Once a village now an industrial and residential area San Po Kong holds many stories. Today we explore San Po Kong. We will uncover its transformation and the events that shaped it.
San Po Kong is in New Kowloon in Hong Kong. It is south of Wong Tai Sin and Diamond Hill. Ngau Chai Wan is to its west. It is within Wong Tai Sin District. Choi Hung Road and Prince Edward Road East border the area.
Let’s jump back in time. San Po Kong was once Po Kong Village. In 1943 the Japanese destroyed it. San Po Kong became its replacement. The village had terraced houses. A small forest grew on a hill. During World War II the Japanese leveled part of the hill. They were extending the Kai Tak runway. Today the Choi Hung Road Playground sits on the old village hill. Street names like Po Kong Village Road remind us of the past.
In 1916 Ho Kai and Au Tak reclaimed land south of San Po Kong. They planned a garden estate. By 1927 the reclamation was complete. It became known as Kai Tak Bund. The company ran out of money. The Hong Kong Government bought back the land. The Royal Air Force needed it. It would also become Kai Tak Aerodrome. By the late 1930s the airport expanded significantly. It took up all of San Po Kong. Clear Water Bay Road now part of Choi Hung Road was built around the airport. During the Japanese occupation over 20 villages around San Po Kong were destroyed. This made way for further airport expansion.
Interestingly part of the old runway became Tseuk Luk Street. Its name is a pun on the Cantonese word for landing.
In 1958 the airport moved south. It shifted from San Po Kong to Kowloon Bay. At that time Prince Edward Road East was completed. San Po Kong transformed into an industrial area. Many high-rise buildings arose. In the early 1960s the government created the San Po Kong Factory Estate. It was for small manufacturing businesses.
In May 1967 a labor dispute occurred. It was in a factory making artificial flowers. This sparked the 1967 riots. They lasted until October. Public bus services stopped. Workers walked to commute.
Many San Po Kong manufacturing businesses relocated to China in the 1980s. The industrial buildings became offices and godowns.
Today San Po Kong has many facilities. Mikiki is a popular shopping mall. The Choi Hung Road Playground is a place for recreation. Rhythm Garden provides housing. Ho Lap College and Ng Wah Catholic Secondary School offer education. For transport Wong Tai Sin Diamond Hill and Kai Tak stations serve San Po Kong. They are all on the MTR.
San Po Kong is more than an industrial area. It is a place with a past. It is a place of constant change. Its history is a reminder of Hong Kong’s evolution.