Humanities and Arts
From Garrisoned District to Chinese Town: Land and Boundaries at the Kowloon Walled City, 1898–1912
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Y. L. Lucy Wang
Y. L. Lucy Wang
Department of Art History and Archaeology, Columbia University, US
Abstract
The Kowloon Walled City in Hong Kong became a named entity around 1810 and was demolished in 1994, but its architecture had long been unclassified. Not until the years just prior to its demolition did this dense slum of informal multi-story buildings receive sustained attention from architects and architectural historians. However, the architectural nature of the six-acre area predated its late-20th-century state. After its founding as a Qing military outpost, it underwent various structural additions and renovations, including an imperial Chinese administrative complex known as a yamen [衙門] and an outer wall, after which the Walled City was named. Against the grain of scholarship that has focused on the Walled City’s postwar, informal architecture, this article considers the site’s early years, arguing that the Walled City’s yamen and outer wall played a crucial role in the region’s land management practices. These two architectural structures make legible the Walled City’s evolution from a Qing administrative zone to a crowded slum. The Convention of 1898 ushered in a British-led land surveying effort throughout the New Territories region of Hong Kong, followed by the creation of an intricate bureaucracy for managing land lots. This clash of empires saw the use of two forms of land knowledge, Qing land deeds and British cadastral land surveys. In between these systems existed the Walled City, its inhabitation falling outside the British conception of land division but its historical contours very much shaped by the architectural boundaries that gave it its name.
Key Questions
CopyWhat was the Kowloon Walled City, and why is it significant?
The Kowloon Walled City was a densely populated area in Hong Kong that originated as a Qing military outpost in the early 19th century. It became infamous as a lawless slum before its demolition in 1994. Its significance lies in its unique architectural evolution and its role in the clash between Qing and British land management systems.
How did the Kowloon Walled City evolve from a military outpost to a slum?
The Walled City began as a Qing military garrison with an administrative complex (yamen) and an outer wall. Over time, it transitioned into a densely populated urban area, losing its formal administrative role and becoming an informal settlement characterized by unregulated multi-story buildings.
What role did the yamen and outer wall play in the Walled City’s history?
The yamen and outer wall were central to the Walled City’s identity and function. They symbolized Qing authority and land management practices. Even as the area transformed into a slum, these structures remained key markers of its historical and architectural legacy.
How did the Convention of 1898 impact the Kowloon Walled City?
The Convention of 1898, which leased the New Territories to Britain, led to British-led land surveys and the establishment of a cadastral system. However, the Walled City’s unique status and architectural boundaries placed it outside British land division practices, creating a contested space between Qing and British systems.
What were the two forms of land knowledge used in the region?
The region saw the coexistence of Qing land deeds, which reflected traditional Chinese land management, and British cadastral surveys, which introduced Western methods of land division. The Walled City existed at the intersection of these systems, embodying the clash of empires.
Why did the Kowloon Walled City fall outside British land management practices?
The Walled City’s historical and architectural boundaries, rooted in Qing administration, did not align with British conceptions of land division. Its unique status as a former Qing outpost made it a liminal space that resisted British bureaucratic control.
How does the article challenge existing scholarship on the Kowloon Walled City?
The article shifts focus from the Walled City’s postwar informal architecture to its early years, emphasizing the role of the yamen and outer wall in shaping its evolution. It highlights the importance of architectural boundaries in understanding the site’s history.
What does the Walled City’s transformation reveal about land management in Hong Kong?
The Walled City’s transformation reflects the complexities of land management in Hong Kong during the colonial era. It illustrates the tension between traditional Qing practices and British colonial systems, as well as the challenges of governing a contested space.
What is the significance of the Walled City’s architectural boundaries?
The architectural boundaries, particularly the yamen and outer wall, were crucial in defining the Walled City’s identity and evolution. They served as physical and symbolic markers of its transition from a Qing administrative zone to a densely populated urban area.
How does the article contribute to the understanding of Hong Kong’s colonial history?
The article provides a nuanced perspective on Hong Kong’s colonial history by examining the Walled City as a site of cultural and administrative conflict. It highlights the interplay between architecture, land management, and imperial power in shaping the region’s development.
