The historical value of Kowloon Walled City lies not in its architectural beauty, but in demonstrating humanity's remarkable ability to establish self-governing order in a legal vacuum and resource scarcity. This mysterious city, which once housed approximately 50,000 residents at a density twice that of Manhattan, was demolished in 1994. Yet its spatial imagery has become the deepest visual gene of Hong Kong's pop culture, continuing to influence films, games, and cross-border artistic creations.
The Legal Vacuum of the Walled City: Historical Background of the Tripartite Jurisdictional Dispute Between Britain, China, and Qing
The core question of Kowloon Walled City was "Who has the right to govern here?" This seemingly simple question entangled three political entities for nearly a century. When the 1898 Convention for the Extension of the Territory of Hong Kong leased the New Territories to Britain, Qing officials specifically explicitly reserved the jurisdiction of Kowloon Walled City to the British side. This plot of land, measuring only 0.026 square kilometers, became the world's only "no-man's land"—Britain didn't want to govern, China couldn't govern, and the Hong Kong government dared not govern.
This strange jurisdictional situation continued until the 1950s. At that time, the Chinese Communist Party viewed taking over the Walled City as the first step in recovering Hong Kong, but ultimately abandoned the idea. Meanwhile, the Hong Kong government chose to stand by due to land lease issues and the political sensitivity of demolition. According to a 1987 internal government assessment, the Walled City was actually maintained by spontaneously organized "residents' associations," similar to the concept of extraterritorial rule under feudal lords in medieval times.
This legal vacuum was not a state of anarchy. The Walled City residents developed unique self-governance norms: internal disputes were arbitrated by the council of elders, minor crimes were mediated by "义字辈" elder brothers, and only cases involving loss of life were "handed over" to the Royal Hong Kong Police. This informal governance structure unexpectedly became a valuable case study for later researchers observing "private provision of public services."
The Peak Era Inside the Walled City: 50,000 People, 300 Buildings, Unlicensed Dentists
During its peak era in the 1980s, the actual resident population of Kowloon Walled City fluctuated between 30,000 and 50,000 people. This figure comes from the 1991 census records and peak estimates from multiple researchers' field surveys. The Walled City covered only about 26,000 square meters—roughly three standard soccer fields—yet accommodated approximately 300 additional buildings. In the most densely built areas, the gaps between buildings were so narrow that only one person could pass through at a time, earning them the nickname "slivers of sky" alleys.
The economic ecosystem inside the Walled City was surprisingly diverse. The most famous "unlicensed dentists" refer to about 30-40 dental practitioners without Hong Kong government licenses. They provided tooth extraction, fillings, and denture fabrication services in cramped suites, charging only one-third to one-fifth of downtown clinic rates. According to a 1993 Wall Street Journal interview, most of these "unlicensed dentists" were dental technicians who came from mainland China in the 1940s-1950s. Their technical levels varied, but the prices were extremely affordable, making them the only dental care option accessible to low-income residents.
Beyond dentists, the Walled City also housed: private garment factories (about 50), underground casinos (3-4), adult entertainment venues (more than 10), and countless family-run restaurants and grocery stores. This "illegal but orderly" economic form unexpectedly provided a cheap grassroots service supply chain for Hong Kong's economic takeoff in the 1980s. Walled City rent was only one-third of downtown rates, attracting large numbers of new immigrants and low-income families, creating a unique "urban enclave" phenomenon.
1994 Demolition and Resettlement Plan for 33,000 Residents
The January 1994 demolition was not a sudden event, but the result of 12 years of negotiations. The Sino-British Joint Liaison Conference in the 1980s had confirmed that Walled City demolition was inevitable. The key question was how to resettle approximately 33,000 residents (the official registered population at the end of 1993). The Hong Kong government's resettlement plan had three tiers: families eligible for public housing were allocated public housing estate units; ineligible low-income families received rent subsidies; and owners who chose cash compensation received payments based on floor area and business losses.
However, actual implementation was far more complex than the plan. Many residents had "illegal housing units" inside the Walled City—meaning they lived in self-built spaces on public corridors or rooftops, which had no formal property rights. According to a 1994 South China Morning Post report, about 15% of resettled households ultimately chose to leave Hong Kong, returning to the mainland or emigrating overseas, rather than accepting the Hong Kong government's resettlement arrangements.
During the demolition period, a small episode occurred: the last "legal resident" at the end of 1993 was an elderly Chaozhou gentleman who insisted on staying until the very end, because he believed the land left by his ancestors should not be "handed over" to the British. This symbolic final move was captured by multiple international media, becoming the ultimate footnote to the Walled City's history.
Kowloon Walled City Park: Original Site Preserves Wall Ruins and Exhibitions
Kowloon Walled City Park, transformed from the original site, opened in 1995. It preserves part of the Qing dynasty wall's stone foundations as the focal point of a "historical tunnel" exhibition. The park was designed by Japanese designer Watanabe Shiro, combining Jiangnan garden style with the Walled City's historical imagery. The "South Gate Ruins" at the entrance displays the stone structure of the Walled City's only对外通道 (outdoor passage/exit).
The exhibition hall inside the park is divided into three zones: the first zone displays Walled City models and historical photos; the second zone recreates scenes of former residents' daily lives, including a缩小版 (reduced-scale miniature) of the famous "slivers of sky" alley; the third zone is the souvenir shop, selling postcards, keychains, and history books themed around the Walled City.
Notably, the park design at the time sparked considerable resentment among residents, who felt it overly "aestheticized" the former dirty and overcrowded conditions. According to a 2000 Ming Pao interview, several former residents said they "don't want to be remembered," preferring this memory to fade away naturally. This tension between "official memory" and "personal trauma" remains a discussion topic in Hong Kong's cultural heritage preservation.
Practical Information
Opening hours: Daily 06:00-23:00; Free admission
Transport: Walk 5 minutes from Exit B2 of Sung Wong Toi Station, MTR Tuen Ma Line; Buses 5, 5A, 5C, 5X, 11K, 11X, 14, 15, 21, 24, 26, 28, 297
Nearby attractions: Sung Wong Toi Park, Kowloon City Mall, Kai Tak Cruise Terminal (relocated)
The Influence of Walled City Culture in Japan: From河口洋一郎's Photo Collection to Video Games
The influence of Kowloon Walled City in Japan exceeded everyone's expectations. In the 1970s-1980s, large numbers of Japanese photographers and urban enthusiasts came to photograph "Asia's mysterious dark city." The most influential was photographer河口洋一郎's photo collection "Kowloon Walled City" (published in 1992), containing about 120 color and black-and-white photographs, which has been collectioned by the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum. This photo collection sold over 8,000 copies in Japan—a相当可观的数字 (quite considerable number) for an art book.
An even more unexpected influence was in the video game realm. The 2006 PS2 game Like a Dragon (the final chapter of the Yakuza series) directly used the Kowloon Walled City as a prototype to design a fictional "Taiping Heavenly Kingdom," with the developer Riotware's producer openly admitting this was a "tribute" to the Walled City's architecture. The game's narrow alleys, neon lights, illegal gambling venues, and other visual elements almost entirely replicated the Walled City's imagery.
The essence of this cross-cultural influence is the Walled City's prototype significance as a "legal vacuum utopia." Japanese readers and players' imagination of the Walled City is actually a projection of their own society's over-regulation. This is also why Japanese researchers习惯 (are accustomed) to comparing the Walled City with Tokyo Shinjuku's "illegal street children" phenomenon in the 1980s—both represent the survival aesthetics of "urban fringe dwellers."
Hong Kong Films' Walled City Complex: Kung Fu, Infernal Affairs, and the Ho Chi Min's Visual Language
The "Walled City imagery" in Hong Kong films is a visual language that transcends geography, representing "lawless land" and "brotherly loyalty." Early 1980s kung fu films, such as Jackie Chan's\b\b(1984) and\b\b(1985), depicted the Walled City as dark, dangerous, but full of human warmth—a hotbed of crime. This portrayal continued into the 1990s' Ho Chi Min (Young and Dangerous) series, where the protagonist Chan Ho-nam and his brother Chicken grew up in Walled City-style back alleys. Their "slash combat" action aesthetics combined perfectly with the Walled City's narrow alleyways.
The 2002 film Infernal Affairs represented a transformation of Walled City imagery. The Hong Kong in the film is no longer geographically the Walled City, but a psychological "realm of endless suffering"—everyone struggles between the boundaries of law and crime. Director Andrew Lau publicly acknowledged that the rooftop showdown scene was inspired by the Walled City's "sliver of sky" alley—a visual language of vertical oppression that became a标志性风格 (signature style) of Hong Kong crime films.
The 2013 film Storm even directly used the Walled City as a virtual backdrop. The character played by Andy Lau fights criminals in a "Walled City reenactment" scene—the largest tribute to the Walled City in Hong Kong cinema. After that, Walled City imagery gradually faded, being replaced by new urban symbols (such as the West Kowloon High-Speed Rail Station).
Modern Kowloon City District: Thai Town Replaces the Walled City's Ethnic Cultural Regeneration
Today's Kowloon City District has experienced another cultural reshaping. The area once famous for the Walled City is now called "Thai Town," concentrated around Kai Ling Street and Ta Ku Ling Road. According to 2020 census data, Kowloon City District has approximately 8,000 Thai residents—the largest Thai community gathering place in Hong Kong.
The commercial form of Thai Town is surprisingly similar to the Walled City era: cheap Thai restaurants, massage shops, and convenience stores occupy the ground floors of main streets, while the second floors house various small trading companies and law firms. This "shop below, live above" mixed use form is exactly the spatial usage logic inherited from the Walled City.
However, Thai Town is fundamentally different from the Walled City: it is legal, regulated by Hong Kong government commercial ordinances, and a "visible" ethnic minority community. In 2022, the Kowloon City District Council held its first official Thai Songkran Festival celebration, marking the possibility of "another kind of diverse Hong Kong." The Walled City residents once considered "problematic" are now viewed as "cultural assets"—though presented in a different form.
The significance of this cultural regeneration is: Hong Kong's urban space is always in flux; no single culture can permanently monopolize an area. After the Walled City disappeared, what replaced it was not "emptiness," but new ethnicities, new economies, and new memories. This may be the most honest definition of "urban heritage": not preserving stone, but preserving the chemistry between people.
The exhibition department at Kowloon Walled City Park provides bilingual audio guides in Chinese and English. Interview recordings of former residents' oral histories can be consulted in the archives of the Hong Kong Museum of History. For readers wishing to learn more about the relationship between the Walled City and modern Kowloon City District, community guided tours at Kowloon City Mall and the Walled City relocation research reports published by the Chinese University of Hong Kong's Centre for Urban Studies are recommended.
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FAQ
Q1: When was Kowloon Walled City demolished? How many people lived there finally?
A1: Kowloon Walled City's official demolition began in January 1994. The official recorded number of people relocated was 33,000—this was the household registration figure completed at the end of 1993. The exact number of people who actually lived in the Walled City is difficult to calculate. Some researchers estimate the peak approached 50,000 people.
Q2: What is the ticket price for Kowloon Walled City Park? What are the opening hours?
A2: Kowloon Walled City Park opened in 1995 with free admission. Opening hours are daily 06:00-23:00. Visitors can take the MTR Tuen Ma Line to Sung Wong Toi Station, Exit B2, and walk approximately 5 minutes to reach the park.
Q3: Were the "unlicensed dentists" inside the Walled City really that cheap? Was their technique reliable?
A3: According to a 1993 Wall Street Journal report, dental fees inside the Walled City were about one-third to one-fifth of downtown rates—for example, extracting one tooth cost about HK$50-80. Although these practitioners had no formal licenses, most were dental technicians who came to Hong Kong from mainland China in the 1950s-1960s, with rich technical experience. Their customers were mainly low-income families and new immigrants.
Q4: What famous films or games were inspired by Kowloon Walled City?
A4: In Hong Kong cinema, Jackie Chan's\b\b(1984), the Young and Dangerous series (1996), and Infernal Affairs (2002) were all deeply influenced by Walled City visual language. In Japanese video games, the final chapter of the PS2 Yakuza series explicitly used the Walled City as a prototype to design a virtual district.
Q5: What attractions can be visited in modern Kowloon City District?
A5: Kowloon Walled City Park (free, 06:00-23:00), Sung Wong Toi Park (the site where the last Southern Song emperor was captured), Kowloon City Mall (with community guided tours), and the Thai Town commercial district (Thai restaurants and shops along Kai Ling Street and Ta Ku Ling Road).
Q6: After the Walled City demolition, where were the residents resettled?
A6: Families eligible for public housing were allocated public housing estates (such as old housing estates in Wong Tai Sin and Kwun Tong districts). Low-income families not eligible for public housing received rent subsidies. Some residents chose to return to the mainland or emigrate overseas. Approximately 15% of resettled households ultimately chose to leave Hong Kong.
Q7: Why is Kowloon Walled City particularly influential in Japanese culture?
A7: Japanese photographer河口洋一郎's photo collection "Kowloon Walled City" published in 1992 caused a sensation in Japan's art and literary circles. Additionally, the Walled City's prototype significance as a "legal vacuum utopia"正好 corresponds to Japanese society's critical imagination of an over-regulated environment. Furthermore, the Walled City scene design in the PS2 Yakuza series further popularized this cultural influence.
