我想，對香港歷史有一點認識的朋友，都一定聽過九龍寨城這個名字。這個20年前已不再存在的城寨，在探險家眼中充滿魅力，在日本人眼中是「東洋的魔窟」，在漫畫、遊戲內是「暗黑之城」，在香港人眼中卻是污點般存在的地獄鬼域。
I believe every one who know a little a bit about HK know the name “Kowloon Wall City”. Although the city had already been dismantled 20 years ago, it’s still full of charm in the eye of adventurers. In Japan, it is “Sin city of the East”. In comics and games, it is “City of darkness”. In HK, it is a stain of Hong Kong.
(photo credit to Mr. Greg Girard)
今天，我就帶大家來看看位於九龍寨城原址的九龍寨城公園，然後帶大家了解一下九龍寨城的故事。
Today, I went to the Kowloon Walled City Park, the park built on the old Kowloon Wall City, and tell you the story of Kowloon Walled City.
九龍寨城公園佔地31000平方米，位於今天香港的九龍城區，九龍寨城的原址，保留了很多九龍寨城的遺痕。公園以清初江南園林為設計藍本，園內亭台樓閣，水木清華，盡是玲瓏秀麗的優美景致。整個公園共分八個園區，各具特色美態，巧妙地在整體設計中融為一體。
Kowloon Walled City Park occupies an area of 31000 square meters, and preserved many historic relics that evoke visitors’ memories of the past. The Park is laid out in the Jiangnan garden style of the early Qing Dynasty, producing a green and peaceful environment studded with Chinese pavilions and ponds.
從南門走進公園見到的第一個建築物是一個衙門，也是九龍寨城內人僅存的古建築，經修葺後，現在成為了展覽館，為大家記載寨城的故事。
The first building we may see is the Yaman. It is the only remaining old building of the Kowloon Walled City and now become of exhibition of Kowloon Walled City.
九龍寨城於1847年建成，當年主要是為了針對英國進攻，加強九龍半島的防衛。直到1898年，香港正式被英國租借，九龍城寨成為中國在香港唯一的領土，但同年，英軍宣佈九龍寨城為英國所有，趕走了寨城內的居民和守軍，九龍寨城變成無政府狀態的鬼鎮。二戰後，香港政府試圖強佔九龍寨城，卻遭到中國全國學生示威遊行抗議，廣州市民更燒毀了英國駐廣州大使館及多個英資企業，英國最終放棄了對寨城的管治，寨城變成了「三不管地帶」- 香港政府不敢管、英國政府不想管、中國政府不能管。
Kowloon Walled City was built in 1847 to strengthen the defense of the Kowloon Peninsula. In 1898, HK become the colony of Britain. China had the right to exercise their jurisdiction in the City. But later Britain stated that the City belonged to them. After World War II, the HK government’s attempt to occupy the City with armed force had led to widespread student demonstration in China, culminating in the burning of the British Consulate and many British business premises in Quangzhou. Then the British opted a “hands-off” policy. The city become a city without a government.
(photo credit to Kowloon Walled City Park official website)
1950年起，香港的難民開始湧入九龍寨城，同時，無政府狀態的寨城吸引了無數犯罪者進入，大量毒品在寨城加工並輸往全球，加上脫衣舞棚、妓寨、賭館、鴉片煙館及狗肉檔林立，九龍寨城成為了盛極一時的黑暗之城。另一方面，工廠們紛紛進駐寨城，無牌醫生、牙醫亦在寨城內開業，治安極其混亂。而中國政府經歷了國共內戰後，元氣大傷，亦已無睱理會九龍寨城。
Since 1950, refugees from China moved to Kowloon Walled City. At the same time, a large quantity of drugs were processed in the City and exported throughout the world. Flourishing strip clubs, brothels, casinos, opium dens and dog meat stalls transformed the City into a notorious city of darkness. Various types of factories were established in the west side of the City. The opening of unlicensed dental clinics also boomed in the City.
(photo credit to Mr. Greg Girard)
1970年間，香港政府終於決定派出3000名警察強行進入寨城，剷除內裡的黑社會勢力，寨城秩序重新洗牌後，香港最貧窮的群族紛紛住進寨城，人口迅速增長，僭建樓宇比比皆是，這時寨城內人口已達40000人，人口密度為每平方公里1,255,000人，為世界之最。
In around 1973, more than 3500 police raids resulted in over 2500 arrests and over 1800 KG of seized drugs. After that, new order occurred in the city. More and more poor people moved in. With new modular structures built above the older ones, the city became extremely densely populated, with over 40000 people in 500 buildings occupying little more than 7 acres. The population with 1255000 per square meters.
(photo credit to apple daily)
當時九龍寨城內非法樓宇足有500棟，街道變成走廊，在地上更不會有機會見到陽光，環境衛生極度惡劣，罪案率一直高企。直到1984年，中英雙方終於就九龍城寨達成和解，並於1994年清拆寨城，改建為今天的九龍寨城公園。
There were 500 illegal building in the City, the street became corridor. People never see the sunlight on the ground. The hygiene was extremely bad and the crime was extremely crazy. In 1984, Britain and China embarked on discussions to solve the issue and announced the demolition of the City. The Kowloon Walled City was official open in 1995.
九龍寨城的內部猶如迷宮一般，大廈高低錯落，更因濫建潛建問題，寨城內的道路更經常改變。陽光完全被建築物遮擋，24小時都需要電燈照明，而由於九龍寨城不受香港政府管理，故政府並不對這裡供電，所有的電都是從路燈電纜偷來的。水亦然，40000人全靠寨城內8口水井維持生活。這無疑是個自給自足的小城市, 沒有經過專業的規劃，居民生活中的一切需要都可以在城寨內裡找到, 並且具有自發調節功能去滿足所需。
The Kowloon Walled City was just like a big maze with 20-30 alleys occupying 2.7 hectares with hundreds of through-routed between buildings. All the sun light was covered by buildings and electric light was needed 24 hours. As the City was not managed by the HK Government, there was no electricity supply and all the electricity was stolen from the cable outside. And there was no water supply from the Government. all the water supply was pumped from underground. We may say it was a self-sufficient city. Without professional planning, the residents solve their needs in the City.
(photo credit to Mr. Greg Girard)
這個地方就連警察也不敢進入，當時很多罪犯都愛在城寨外犯案，犯案後只要逃回寨城，警察就無可奈何，甚至亞洲一帶很多的通緝犯，在走投無路時，都會避進九龍寨城。
Police were also afraid the go into the City. Many criminals liked to commit crime outside the City and ran back into the City. And the police could do nothing. Even wanted criminals from Asia stayed in the City.
但這個卻罪惡之城曾吸引無數藝術家為之著迷，賽博朋克之父威廉吉布森就曾說：「這裡是法外之地。人越擠越多；房越造越高。這裡沒有規則，只有不停建造、活著。警察不去那裡。那裡有毒品、妓女和賭博，但也有住戶、工廠、飯館。這是一座沒有法律的城市。」荷里活電影也為之著迷，經典電影《銀翼殺手》、《黑客帝國》及《攻殼機動隊》的廢墟靈感都來自九龍寨城。王家衛電影《阿飛正傳》片末中，梁朝偉出場的一幕，也是在九龍寨城取景，至於成龍的《重案組》，也是香港政府在清拆寨城前特別准許成龍在寨城內拍攝，如大家想一看九龍寨城的真實面貌，可一看這部電影。香港著名導演杜琪峰，就是在寨城長大，相信今天他出色的黑幫電影，都是因為當年的成長經歷。
But the city of sin attracted a lot of artists. William Gibson, father of cyberpunk, said, “Hive of dream. Those mismatched, uncalculated windows. How they seemed to absorb all the frantic activity of Kai Tak airport, sucking in energy like a black hole.”
Famous Movies like “Blade Runner”, “Matrix” and “Ghost in the Shell
“were also inspired from the City. Before the dismantle of the City, the Government gave the permission to Jacky Chan to shot his movie “Crime Story”. You may take a look if you want to know the real image of the City. Famous HK film director Johnnie To also grew up in the City. Many concept of his gangster movie was inspired from his childhood.
雖然九龍城寨給人的印象十分負面，但今天我進入展覽館時，卻見到它正面的一面。展覽館主要介紹的是寨城居民的生活，縱然我們今天只著眼於九龍寨城內的罪惡、黑暗，但其實裡面還有很多居民，社會最底層的一班窮人，他們雖然地位低下，只能屈身於這小小魔窟，但他們沒有放棄生活，仍然努力生存，工作，夢想有一天能離開寨城，重過新生。牙醫、工場工作者、成人、小孩，無不在不見天日的寨城內掙扎，求存，就如導演杜琪峰，不就是靠著自己的一番努力，由一個九龍寨城的窮小子，變成今天的國際著名大導演嗎？
Although the impression of Kowloon Walled City to most of us is sin, I saw the position side of the City when I visited the exhibition. I saw the poor residents in the City struggle for life. They didn’t give up the living. They worked hard and lived hard, and dreamed of leaving the sin city one day. Dentists, workers, adults, kids, all were working hard for their new life. Just like famous film director Johnny To, who can imagine he can change from a poor kid in the City to an international film director?
(photo credit to Mr. Greg Girard)
同樣，我也製作了一條視頻，希望大家喜歡
Again, I have edited a video. Wish you enjoy!
從九龍寨城，我見到了香港的罪惡，香港的污點，但同時我見到香港人的拼搏精神，這些都是建成今天香港國際大都會地位的重要根基。可惜，寨城已不復見，拼搏是否仍然存在？我相信，香港仍然有很多年輕人在努力拼搏，但同時我也見到不少年輕人在抱怨政府。我只知道，做人最終都是靠自己，就算是父母、親人，都只能幫你一時，更遑論遠在天邊的政府？
In Kowloon Walled City, I see the sin in HK. But I also see the fighting spirit of HK people. It’s the base of how HK becomes an international city. Now, the City is gone, is our fighting spirit also gone? I believe that there are still a lot of young people in HK working hard nowadays. But I can see that there are also a lot of young people only scolding the government. I only know, the one who may help you is only you. Even you parents, your relatives, can only help you for a while. And don’t day about the Government far away in the horizon.
香港，加油！
Hong Kong, Work Hard!
謝謝你能抽空閱讀這篇文章，我平日喜歡分享香港的故事，希望大家多多支持，我會繼續努力！
Thanks for spending your time to read my articles. I like to share stories of Hong Kong. I wish you may support me and I will keep going!
