Did the smugglers ever truly conquer Customs Hill? Let’s explore this peak’s intriguing history. Here at Customs Hill, overlooking Hong Kong, the echoes of a bygone era whisper tales of tension and trade. Customs Hill, also known as 海關山, bore witness to the clash between colonial Hong Kong and communist China. This strategic point, rising 286 meters above the landscape, was a key location for the Kowloon Customs.
The Kowloon Customs, also called Xinguan (新關) or Yangguan (洋關), meaning “New Customs” and “Foreigner Customs,” played a vital role in controlling the flow of goods, particularly opium. Established by the British in 1887, the Kowloon Customs aimed to tax opium merchants and combat smuggling, a consequence of the unequal treaties that prevented the Qing Dynasty from taxing foreign merchants. After the 1898 Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory, the Lai Chi Kok branch of the Kowloon Customs lost its purpose due to the border’s northward shift to the Shenzhen River. Yet, it continued to be known as Kowloon Customs. The Qing Dynasty refused to acknowledge the new name, “New Territories,” given to the occupied land. British control over the Kowloon Customs spanned 62 years, until Shenzhen’s liberation in 1949. Over 20 checkpoints dotted the border, the highest concentration along any border in modern China, showcasing Customs Hill’s critical role in this period.