Kwun Tong
Encyclopedia
Kwun Tong is an area in Kwun Tong
District
, situated at the eastern part of the Kowloon Peninsula
, and its boundary stretches from Lion Rock
in the north to Lei Yue Mun
in the south, and from the winding paths of Kowloon Peak
in the east to the north coast of the former Kai Tak Airport
runway in the west.
One of the first New town
s in Hong Kong, Kwun Tong was, and remains, a major industrial area. Its population has been growing rapidly, and the demand for housing, medical and educational facilities and services has been increasing. In view of this, a number of community development projects, such as the redevelopment of old housing estates and the construction of major parks, have been implemented in recent years. These projects have incorporated a wide range of supporting facilities, like primary and secondary schools, clinics, community centres and open spaces. All these facilities have brought about a new face to the Kwun Tong District, making it a more comfortable place for the people to live.
Pond
). Some say it was named after the Koon Fu salt yards, set up by the government to secure central administration of the salt trade
and prevent unauthorised salt preparation and trading. In those days, there were many salt yards around Kwun Tong, whose long coastline stretches as far as Kowloon Bay
and To Kwa Wan
in the west. Troops were stationed here to monitor the salt yards' operation. Despite the government's close watch, an illegal salt trade was still active on Lantau Island
. When the officials found out, a full-scale crackdown was initiated. The Lantau villagers instigated an all-out uprising of salt farmers, leading finally to a major civil riot.
According to other stories, Kwun Tong was a typhoon shelter for the Kowloon Water Police, which made it an important political and defence point of northwest Kowloon
. Black Hill (Ng Kwai Shan), which today rises up behind Lam Tin Estate, was known as Koon Fu Hill at that time.
In the 1950s, when Koon Tong was being developed as a New town
, the local residents disliked the word Koon (官), which literally means official or government, and they persuaded the Hong Kong government to change the place name to Kwun Tong (觀塘), which literally means viewing a pond.
and Yau Tong
. Since the manufacturing sector of Hong Kong is in decline, many factories have been torn down and commercial buildings are being constructed to replace them.
In recent years, the government has started to re-develop the coastal area of Kwun Tong to correspond with the re-development of the Kai Tak district. A promenade and a park has been built along the coast near Kwun Tong Pier
.
.
, and its boundary stretches from Lion Rock in the north to Lei Yue Mun in the south, and from the winding paths of Kowloon Peak in the east to the north coast of the Airport (Kai Tak) runway in the west.
's Kwun Tong Line
.
Roads that are serving the area include:
Kwun Tong Pier
used to be a major transport hub for cross-harbour passengers until the opening of the MTR and the Eastern Cross Harbour Tunnel. Today ferries services to Sai Wan Ho
and North Point
are still available.
KMB
bus terminus serving the area include:
Following some recent redevelopment plans in Kwun Tong, the Yuet Wah Street Bus Terminus is about to be demolished, and the routes originally terminating there will be moved to the New Kwun Tong Station Bus Terminus and Yue Man Square Bus Terminus.
Kwun Tong District
Kwun Tong is one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong. It is located in Kowloon. It had a population of 562,427 in 2001. The district has the third highest population while the income is below average....
District
Districts of Hong Kong
The Districts of Hong Kong are the 18 political areas by which Hong Kong is geographically divided. Each district has a district council, which was formerly known as a district board. The districts were established in the early 1980s, when Hong Kong was under British rule...
, situated at the eastern part of the Kowloon Peninsula
Kowloon Peninsula
The Kowloon Peninsula is a peninsula that forms the southern part of the main landmass in the territory of Hong Kong. The Kowloon Peninsula and the area of New Kowloon are collectively known as Kowloon....
, and its boundary stretches from Lion Rock
Lion Rock
Lion Rock, or less formally Lion Rock Hill, is a famous hill in Hong Kong. It is located between Kowloon Tong in Kowloon and Tai Wai in the New Territories, and is 495 metres high...
in the north to Lei Yue Mun
Lei Yue Mun
Lei Yue Mun is a short channel in Hong Kong, between Junk Bay and Victoria Harbour, separating Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. The channel is an important passage in the South China Sea. It is the east gate of Victoria Harbour.The lands around the channel are also called Lei Yue Mun...
in the south, and from the winding paths of Kowloon Peak
Kowloon Peak
Kowloon Peak or Fei Ngor Shan or Fei Ngo Shan is a tall mountain in the northeast corner of New Kowloon, Hong Kong, situated in Ma On Shan Country Park. It is crossed by both the Wilson Trail and the MacLehose Trail. On the lower slopes is Gilwell Campsite, belonging to The Scout...
in the east to the north coast of the former Kai Tak Airport
Kai Tak Airport
Kai Tak Airport was the international airport of Hong Kong from 1925 until 1998. It was officially known as the Hong Kong International Airport from 1954 to 6 July 1998, when it was closed and replaced by the new Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok, 30 km to the west...
runway in the west.
One of the first New town
New town
A new town is a specific type of a planned community, or planned city, that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed in a previously undeveloped area. This contrasts with settlements that evolve in a more ad hoc fashion. Land use conflicts are uncommon in new...
s in Hong Kong, Kwun Tong was, and remains, a major industrial area. Its population has been growing rapidly, and the demand for housing, medical and educational facilities and services has been increasing. In view of this, a number of community development projects, such as the redevelopment of old housing estates and the construction of major parks, have been implemented in recent years. These projects have incorporated a wide range of supporting facilities, like primary and secondary schools, clinics, community centres and open spaces. All these facilities have brought about a new face to the Kwun Tong District, making it a more comfortable place for the people to live.
History
Kwun Tong was formerly called Koon Tong (literally MandarinMandarin (bureaucrat)
A mandarin was a bureaucrat in imperial China, and also in the monarchist days of Vietnam where the system of Imperial examinations and scholar-bureaucrats was adopted under Chinese influence.-History and use of the term:...
Pond
Pond
A pond is a body of standing water, either natural or man-made, that is usually smaller than a lake. A wide variety of man-made bodies of water are classified as ponds, including water gardens, water features and koi ponds; all designed for aesthetic ornamentation as landscape or architectural...
). Some say it was named after the Koon Fu salt yards, set up by the government to secure central administration of the salt trade
Salt commission
The Salt Commission was an organization in Tang China used to raise tax revenue from the state monopoly of the salt trade.-History:Following the An Lushan Rebellion revenues from the land tax began to fall. The equal-field system that sustained the land tax was undermined by the aristocracy and...
and prevent unauthorised salt preparation and trading. In those days, there were many salt yards around Kwun Tong, whose long coastline stretches as far as Kowloon Bay
Kowloon Bay
Kowloon Bay is a bay located at the east of the Kowloon Peninsula and north of Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. It is the eastern portion of Victoria Harbour, between Hung Hom and Lei Yue Mun...
and To Kwa Wan
To Kwa Wan
To Kwa Wan is a bay and an area of the eastern shore of Kowloon peninsula of Hong Kong. The area is part of urban Hong Kong, and is adjacent to Hok Yuen, Hung Hom, Ma Tau Wai and Ma Tau Kok...
in the west. Troops were stationed here to monitor the salt yards' operation. Despite the government's close watch, an illegal salt trade was still active on Lantau Island
Lantau Island
Lantau Island , based on the old local name of Lantau Peak , is the largest island in Hong Kong, located at the mouth of the Pearl River. Administratively, most of Lantau Island is part of the Islands District of Hong Kong...
. When the officials found out, a full-scale crackdown was initiated. The Lantau villagers instigated an all-out uprising of salt farmers, leading finally to a major civil riot.
According to other stories, Kwun Tong was a typhoon shelter for the Kowloon Water Police, which made it an important political and defence point of northwest Kowloon
Kowloon
Kowloon is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. It is bordered by the Lei Yue Mun strait in the east, Mei Foo Sun Chuen and Stonecutter's Island in the west, Tate's Cairn and Lion Rock in the north, and Victoria Harbour in the south. It had a population of...
. Black Hill (Ng Kwai Shan), which today rises up behind Lam Tin Estate, was known as Koon Fu Hill at that time.
In the 1950s, when Koon Tong was being developed as a New town
New town
A new town is a specific type of a planned community, or planned city, that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed in a previously undeveloped area. This contrasts with settlements that evolve in a more ad hoc fashion. Land use conflicts are uncommon in new...
, the local residents disliked the word Koon (官), which literally means official or government, and they persuaded the Hong Kong government to change the place name to Kwun Tong (觀塘), which literally means viewing a pond.
Town centre
- Yue Man SquareYue Man SquareYue Man Square is the town centre of Kwun Tong in Kowloon of Hong Kong. It is also the commercial centre in the area.-History:In late 1950s and early 1960s, located in the town centre, the street attracted shops of various trades, like bank, jewellery, fashion, supermarket and cinema...
(裕民坊) is the heart of the town. Most of the banks' branches are located on this road. The Government District Office is located at the eastern end of Yue Man Square. More than 20 franchised bus and public mini-bus routes pass through or stop at this road. - Mut Wah Street (物華街) is also called "Golden Street" because there were nearly 10 jewelry shops. It is most famous for the armed-robbery by Yip Kai-Fuen (葉繼歡) when he used an AK47 assault rifle to rob 5 of the jewellery shops in 1992.
- Shui Wo Street (瑞和街) is a (wet) "market" street.
- Hip Wo Street (協和街) has the one and only hospitalHospitalA hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
in Kwun Tong, namely United Christian HospitalUnited Christian HospitalUnited Christian Hospital is an acute care hospital in Kwun Tong of New Kowloon in Hong Kong, operated by the Hospital Authority. The hospital has 1,174 beds and staff of 3,000, serving East Kowloon in Hong Kong....
, at 130 Hip Wo Street. - Hong Ning Road (康寧道) is the "Mid-levelsMid-levelsMid-levels is an expensive residential area on Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. It is located halfway up Victoria Peak, directly above Central...
" of Kwun Tong. The headquarters of Hong Kong Police Force Sau Mau Ping Division is at 200 Hong Ning Road, near Sau Mau PingSau Mau PingSau Mau Ping is an area in eastern New Kowloon, Hong Kong.Its Chinese name was formerly So Mau Ping , but this was often mis-rendered So Mo Ping , meaning a place to 'visit one's ancestors'. In fact, during World War II, much of the area was used as a cemetery...
. - Tsui Ping Road (翠屏道) is located in Kwun Tong. Tsui Ping Estate and Wo Lok Estate are situated here. Kwun Tong Maryknoll CollegeKwun Tong Maryknoll CollegeKwun Tong Maryknoll College is a Catholic boys' secondary school in Hong Kong. It was founded in 1971. It was established by the Maryknoll Fathers, a society of Catholic priest and brothers which was founded in the United States in 1911...
is located at 100 Tsui Ping Road. - Kwun Tong RoadKwun Tong RoadKwun Tong Road is a major road in Kwun Tong of New Kowloon in Hong Kong. It starts at the junction with Prince Edward Road East, Clear Water Bay Road and Lung Cheung Road in Ngau Chi Wan...
(觀塘道) is the main road that leads into and out of the Kwun Tong district. Kwun Tong MTR station is directly above this road. Kwun Tong's latest shopping mall, apm, is situated on this road next to Kwun Tong MTR station. - apm Millennium City 5Apm Millennium City 5apm is a shopping mall in Kwun Tong, Hong Kong, which opened in April 2005. It is located within Millennium City 5, a commercial property developed by Sun Hung Kai Properties. Together with Millennium Cities 1, 2, 3, and 6, they are commercial properties situated along Kwun Tong Road. apm is next...
is a large shopping mall of Eastern Kowloon with its slogan "Play More Sleep Less".
Industrial area
Kwun Tong is one of the major industrial areas in Hong Kong, with factories having been built there since the 1950s. The industrial area has since then expanded to Kowloon BayKowloon Bay
Kowloon Bay is a bay located at the east of the Kowloon Peninsula and north of Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. It is the eastern portion of Victoria Harbour, between Hung Hom and Lei Yue Mun...
and Yau Tong
Yau Tong
Yau Tong is an area in the eastern Kowloon, Hong Kong, located between Lei Yue Mun and Lam Tin, at the east shore of Victoria Harbour. Administratively, it is under Kwun Tong District....
. Since the manufacturing sector of Hong Kong is in decline, many factories have been torn down and commercial buildings are being constructed to replace them.
In recent years, the government has started to re-develop the coastal area of Kwun Tong to correspond with the re-development of the Kai Tak district. A promenade and a park has been built along the coast near Kwun Tong Pier
Kwun Tong Pier
Kwun Tong Pier is a ferry pier situated on Hoi Yuen Road, Kwun Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong. The pier was originally situated at Ngau Tau Kok called "Ngau Tau Kok Ferry Pier" , but during the 1960s, due to reclamation work, the pier was moved to Kwun Tong.The pier complex consists of three piers: a...
.
Residential area
The residential areas in Kwun Tong are mainly located in upper Kwun Tong, to the northeast of Kwun Tong RoadKwun Tong Road
Kwun Tong Road is a major road in Kwun Tong of New Kowloon in Hong Kong. It starts at the junction with Prince Edward Road East, Clear Water Bay Road and Lung Cheung Road in Ngau Chi Wan...
.
Location
Kwun Tong is situated at the eastern part of the Kowloon PeninsulaKowloon Peninsula
The Kowloon Peninsula is a peninsula that forms the southern part of the main landmass in the territory of Hong Kong. The Kowloon Peninsula and the area of New Kowloon are collectively known as Kowloon....
, and its boundary stretches from Lion Rock in the north to Lei Yue Mun in the south, and from the winding paths of Kowloon Peak in the east to the north coast of the Airport (Kai Tak) runway in the west.
Transport
Kwun Tong is served by the Kwun Tong Station of MTRMTR
Mass Transit Railway is the rapid transit railway system in Hong Kong. Originally opened in 1979, the system now includes 211.6 km of rail with 155 stations, including 86 railway stations and 69 light rail stops...
's Kwun Tong Line
Kwun Tong Line (MTR)
The Kwun Tong Line is one of the ten lines of the MTR network in Hong Kong. It starts at Yau Ma Tei in West Kowloon and ends at Tiu Keng Leng in Tseung Kwan O, Sai Kung. It is indicated in green on the MTR map. During the morning rush hour, the Kwun Tong Line utilises 27 trains on the tracks...
.
Roads that are serving the area include:
- Kwun Tong RoadKwun Tong RoadKwun Tong Road is a major road in Kwun Tong of New Kowloon in Hong Kong. It starts at the junction with Prince Edward Road East, Clear Water Bay Road and Lung Cheung Road in Ngau Chi Wan...
- Kwun Tong BypassKwun Tong BypassKwun Tong Bypass is an elevated bypass expressway in Kwun Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong with three lanes in each direction and a posted speed limit of 70-80 kilometres per hour. It comprises part of Route 2 and has links to Route 5 and Route 7....
- Tseung Kwan O TunnelTseung Kwan O TunnelTseung Kwan O Tunnel is a 900-metre tunnel beneath Ma Yau Tong in Hong Kong. Part of Route 7, it links Sau Mau Ping, Kwun Tong of East Kowloon and the new town of Tseung Kwan O , Sai Kung in New Territories...
Kwun Tong Pier
Kwun Tong Pier
Kwun Tong Pier is a ferry pier situated on Hoi Yuen Road, Kwun Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong. The pier was originally situated at Ngau Tau Kok called "Ngau Tau Kok Ferry Pier" , but during the 1960s, due to reclamation work, the pier was moved to Kwun Tong.The pier complex consists of three piers: a...
used to be a major transport hub for cross-harbour passengers until the opening of the MTR and the Eastern Cross Harbour Tunnel. Today ferries services to Sai Wan Ho
Sai Wan Ho
Sai Wan Ho is a primarily residential area on the northeastern shore of Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong, between Quarry Bay and Shau Kei Wan. It is part of the Eastern District, and is administered together with surrounding areas under the Eastern District Council.-Location:Sai Wan Ho is conventionally...
and North Point
North Point
North Point is a mixed-use urban area in the Eastern District of Hong Kong. It is the northernmost point of Hong Kong Island, adjacent to both Causeway Bay and Quarry Bay, and projecting toward Kowloon Bay. Fortress Hill occupies the western end of the North Point area.-History:In 1899, The...
are still available.
KMB
Kowloon Motor Bus
The Kowloon Motor Bus Company Limited , a company of the Transport International Holdings Limited, is the largest franchised bus operators in Hong Kong, and one of the largest privately owned public bus operators in the world...
bus terminus serving the area include:
- Elegance Road Bus Terminus (觀塘雅麗道巴士總站) : 95M, 13M
- Yue Man SquareYue Man SquareYue Man Square is the town centre of Kwun Tong in Kowloon of Hong Kong. It is also the commercial centre in the area.-History:In late 1950s and early 1960s, located in the town centre, the street attracted shops of various trades, like bank, jewellery, fashion, supermarket and cinema...
Bus Terminus (觀塘裕民坊巴士總站): 17, 3D, 89B, 101, 101R - Kwun Tong Ferry Pier Bus Terminus (觀塘碼頭巴士總站) : 11D, 23, 28A, 74A, 74X, 80, 80P, 80X, 83X, 93A, 268C, 269C
- Tsui Ping Road Bus Terminus (觀塘翠屏道巴士總站) : 11B, 70X, 89C
- Kwun Tong Railway Station (觀塘鐵路站巴士總站) : 16M
- New Kwun Tong Station Bus Terminus : 89, 89X
Following some recent redevelopment plans in Kwun Tong, the Yuet Wah Street Bus Terminus is about to be demolished, and the routes originally terminating there will be moved to the New Kwun Tong Station Bus Terminus and Yue Man Square Bus Terminus.