See more ideas about kowloon, hong kong, kowloon walled city. The kowloon walled city in hong kong was built graduallybuilding on top of buildingover time. An illustrated cross section of hong kongs infamous kowloon. It was time, we decided, to produce an allnew edition and bring the story up to date. Updated and expanded new volume, picking up where city of darkness. It is a book you cannot easily forget, a book you will want to read again and again. Jan 06, 2020 kowloon walled city was built without regulations. Welcome to kowloon walled city, one of the most misunderstood. Preliminary findings, by suenn ho, published by columbia university, 1992. But its for its incredible architecture that the place is the most interesting. The strange saga of kowloon walled city atlas obscura. Courtesy of city of darkness revisited this unique society and its complete neglect by the rest of hong kong was born of the equally unique political conditions of the kowloon site.
Detailed crosssection of the kowloon walled city created by. Visit kowloon walled city park on your trip to hong kong or china. Containing interviews and commentary, the book tells the citys history, and how the selfsufficient community lived and worked in so little space in such apparent harmony. The background to the story with its undercurrent of gangs, brothels and threat of violence is well worked. The lives and deaths of historys greatest buildings. Mar 31, 2014 the city of darkness revisited by greg girard and ian lambot is a book that updates and expands the record of hong kongs astonishing kowloon walled city 20 years after its demolition. The walled city was inspired by the very real, very intimidating kowloon walled city that existed in hong kong not so long ago. This book describes kowloon walled city which is a district in hong kong. The attraction occupies the site of the former kowloon walled city, a unique peninsula garrison that remained under chinas jurisdiction until hong kong was. Visit kowloon walled city park on your trip to hong kong. While it was demolished between 1993 and 1994, while it stood it was famous for unlicenced practice of medicine, prostitution and the rule of. The kowloon walled city was a singular hong kong phenomenon. Click here for a brief visual history of kowloon walled city. So heres 11 facts about the worlds most densely populated place.
By the time it was demolished in 1994 the kowloon walled city, a settlement on two hectares of hong kong, was home to 35,000 people. Life in kowloon walled city city of darkness revisited. Synopsis a photographic record of kowloon walled city a city within a city, now demolished and its 35,000 inhabitants rehoused. The canadian photographers spent 5 years shooting in the kowloon walled city before it was demolished in the early nineties 33,000 people living in over 300 interconnected highrise. Teens there run drugs or work in brothelsor, like jin, hide under the radar. Containing interviews and commentary, the book tells the citys history, and how the selfsufficient community lived and worked in so little space in such apparent. Kowloon walled city, 1984 is a symphony that begins with a brooding, atmospheric introduction and accelerates into a blinding crescendo of violence. Wren for helping book shows, putting us up, and being lovely lads, cat man of west oakland for doing merch for 2 weeks. Life in kowloon walled city, first hit bookshelves in april of 1993, shortly after demolition began on the settlement. Kowloon walled city was named after a denselypopulated, autonomous region of hong kong known for its brothels, casinos and opium dens. Saw yesterdays submission about that japanese arcade and remembered i had this.
Knowing events in the book really happened in our own world made it all the more horrific. This story is excerpted and adapted from james crawfords book, fallen glory. A unique record of life in kowloon walled city, before its demolition in 1993 the most densely populated place on the planet. And so it might have remained but in 20, with interest in the walled city continuing to grow, another reprint seemed inappropriate. Oct 28, 2014 the kowloon walled city in hong kong was once the most densely populated place on earth. Author nicholas morine immerses us in the sights, sounds, tastes and smells of a bygone place. Originally a chinese military fort, the walled city became an enclave after the new territories were leased to the uk by china in 1898. Life in kowloon walled city, published in 1993, left off. But when dai offers jin a chance to find her lost sister, mei yee, she begins a breathtaking race against the clock to escape the walled city itself. Nov 04, 2014 the kowloon walled city in hong kong was built graduallybuilding on top of buildingover time. Its population increased dramatically following the japanese occupation of hong kong during world war ii.
The kowloon walled city park is designed as a jiangnan garden of the early qing dynasty. Twenty years later, girard and lambot released city of darkness revisited, underscoring the timelessness and enduring legacy of this singular community. Kowloon walled city park hong kong 2020 all you need. Detailed crosssection of the kowloon walled city created.
There was never anything quite like the kowloon walled city, a wholly improbably squatter settlement that towered over the eastern half of hong kong the reallife prelude to so many cyberpunk fantasies. May 14, 2014 see the kowloon walled city from behind the lens. The strange saga of kowloon walled city this story is excerpted and adapted from james crawford s book, fallen glory. When the british leased the new territories in 1898, the agreement excluded a chinese garrison overlooking kowloon city, a busy market town that served a web of small farming and fishing communities. Whatever time of year you choose to visit kowloon walled city park in kowloon, its always a good idea to reserve a package deal. The attraction occupies the site of the former kowloon walled city, a unique peninsula garrison that remained under chinas jurisdiction until hong kong was ceded to britain. The city is even a level in the video game call of duty. Life in kowloon walled city, served us remarkably well for close on 20 years, transforming from hardback to softback and being reprinted multiple times, despite the fact the complete book existed solely in the form of the printers films produced when the book was originally published in 1993. Produced and directed by tobias reeuwijk edited by anthony choi animations by samuel. Kowloon city hong kong 2020 all you need to know before. Heres what western accounts of the kowloon walled city. The seeds of what eventually became the walled city were planted nearly a century before girards first visit. Without a single architect, the ungoverned and most densely populated district became a haven for drugs, crime and prostitution until it was demolished in 1993. A walled neighborhood called the narrows in the 2005 film batman begins was based on kowloon walled city.
The walled city is an adventure set in and around a fantasy location based on the authors impression of kowloon walled city in hong kong. But theres a lot more to the story behind the walled city. The walled city is dark and grim and intensely compelling. Hotels near kowloon walled city in hong kong, hong kong. City of darkness revisited by ian lambot and greg girard. Twenty years later, girard and lambot released city of darkness revisited, underscoring the timelessness and enduring legacy of. The life and death of an impossible city kickstarter.
There is a shopping mall but i enjoyed the small shops and even the market. Was really interesting to learn about its history, once being a self governed high rise shanty town houisng over 41,000 people, before its demolition in 1993. May 07, 2012 photography rare shots from inside the old kowloon walled city 15 click here for a brief visual history of kowloon walled city. An accident of history created an enclave governed by neither china nor britain, and 50,000 people filled the gap, turning 2. Ian lambot and greg girard is raising funds for city of darkness revisited on kickstarter. Life in kowloon walled city remained in print for almost 20 years, an extraordinary record for book of this kind. Nov 08, 2019 blue lotus gallery is proud to present city of darkness.
Kowloonbay international trade and exhibition centre 21 min walk. Use ihg s listings to find the best hotels in hong kong to be your home base to visit kowloon walled city and the local area. Also, if you book your kowloon walled city park vacation package in kowloon with travelocity, youll get access to our best travel discounts. Designed and edited by greg girard and ian lambot the team behind city of darkness. City of darkness revisited is a photo book and cultural history of kowloon walled city, a largely ungoverned, densely populated enclave within hong kong. A walk in the kowloon walled city park was interesting with traces of the walled city. The kowloon walled city in hong kong was once the most densely populated place on earth. Dec 06, 2014 ian lambot and greg girard is raising funds for city of darkness revisited on kickstarter. Visit the garrison that became known for crime and debauchery at kowloon walled city park. Kowloon walled city was known for its interconnected highrises, and for becoming a crime haven that authorities were afraid to enter. Originally a military fort, the walled city saw its population rise dramatically during the second world war.
This book is truly a fantastic compilation of the walled citys residents and their personal history which reflects china and hong kongs political and economic development as time went on. Disguised as a boy, jin ling runs like the wind and searches walled city for her beloved sister, mei yee. A photographic record of kowloon walled city a city within a city, now demolished and its 35,000 inhabitants rehoused. Kowloon walled city was an ungoverned, densely populated settlement in kowloon city, hong kong.
Darkness and life stories from the kowloon walled city. Jin, mei yee, and dai all live in the walled city, a lawless labyrinth run by crime lords and overrun by street gangs. Kowloon walled city park a beautiful little park to visit in hong kong, with its pavillions, ponds and flowers. The walled city is perhaps mistakenly labelled as dystopian when in fact it is based on a once very real place kowloon walled city, an ungoverned settlement in new kowloon, hong kong.
I had so many opportunities to buy this book in hong kong when it was published but i just never got around to it. Inside hong kongs lawless walled city the most crowded. Though demolished 20 years ago, fascination in kowloon walled city just continues to grow, fired in part by the many urban legends that forever swirl around this extraordinary community. Blue lotus gallery is proud to present city of darkness. The kowloon walled city is famous for having been one of the few structures that defied any sense of reality and survived outside the rule of law.
Kowloon walled city park hong kong 2020 all you need to. It had its own laws, and many traffics took place there, it was the triads kingdom, and many refugees used to live inside. Planning a trip to hong kong and want to stay near kowloon walled city. And without a single architect or any oversight whatsoever, the ungoverned hive of interlinking buildings became a haven for drugs, crime and prostitution. Life in kowloon walled city a photobook by greg girard and ian lambot. The kowloon walled city had been a military stronghold since 15th century due to its coastal location and was a centre of vice and crime. Wifi is free, and this hotel also features a 24hour front desk. Kowloon walled city, once the most crowded place on. The original edition of the book, city of darkness. Aug 31, 1993 this book describes kowloon walled city which is a district in hong kong. Inspired by hong kongs kowloon walled city, graudins prose uncovers a contemporary dystopia where despair is so rampant, even the sunlight wont enter. This influential body of work, which to date sold over 25,000 book copies, will be on view in a gallery setting for the first time since first published. If you do not mind walking, kowloon city offers many food and shopping places for exploration fun.
964 335 809 1018 644 546 222 1474 509 949 1384 1303 602 384 892 1497 334 637 57 1466 1352 826 1233 1198 722 1006 454 81 694 262 536 528 1043 11 1062 659 540 1287 1170 60 308