Across the border stands Chun Yeung Street Market. A unique place. It sits on the boundary between Hong Kong and Shenzhen. One side is Hong Kong. The other side is mainland China. This market wasn’t always here. In 1899 a river flowed where the market now stands. The British used the high water mark as the border. The river was shallow. It dried up before World War II. Shops sprung up along the dried riverbed. People from both sides began trading. This is how Chun Yeung Street Market began. The dried river was first named Chung Hing Street. Later it became Chun Yeung Street.
The name itself is fascinating. In Cantonese Chung means China and Ying means England or the United Kingdom. The name reflects the Second Convention of Peking. China under the Qing dynasty was forced to lease the New Territories to Britain in 1899. This treaty shaped the region’s history. It even gave its name to this market. Sha Tau Kok flourished for a time. After World War II many refugees arrived from China. The British government closed the border. The town and Chun Yeung Street Market declined.
Once Chun Yeung Street Market was a shopper’s paradise. In the 1990s when China was less open to the world Chinese tourists came to buy foreign goods. Watches clothing and jewelry were popular. But things changed in the 21st century. A new policy allowed more mainland Chinese to visit Hong Kong directly. The market’s prosperity decreased. It transformed into more of a historical sight. The PRC government even built a museum about Chun Yeung Street Market’s history. It attracts visitors keen to understand its past.
Today accessing Chun Yeung Street Market from Hong Kong isn’t easy. You need a permit. Mainland China residents can visit on organised tours. These tours used to cost money. Since 2018 it is free. You still need an appointment and you can only visit during set hours. Chun Yeung Street Market continues its unique existence. A place where history and trade meet. A place where two worlds intertwine. A place to remember a special chapter in the history of this region.