Kong Orchid Tree (Bauhinia × blakeana) is a crossed hybrid from Purple Camel’s Foot (Bauhinia purpurea) and Camel’s Foot Tree (Bauhinia variegata). It has flowers in a deeper shade of purplish-red, when compared to Camel’s Foot Tree. Another difference is that it does not have pods.

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Common Macaranga Scientific name: Macaranga tanarius Family: Euphorbiaceae Growing habit: Evergreen tree Flowering period: April to May

Detailed Description Common Macaranga is a native tree with a height of about 5-10 metres. The leaf blade is in subrotund or ovate shape. The leaf stalk connects to the centre of the leaf instead of the edge. The common name Elephant’s Ear comes from the leaf shape that resembles an elephant’s ear, which makes it rather easy to identify.

When the branch of Common Macaranga is broken, it discharges fluid that turns red after oxidation, as if it was bleeding, which explains how it got its Chinese name “Blood Macaranga”. This tree can tolerate windy environments with high salinity, commonly found on roadsides and coastal areas.

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Opposite-leaved Fig Scientific name: Ficus hispida Family: Moraceae Growing habit: Evergreen tree Flowering period: March to December

Detailed Description Opposite-leaved Fig is a shrub or small tree under the family Moraceae and genus Ficus. It is named as “Milky Tree” since the tree discharges milky latex when the petiole (stalk joining leaf to stem) is broken. Unlike its family members, it is easily recognisable by its opposite leaves. Leaves are rough on both sides with stiff hairs.

Branches have ring-like scars. Many green “fruits” grow on the tree trunk of the Opposite-leaved Fig. In fact, they are hypanthodium inflorescences (enclosed inflorescences with a small opening), with tiny flowers blooming in the syconium. The tree bears fruits from May to October.

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Queen Crape Myrtle Scientific name: Lagerstroemia speciosa Family: Lythraceae Growing habit: Deciduous tree Flowering period: May to July

Detailed Description Queen Crape Myrtle is a large deciduous tree that originated from Southeast Asia, with an average height of 20m. Its bark is grey in colour and leaves are in large oblong-elliptic or oblong-ovate shapes. Leaves change from orange-red to deep red before falling.

The flowering season of the Queen Crape Myrtle flower is from May to July. Its purple-red flowers have six petals, crisped at the margin. Queen Crape Myrtle has beautiful flowers and red leaves, making it enjoyable to look at. The straight tree trunk occupies little space, therefore it is a popular street tree and ideal species for garden landscapes in urban areas.

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India-rubber Tree Scientific name: Ficus elastica Family: Moraceae Growing habit: Evergreen tree Flowering period: September to November

Detailed Description India-rubber tree is a large evergreen tree of the family Moraceae and genus Ficus. It used to be an important source of natural rubber. The trunk and stems discharge a milky latex when being cut. The height of the India-rubber tree can reach up to 20-30m with a widespread canopy. Leaves are large, thick, and leathery in an oblong shape, with a shiny and smooth surface. The bark is greyish white, with the presence of aerial roots. Aerial roots grow in a widespread manner. When they touch the ground, they become thicker and form new branches. India-rubber tree‘s flowering and fruiting periods are both from September to November. It has hypanthodium inflorescences.

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Lebbeck Tree

Scientific name: Albizia lebbeck Family: Mimosaceae Growing habit: Deciduous tree Flowering period: May to September

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Frangipani

Scientific name: Plumeria rubra ‘Acutifolia’ Family: Apocynaceae Growing habit: Deciduous tree Flowering period: March to September

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Scientific name: Ficus variegata Family: Moraceae Growing habit: Evergreen tree Flowering period: March to December

Common Red-stem Fig

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Bamboo Palm

Scientific name: Dypsis lutescens Family: Arecaceae Growing habit: Evergreen palm Flowering period: March to April 352

Dwarf Ixora

Scientific name: Ixora chinensis Family: Rubiaceae Growing habit: Evergreen shrub Flowering period: July to November 353

Foxtail

Scientific name: Agave attenuata Family: Asparagaceae Growing habit: Herbaceous

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Panorama In terms of architectural design, Yue Kwong Chuen is known for its corridors and wells, which make the space perfect for exercise, strolling, and planting. The following photos are a panoramic view of 3 corridors in the estate.

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走廊全景 走廊和天井是漁光村的建築特色之一。寬闊的走廊 加上天然光線，非常適合居民在戶外伸展、散步， 或悉心栽種盆栽。以下精選三個各具特色的樓層， 展示走廊全貌。

白沙樓走廊

Pak Sha Lau Corridor

順風樓

Shun Fung Lau

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順風樓

361

Shun Fung Lau

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靜海樓

363

Ching Hoy Lau

364

靜海樓

365

Ching Hoy Lau

366

靜海樓

367

Ching Hoy Lau

368