“Cow head corner” is what Ngau Tau Kok means in Chinese. Before Kowloon Bay was reclaimed, Ngau Tau Kok’s coastline resembled an ox horn.
Today we explore Kei Tau Kok Teng. This peak offers a different perspective of Hong Kong. It is a place where history meets modern life. Kei Tau Kok Teng represents resilience.
Ngau Tau Kok has a population exceeding 210000. It is largely a residential area in eastern Kowloon. It lies north of Kwun Tong District. It stretches east to Kowloon Bay. Ngau Tau Kok includes two hills. These are Jordan Valley and Crocodile Hill. About half of the residential blocks are located there.
Do you know about Crocodile Hill? This is a quiet residential area. It is encircled by Kung Lok Road. Kung Lok Road has residential blocks. It is home to two parks. These are Kung Lok Road Playground and Kung Lok Road Children’s Playground. The Urban Council completed these parks in 1988. Kung Lok Road also houses Mu Kuang English School. Elsie Elliot founded this school. Hong Lee Road leads to St Catharine’s School for Girls. This school was founded in 1968. It is located at the summit.
Close to Lower Ngau Tau Kok Estate lies an area known for street food. You can find congee noodles here. Other traditional Cantonese cuisine is available. In summer Ngau Tau Kok hosts religious ceremonies. These celebrate the Yu-lan festival. This festival comes from Chinese ghost tales.
Kei Tau Kok Teng has witnessed history. Ngau Tau Kok has a long history of Hakka inhabitants. It was one of the “Four hills of Kowloon” in early colonial days. Granite was extracted here. The granite went to Victoria City and Canton City. It was used for construction.
In 1911 the population was 440. Most were males.
Before residential development Ngau Tau Kok was industrial. Amoy Food had a soy sauce factory here. Later Amoy Gardens was constructed on the factory site.
There was a SARS outbreak in the spring of 2003. Amoy Gardens was severely impacted.
In April 2006 an underground explosion occurred. It damaged Wai King Building. Gas leakage caused it.
In 2016 the Amoycan Industrial Centre fire took place. Two firemen died.
Major roads in Ngau Tau Kok include Choi Ha Road and Kwun Tong Road. The Ngau Tau Kok station is near Kwun Tong. Both stations are on the Kwun Tong line. Kai Tak Airport was located next door. It has been converted into a cruise terminal.
From Kei Tau Kok Teng think about the past. This area has transformed over time. Now it is a bustling part of Hong Kong.