Villages on Hong Kong Island – Wong Nai Chung Village

A lot of old villages in Hong Kong Island had already been demolished before the war started.

On Hong Kong Island there was a stream called Wong Nai Chung. Next to the stream was a village, which was called Wong Nai Chung Village. In the ancient times the village lived the Ng and Yip lineages. They drank from the well and grew vegetables in the fields scattered around the valley.

The proposal to develop Wong Nai Chung into a commercial district was objected by local businessmen on the grounds of bad Feng Shui. Besides, a lot of foreigners fell ill after moving into the valley. The Government then took over some farmland in the name of poor sanitary condition. A racecourse was then constructed over the farmland. Besides, the Government set aside a piece of land for a cemetery, from then on Wong Nai Chung Valley gained a new moniker: Happy Valley.

The final moment of Wong Nai Chung Village came in 1923, when Hong Kong suffered from a storm and torrential rain for days, and the resulting flash flood destroyed many houses in the village. The Government took the chance to seize the region for turning into a residential area. New roads had since been constructed over the area of Wong Nai Chung Village, such as Wong Nai Chung Road, King Kwong Street and Yuk Sau Street.