From “Shallow Bay” to Tsuen Wan
Although the New Territories is no stranger to deeply rooted local triads, Tsuen Wan is largely perceived as a peaceful and liveable neighbourhood for middle-class households, according to Chan.
Her pride in the town’s abundant public facilities and leisure venues is well-founded. Back in 1961, Tsuen Wan was the first to
be developed under the British colonial government's New Town project, aiming at dispersing the city’s booming population in Kowloon and Hong Kong Island to the New Territories.
Anti-government protesters march from Kwai Chung Sports Ground to Tsuen Wan Park on August 25. Photo: Dickson Lee
Infrastructure such as two MTR lines, motorways, ports and public housing was established in the following decades. With notably long pedestrian overpasses connecting the MTR stations and shopping malls, Tsuen Wan has earned the name “the overpass town”.
Land reclamation was also a major element in urban development. To date, a total of 140 hectares of land has been reclaimed from the sea in Tsuen Wan and Kwai Chung.
These efforts have greatly changed Tsuen Wan’s image from earlier times, when the town was seen as a land of scarcity by authorities and Hongkongers. The first historical record of residents in the area dates from 1649, which was then called “Tsin Wan”, i.e. “Shallow Bay” in Cantonese.
Demonstrators smash a mahjong shop during protests in Tsuen Wan on August 25. Photo: AP
In the 20th century, a local scholar changed “Tsin” into “Tsuen”, meaning herb or fishing gear in ancient Chinese. Despite having a more elegant name, the town still repelled outsiders due to the prevalence of pirates and malaria.
There was even a popular saying among merchants: “Want to get rich? Go to San Francisco; Want to get killed? Go to Tsuen Wan” .
When the British took over the New Territories in 1898, the town had about 3,000 residents. Now its population has grown to more than 300,000, 93 per cent of those ethnic Chinese, according to government statistics from 2016.
What are the local charms?
With most factories having moved to mainland China, Tsuen Wan is now left with empty industrial buildings that residents seldom visit. The Urban Renewal Authority began to rejuvenate the town in the late 2000s, an initiative that has been largely successful.
One of the iconic projects is The Mills, a previously disused cluster of cotton mills that was transformed into a complex of art and exhibition centres, along with fashionable cafes and shops. It was reopened last December after four years of refurbishment.
Police clash with extradition bill protesters in Tsuen Wan on August 25. Photo: Reuters
“It’s like the second PMQ,” Chan says. “People from other areas used to come to Tsuen Wan for food, but now more youngsters are visiting here to check out places like The Mills.”
For another resident Lee, some of her best memories in the neighbourhood are associated with Tsuen Wan Town Hall, a government-managed venue built in 1980 that hosts plays and exhibitions. “It’s our own Romerberg, where locals meet up and just chill,” she says.
“The kai fong [townspeople] here like to talk about things related to livelihood, such as which schools are better. We don’t care that much about politics,” Lee adds.
“I used to think we lived in our own bubble. But now the protests are changing everything.”
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