85-586: Wan Chai is located in the western part of Wan Chai District on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island , Hong Kong . It is bounded by Canal Road to the east, Arsenal Street to the west, and Bowen Road to the south. The area north of Gloucester Road is often called Wan Chai North. Wan Chai is one of the busiest commercial areas in Hong Kong with offices of many small and medium-sized companies. Wan Chai North features office towers, parks, hotels and an international conference and exhibition centre. Wan Chai
170-504: A pro-drop language : its syntax often allows either subjects or objects to be dropped when their reference is understood. Additionally, words are generally not restricted to use as certain parts of speech : many characters may function as either a noun, verb, or adjective. There is no general copula in Classical Chinese akin to how 是 ( shì ) is used in modern Standard Chinese. Characters that can sometimes function as
255-418: A system of honorifics . Many final and interrogative particles are found in Classical Chinese. Beyond differences in grammar and vocabulary, Classical Chinese can be distinguished by its literary qualities: an effort to maintain parallelism and rhythm is typical, even in prose works. Works also make extensive use of literary techniques such as allusion, which contributes to the language's brevity. Prior to
340-429: A copula in specific circumstances include 為 ( wéi ; 'make', 'do') when indicating temporary circumstances, and 曰 ( yuē ; 'say') when used in the sense of 'to be called'. Classical Chinese has more pronouns compared to the modern vernacular. In particular, whereas modern Standard Chinese has one character generally used as a first-person pronoun, Classical Chinese has several—many of which are used as part of
425-590: A direct link by road. Prior to the tunnel's opening in 1972, local drivers and pedestrians depended solely upon the Star Ferry services to cross the Victoria Harbour . Linking the main financial districts on both sides of Victoria Harbour, the tunnel carries 123,000 vehicles daily. On the other hand, the thoroughfare Queen's Road East , an extension from Queen's Road West at Kennedy Town, through Queen's Road Central at Central, Queensway at Admiralty, takes
510-462: A lunar month. The Wan Chai Khalsa Diwan Sikh Temple is the biggest Sikh temple in Hong Kong. The Asia Area Office of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , along with chapels where multiple congregations meet throughout the week, is on Gloucester Road . Wan Chai offers historical conservation sites including Old Wan Chai Post Office , Hung Shing Temple and Pak Tai Temple . Many of
595-470: A multitude of home decoration shops, bars and Mahjong centres. Wan Chai District houses a mosque , as well as cemeteries for several different faiths. Five minutes away from the noisy polluted streets is Bowen Drive, popular for jogging and walking by politicians, movie stars, and government officials. The numerous bars and strip joints in the red-light district part of Wan Chai are popular with tourists and visiting US sailors. Within this Fenwick Pier
680-617: A new fire station to be built on the land of where the arcade stood. Prior to the handover of Hong Kong, Fenwick pier was regularly visited by vessels, with numbers ranging from 37 to 99 annually. Johnston Road and Queen's Road East are the two major streets in the area. Export clothing shops line Johnston and Luard Roads predominantly. Queen's Road East has many stores selling Chinese style wooden furniture. Spring Garden Lane and Tai Wo Street are lined with stalls selling for vegetables, fruit and household items. Tai Yuen Street specialises in toys in stalls and shops. Lee Tung Street
765-621: A population of 166,695 people. It's one of the most diversed districts in Hong Kong, with 75% of the population being Chinese. The ethnic minority groups include Filipinos (9.8%) and white (4.4%). The first tunnel that crosses Victoria Harbour , the Cross-Harbour Tunnel , links the former Kellett Island , now part of Wan Chai, with Hung Hom in Kowloon . The MTR East Rail line was extended to Admiralty in 2022, passing through Wan Chai North. A new Exhibition Centre Station
850-536: A southerly route to provide an alternative east–west road link. Due to Wan Chai's early involvement in the British colonial administration, road names were often taken from previous Governors , such as Hennessy Road , and notable people (Gloucester Road, Jaffe Road, Lockhart Road, Johnston Road, Fleming Road, Luard Road, O'Brien Road, Marsh Road, Stewart Road, McGregor Street, etc.). Thoroughfares, Roads and Streets: The MTR Island line runs beneath Hennessy Road ,
935-510: A thoroughfare of the district running from west to east. This church building became the landmark of the district. In 1998, this building was demolished and replaced by a 23-storey building. During the Japanese occupation in the early 1940s, many bombardments took place in Wan Chai. There were abundant incidences of cannibalism , starvation , torture and abuses of the local population by
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#17327653842931020-504: A thoroughfare, in the locality. Due to the large size of Wan Chai, more than 50 entry/exit gates and 8 entrances/exits are set up. An extension project was carried out in the early 2000s; it created two additional entrances/exits, one of which connects to the footbridge network from the Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Centre to the station. Then this footbridge is also interconnected with covered corridor of buildings along
1105-466: Is a higher education institution that trains musicians, performers, actors and dancers, as well as a public venue for drama, concerts, dance, and musicals productions. Every year the academy produces a number of Broadway musicals , including Singin' in the Rain , Saturday Night Fever , and Annie . The Arts Centre, just opposite to the academy, houses a studio theatre, art galleries, rehearsal rooms,
1190-502: Is a typically Taoist temple. Inside, there are Buddhist Kwun Yum chapels next to the main altar. People coming to worship Hung Shing Ye could also burn joss sticks to Kwun Yum as well. Villain hitting is another blended ceremony, combining in different proportions Confucianism , Taoism , and folk religion . Some old female "psychics" perform this ancient ceremony under the Canal Road Flyover in particular days of
1275-414: Is also well known for its famous night life which has evolved over decades. As one of the first areas developed in Hong Kong, the locale is densely populated yet with noticeable residential zones facing urban decay . Arousing considerable public concern, the government has undertaken several urban renewal projects in recent years. There are various landmarks and skyscrapers within the area, most notably
1360-479: Is assumed by the District Officer start from 2023. Today Wan Chai is sometimes described as the heart of the city , representing the epitome of the Hong Kong lifestyle – it has a well-established arts centre, the large exhibition and conference complexes, luxury apartments, five-star and non-five-star hotels, shopping malls, metropolitan office towers and a large government building cluster. It has
1445-838: Is far more common in Chinese languages than in English: for example, each of the following words had a distinct Old Chinese pronunciation, but are now perfectly homophones with a pronunciation of yì [î] in Standard Chinese: The poem Lion-Eating Poet in the Stone Den was composed during the 1930s by the linguist Yuen Ren Chao to demonstrate this: it contains only words pronounced shi [ʂɻ̩] with various tones in modern Standard Chinese. The poem underlines how language had become impractical for modern speakers: when spoken aloud, Literary Chinese
1530-568: Is largely incomprehensible. However, the poem is perfectly comprehensible when read, and also uses homophones that were present even in Old Chinese. Romanizations have been devised to provide distinct spellings for Literary Chinese words, together with pronunciation rules for various modern varieties. The earliest was the Romanisation Interdialectique by French missionaries Henri Lamasse [ fr ] of
1615-785: Is located at the Wan Chai Police District Headquarters, 1 Arsenal Street. within the Hong Kong Police Headquarters Compound. Maggie Farley of the Los Angeles Times said in 1996, referring to the then Wan Chai Police Station , that the police headquarters was "a stolid, whitewashed building with square pillars and breezy verandas". Esquel Group has its head office in Harbour Centre [ zh ] (海港中心), Wan Chai. Jademan (now Culturecom )
1700-602: Is loosely that surrounding Tonnochy Road and the Wan Chai station of the MTR , which is between Admiralty on the west and Causeway Bay on the east. Wan Chai North , where major buildings such as the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and Central Plaza stand, refers to the zone north of Gloucester Road , reclaimed from the sea after the 1970s. The broader administrative "Wan Chai District" includes
1785-597: Is not read with a reconstructed Old Chinese pronunciation; instead, it is read with the pronunciations as categorized and listed in a rime dictionary originally based upon the Middle Chinese pronunciation in Luoyang between the 2nd and 4th centuries. Over time, each dynasty updated and modified the official rime dictionary: by the time of the Yuan and Ming dynasties , its phonology reflected that of early Mandarin. As
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#17327653842931870-480: Is now more diverse with bars, pubs, restaurants and discos . A number of the raunchier bars still remain, however, their doorways festooned with women from Thailand and the Philippines . The famous novel and film The World of Suzie Wong sets many scenes in this area. The bar district has been popular with visiting sailors and navies, when Fenwick Pier, west of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre ,
1955-466: Is on scenic Bowen Road . The House of Trousers is a household belonging to one Mr Trousers who is beacon to all who refuse to leave the "Wan Chai Bubble". Tai Yuen Street is called 'Toy Street' as this street has a lot of toy shops. According to a household survey by the Census and Statistics Department, the median household income is the second highest of Hong Kong. As of 2021, the district has
2040-489: Is one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong . Of the four on Hong Kong Island , it is north-central, and had 166,695 residents in 2021, an increase from 152,608 residents in 2011. The district has the second-highest educationally qualified residents with the highest-bracket incomes, the second-lowest population and the third-oldest quotient. It is a relatively affluent district, with one in five persons having liquid assets of more than HKD 1 million. The area known as Wan Chai
2125-678: Is the sole ferry operator in the area. Frequent services cross the Victoria Harbour from HKCEC , Wan Chai to the Cultural Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui . In light of more convenient and competitive cross-harbour public transportation, the Star Ferry continues to provide an inexpensive option to local commuters. Numerous shipping companies, such as the Anglo-Eastern Group , also have their headquarters in Wan Chai. Wan Chai's Gloucester Road , an east–west trunk route along
2210-532: The Book of Han (111 CE) is the oldest extant bibliography of Classical Chinese, compiled c. 90 CE ; only 6% of its 653 listed works are known to exist in a complete form, with another 6% existing only in fragments. Compared to written vernacular Chinese, Classical Chinese is terse and compact in its style, and uses some different vocabulary. Classical Chinese rarely uses words two or more characters in length. Classical Chinese can be described as
2295-642: The Guinness Book of World Records . The sticker pictures on 50 poles of the bridge have been colloquially called the "50 landscapes of Wan Chai" ( 灣仔五十景 ). Lovers' Rock reclines on the hillside of Bowen Road near Shiu Fai Terrace , mid-levels Wan Chai. The rock received its name since it resembles a small, thin column sticking out of the rock base. This special-looking rock is said to have granted happy marriages to its devoted worshippers. Many people are attracted by its reputation. Throughout Wan Chai's history, construction styles have changed according to
2380-517: The 1950s , the pro-Communist underground cell network Hailiushe (海流社) established their headquarters at the rooftop of a multi-story house on Spring Garden Lane . This group was successfully raided by the Hong Kong police . Prostitution had been one of the oldest occupations in Wan Chai. There are numerous historical accounts of women trading sexual services for western merchandise, especially with sailors from trading ships visiting this area. In
2465-662: The 1960s , Wan Chai became legendary for its exotic night life , especially for the US servicemen resting there during the War in Vietnam . Despite rapid changes of Wan Chai's demography due to reclamation and redevelopment, the presence of sex workers operating among ordinary residential areas has continued to be a distinctive feature. Some of the lifestyle was illustrated in past movies such as The World of Suzie Wong . Wan Chai's HKCEC has been home to major political and economic events. It
2550-468: The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), Central Plaza and Hopewell Centre . Wan Chai originally began as Ha Wan ( 下環 ), literally meaning "a bottom ring" or "lower circuit". As one of the earliest developed areas in Hong Kong along the Victoria Harbour , Central ("centre ring" in Chinese), Sheung Wan ("upper ring"), Sai Wan ("western ring") and Wan Chai are collectively known as
2635-622: The Legislative Council of Hong Kong . The next reclamation project in Wan Chai was the Praya East Reclamation Scheme . The coastline was extended to today's Gloucester Road. The reclamation after World War II from 1965 to 1972 pushed the coastline further out to the areas around Convention Avenue and the Wan Chai Pier . The 1990s Wan Chai Development project added additional land, on which
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2720-577: The Old Chinese words in the Classical lexicon, many cognates can still be found. There is no universal agreement on the definition of "Classical Chinese". At its core, the term refers to the language used by the classics of Chinese literature roughly from the 5th century BCE to the end of the Han dynasty (202 BCE – 220 CE). The form of Chinese used in works written before
2805-852: The Urban Renewal Authority can compensate enough to put them in a new space of equal size. Other concerns involve the loss of building character that make up part of that Hong Kong cultural identity . After the completion of the Central and Wan Chai Reclamation Feasibility Study in 1989, the Land Development Policy Committee endorsed the idea of an ongoing series of reclamation. The reclamation comprises three discrete development areas to be aligned by public parks, namely, Central, Tamar and Exhibition. The urban development of each cell would be further divided into five subsequent phases. As of 2014, reclamation for
2890-464: The four rings ( 四環 ) by the locals. Wan Chai literally means "a cove" in Cantonese from the shape of its coastal line, however, due to drastic city development and continual land reclamation , the area is no longer a cove. Wan Chai was the first home to many Chinese villagers living along the undisturbed coastlines in proximity to Hung Shing Temple . Most of them were fishermen, who worked around
2975-545: The imperial examination system required the candidate to compose poetry in the shi genre, pronunciation in non-Mandarin speaking parts of China such as Zhejiang , Guangdong and Fujian is either based on everyday speech, such as in Standard Cantonese , or is based on a special set of pronunciations borrowed from Classical Chinese, such as in Southern Min . In practice, all varieties of Chinese combine
3060-467: The written Chinese used in these works was imitated and iterated upon by scholars in a form now called Literary Chinese , which was used for almost all formal writing in China until the early 20th century. Each written character corresponds to a single spoken syllable, and almost always to a single independent word. As a result, the characteristic style of the language is comparatively terse. Starting in
3145-609: The 2nd century CE, use of Literary Chinese spread to the countries surrounding China, including Vietnam , Korea , Japan , and the Ryukyu Islands , where it represented the only known form of writing. Literary Chinese was adopted as the language of civil administration in these countries, creating what is known as the Sinosphere . Each additionally developed systems of readings and annotations that enabled non-Chinese speakers to interpret Literary Chinese texts in terms of
3230-591: The 4th century BCE, like the Five Classics , is distinct from that found in later works. The term "pre-Classical Chinese" is used to distinguish this earlier form from Classical Chinese proper, as it did not inspire later imitation to a comparable degree despite the works' equal importance in the canon. After the Han dynasty, the divergence of spoken language from the literary form became increasingly apparent. The term "Literary Chinese" has been coined to refer to
3315-692: The Central area has been completed: the area is largely taken by the new government offices and the Legislative Council of Hong Kong (its old building in the heart of Central has been reverted to its original use as the Supreme Court). The Hong Kong Immigration Department has its headquarters at the Immigration Tower in Wan Chai. The Hong Kong Police Force operates from the Wan Chai District; their headquarters
3400-520: The Fleet Arcade hosted the only McDonald's that served alcohol and pizza in Hong Kong until 2004 when it was closed; its replacement was an up-market restaurant. Benches of the McDonald's were however left behind at the lobby of the arcade. Fenwick Pier was landlocked since 2016 following reclamation by the government, and was closed and handed back to the government on 11 February 2022, with
3485-483: The Goethe-Institut and a restaurant overlooking the Victoria Harbour . The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), a HK$ 4.8 billion convention centre with an extension completed in 1997, covers over 16 acres (65,000 m) of newly reclaimed land that added an extra 38,000 m of functional space to the existing convention centre. It remains a venue for international trade fairs, some of which are among
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3570-510: The Japanese readings of Literary Chinese, is part of the high school curriculum in Japan. Japan is the only country that maintains the tradition of creating Literary Chinese poetry based on Tang-era tone patterns . Chinese characters are not phonetic and rarely reflect later sound changes in words. Efforts to reconstruct Old Chinese pronunciation began relatively recently. Literary Chinese
3655-451: The Japanese soldiers, including the illegal use of child labour. Senior residents could recall vividly how they survived the hardships: this oral history became an important, first-hand source of the harsh living conditions in Hong Kong under the Japanese period. The Dunmei school was closed during the Japanese occupation period. After the war, the school continued to provide Chinese education for children from families of higher income. During
3740-573: The Metropark Hotel Wanchai were quarantined, suspected of being infected or in contact with the H1N1 virus during the 2009 swine flu pandemic . A 25-year-old Mexican man who had stayed at the hotel was later found to have the viral infection. He had travelled to Hong Kong from Mexico via Shanghai. The district council of Wan Chai consists of 10 councillors, with 2 directly elected, 4 indirectly elected and 2 appointed. Chairmanship
3825-493: The Metropark Hotel in Wan Chai were quarantined, suspected of being infected or in contact with the H1N1 virus during the global outbreak of swine flu . A 25-year-old Mexican man who had stayed at the hotel was later found to have caught the viral infection. He had traveled to Hong Kong from Mexico via Shanghai. Wan Chai's coastline has been extended outwards after a series of land reclamation schemes. Early in 1841,
3910-589: The Victoria Harbour, and ends up at Wan Chai Pier. The East Rail line was extended from Hung Hom to Admiralty in 2022 as part of the Shatin to Central Link project, with a newly built station near the Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Centre. Its exits connect to the footbridge network in Wan Chai North which also leads back to Wan Chai station. Tram services run between Shau Kei Wan on
3995-431: The architectural movement at the time. In the 1950s and 1960s , an increasing number of girlie bars and nightclubs were opened in the red-light district by Jaffe and Lockhart Road . The establishments entertained visiting sailors landing at Fenwick Pier . Beyond Gloucester Road is the commercial area developed in the late 1970s and 1980s, a time at which Hong Kong underwent economic development at full speed. At
4080-581: The area near Hung Shing Temple overlooking the entire harbour. Hung Shing Ye , the God of the Sea, was one of the deities worshiped by the locals. With the growth of the British Hong Kong administration, centred in old Victoria (modern Central), Wan Chai attracted those on the fringes of society, such as "coolie" workers, who came to live on Queen's Road East . A focal point of development at that time
4165-521: The areas of Wan Chai , Wan Chai North , Causeway Bay , Happy Valley , Jardine's Lookout , Stubbs Road , Wong Nai Chung Gap and Tai Hang . The ceremony of the handover of Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China was performed in the then new wing of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai North. In May 2009, 300 guests and staff members at
4250-536: The biggest in the world: the annual Hong Kong Book Fair in July, food fair and festival, technology exhibitions, and cosplay competitions. The area towards the western end of Lockhart Road , including a small part of the parallel Jaffe Road , is one of Hong Kong island's two main bar districts (the other being the more upmarket Lan Kwai Fong in Central). Once considered primarily as a red light district , this area
4335-536: The coastline was located at Queen's Road East (the area of Spring Gardens and Ship Street). The first reclamation took place and new land was sold to Minister of Foreign Affairs of the British Colony. The project was privately funded and the government did not take part. Soon after, in 1858, the Minister and his salesmen sold the land back to the Chinese after Sir Robert Brown Black was named President of
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#17327653842934420-665: The current HKCEC stands today. Wan Chai is a major hub of foreign and Chinese cultural institutions in Hong Kong. It is home to the French Alliance Francaise , German Goethe-Institut and the British Council (until 2001). Near the waterfront, there are the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and Hong Kong Arts Centre , two of the most popular venues for theatrical and cultural performances in Hong Kong. The Academy for Performing Arts
4505-400: The entire playground is used for carnival fairs, three-player drill basketball contests and hip hop dance competitions. Wan Chai's places of worship represent Buddhism , Taoism , Catholicism , Protestantism , Christianity, Mormonism , Sikhism , and Islam . Despite the wide variety, many religious structures are located in close proximity to each other. Hung Shing Temple , for example,
4590-772: The extremely laconic style. Presently, pure Literary Chinese is occasionally used in formal or ceremonial contexts. For example, the National Anthem of the Republic of China is in Literary Chinese. Buddhist texts in Literary Chinese are still preserved from the time they were composed or translated from Sanskrit. In practice there is a socially accepted continuum between vernacular and Literary Chinese. For example, most official notices and formal letters use stock literary expressions within vernacular prose. Personal use of Classical phrases depends on factors such as
4675-732: The first waterfront hospitals was the Seaman's Hospital , built in 1843, which was funded by the British merchant group Jardine's. It was then sold to the British Royal Navy in 1873 and subsequently redeveloped into the Royal Naval Hospital . After the Second World War , the hospital was revitalised as the Ruttonjee Hospital and became one of the main public hospitals in Hong Kong. The district
4760-631: The front of their minibus windshields. Wan Chai is in Primary One Admission (POA) School Net 12. Within the school net are multiple aided schools (operated independently but funded with government money) and the following government schools: Hennessy Road Government Primary School ( Chinese : 軒尼詩道官立小學 ) and Sir Ellis Kadoorie ( Sookunpo ) Primary School ( Chinese : 官立嘉道理爵士小學 ). 22°16′47″N 114°10′18″E / 22.27972°N 114.17167°E / 22.27972; 114.17167 Wan Chai District Wan Chai District
4845-632: The historical literary use of Latin in Europe, that of Arabic in Persia , or that of Sanskrit in South and Southeast Asia. However, unlike these examples, written Chinese uses a logography of Chinese characters that are not directly tied to their pronunciation. This lack of a fixed correspondence between writing and reading created a situation where later readings of Classical Chinese texts were able to diverge much further from their originals than occurred in
4930-541: The historical records of all non- Qin states to be burned, along with any literature associated with the Hundred Schools of Thought . The imperial library was destroyed upon the dynasty's collapse in 206 BCE, resulting in a potentially greater loss. Even works from the Classical period that have survived are not known to exist in their original forms, and are attested only in manuscripts copied centuries after their original composition. The " Yiwenzhi " section of
5015-476: The kanji represents a native word such as the reading of 行 in 行く ( iku ) or the reading of both characters in " Osaka " ( 大阪 ), as well as a system that aids Japanese speakers with a Classical word order. As pronunciation in modern varieties is different from Old Chinese as well as other historical forms such as Middle Chinese , characters that once rhymed may not any longer, or vice versa. Poetry and other rhyme-based writing thus becomes less coherent than
5100-412: The later forms of written Chinese in conscious imitation of the classics, with sinologists generally emphasizing distinctions such as the gradual addition of new vocabulary and the erosion of certain points of Classical grammar as their functions were forgotten. Literary Chinese was used in almost all formal and personal writing in China from the end of the Han dynasty until the early 20th century, when it
5185-565: The laws of Taiwan are still written in a subset of Literary Chinese. As a result, it is necessary for modern Taiwanese lawyers to learn at least a subset of the literary language. Many works of literature in Classical and Literary Chinese have been highly influential in Chinese culture, such as the canon of Tang poetry . However, even with knowledge of its grammar and vocabulary, works in Literary Chinese can be difficult for native vernacular speakers to understand, due to its frequent allusions and references to other historical literature, as well as
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#17327653842935270-520: The literary revolution in China that began with the 1919 May Fourth Movement , prominent examples of vernacular Chinese literature include the 18th-century novel Dream of the Red Chamber . Most government documents in the Republic of China were written in Literary Chinese until reforms spearheaded by President Yen Chia-kan in the 1970s to shift to written vernacular Chinese. However, most of
5355-676: The local vernacular. While not static throughout its history, its evolution has traditionally been guided by a conservative impulse: many later changes in the varieties of Chinese are not reflected in the literary form. Due to millennia of this evolution, Literary Chinese is only partially intelligible when read or spoken aloud for someone only familiar with modern vernacular forms. Literary Chinese has largely been replaced by written vernacular Chinese among Chinese speakers; speakers of non-Chinese languages have similarly abandoned Literary Chinese in favour of their own local vernaculars. Although varieties of Chinese have diverged in various directions from
5440-401: The location of the flag-raising ceremony which occurs daily and in a special form on Chinese National Day and other occasions. Notable skyscrapers include: The Old Wan Chai Post Office is a declared monument . There is also a Police Museum near the junction of Stubbs Road and Peak Road. The Stubbs Road Lookout is a viewing point of the Victoria Harbour . The famous Lovers' Stone
5525-422: The medium-sized shopping centres are named in numerals, such as Oriental 188, 328, and 298 Computer Centre. These numbers might have come from the earlier days when all prostitution houses were numbered, as they were referred to as "big numbers" ( 大冧巴 , dai lum bah ). There are many commercial complexes and office skyscrapers in Wan Chai. The HK$ 4.4 billion 78-storey skyscraper Central Plaza currently stands as
5610-419: The network's extreme south. More recent tourist attractions include the Golden Bauhinia Square , the site of a daily flag-rising ceremony. This ceremony is enhanced on 1 July ( Handover of Hong Kong ) and 1 October ( National Day of China ). A 3-storey pergola exhibition is built opposite to Li Chit Garden . Tai Fat Hau footbridge also holds an art display of the fingerprints of 30,000 citizens slated for
5695-488: The northeastern part of the island and Kennedy Town on the west, with a circular branch serving Happy Valley and the Happy Valley Racecourse. The tram route runs across Johnston Road and Hennessy Road . Most buses travel in Wan Chai from Admiralty to Causeway Bay via Hennessy Road or, in the opposite direction, Johnston Road and Gloucester Road. Red taxi (urban) services are available to hire in Wan Chai. These can be pre-booked by telephone; however, hailing on
5780-410: The northern coast, is connected to Cross-Harbour Tunnel , the first undersea tunnel in Hong Kong. This tunnel is connected to the south by a direct viaduct from its landing point on Hong Kong Island to the Aberdeen Tunnel towards the southern coast. Connecting Hong Kong Island at Kellett Island (the site of the Royal Navy Club) to a reclaimed site at Hung Hom Bay in Kowloon , this tunnel provides
5865-546: The original reading must have been. However, some modern Chinese varieties have certain phonological characteristics that are closer to the older pronunciations than others, as shown by the preservation of certain rhyme structures. Another particular characteristic of Literary Chinese is its present homophony . Reading Classical texts with character pronunciations from modern languages results in many homophonous characters that originally had distinct Old Chinese pronunciations, but have since merged to varying degrees. This phenomenon
5950-481: The other literary traditions, adding a unique dimension to the study of Literary Chinese. Literary Chinese was adopted in Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. The Oxford Handbook of Classical Chinese Literature states that this adoption came mainly from diplomatic and cultural ties with China, while conquest, colonization, and migration played smaller roles. Unlike Latin and Sanskrit, historical Chinese language theory consisted almost exclusively of lexicography , as opposed to
6035-448: The same time, buildings like the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts , HKCEC , and Central Plaza were constructed on the newly reclaimed land. Skyscrapers in Wan Chai include: Many of Wan Chai's older buildings now face a serious problem of urban decay . To tackle the problem, the government has launched a series of urban renewal projects to bring new life into the area. Many local residents have relocation worries such as whether
6120-412: The school curriculum is taught primarily by presenting a literary work and including a vernacular gloss that explains the meaning of phrases. The examinations usually require the student to read a paragraph in Literary Chinese and then explain its meaning in the vernacular. Contemporary use of Literary Chinese in Japan is mainly in the field of education and the study of literature. Learning kanbun ,
6205-700: The street is a more common way of getting a taxicab. Vehicles that carry a green plate at the front of their cars are able to carry passengers across the Victoria Harbour to Kowloon. There are, however, areas with restricted kerbs and designated pick-up and drop-off points in the area. There are two types of minibuses in Wan Chai, the green minibus and the red minibus. In general, green minibuses operate on scheduled service with fixed routes and published fares. Red minibuses run with government licence but on non-scheduled services, casually connecting regular travellers and commuters to specific urban areas across Hong Kong Island . Drivers of red minibuses will display fares in
6290-515: The study of grammar and syntax. Such approaches largely arrived with Europeans beginning in the 17th century. Christian missionaries later coined the term 文理 ( wénlǐ ; 'principles of literature', 'bookish language') to describe Classical Chinese; this term never became widely used among domestic speakers. According to the traditional " burning of books and burying of scholars " account, in 213 BCE Qin Shi Huang ordered
6375-445: The subject matter and the level of education of the writer. Excepting professional scholars and enthusiasts, most modern writers cannot easily write in Literary Chinese. Even so, most Chinese people with at least a middle school education are able to read basic Literary Chinese, because this ability is part of the Chinese middle school and high school curricula, and is a component of the college entrance examination. Literary Chinese in
6460-436: The third tallest building in Hong Kong. Small but free art exhibitions used to be held on the second floor all year round, whereas the first floor connects Wan Chai's footbridge network: the Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Centre at the network's extreme north, Wan Chai Pier , China Building, Harbour Centre, Central Plaza, Immigration Department Tower, Wan Chai Court, Wan Chai MTR station and Johnston Road (the tram line) at
6545-676: The two extremes of pronunciation: that according to a prescribed system, versus that based on everyday speech. Mandarin and Cantonese, for example, also have words that are pronounced one way in colloquial usage and another way when used in Literary Chinese or in specialized terms coming from Literary Chinese, though the system is not as extensive as that of Min or Wu . Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese readers of Literary Chinese each use distinct systems of pronunciation specific to their own languages. Japanese speakers have readings of Chinese origin called on'yomi for many words, such as for "ginko" ( 銀行 ) or "Tokyo" ( 東京 ), but use kun'yomi when
6630-499: Was Spring Gardens , a red-light zone . By the 1850s, the area was already becoming a Chinese residential area. There were dockyards on Ship Street and McGregor Street for building and repairing ships. The edge of Sun Street , Moon Street and Star Street was the original site of the first power station in Hong Kong, operated by the Hongkong Electric Company , which began supplying power in 1890. One of
6715-570: Was built near the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre , and a new cross-harbour tunnel was built to connect this new station to the new East Rail line platform in Hung Hom . The Star Ferry operates a ferry route from Wan Chai Pier near Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre to Tsim Sha Tsui . Classical Chinese Classical Chinese is the language in which the classics of Chinese literature were written, from c. the 5th century BCE . For millennia thereafter,
6800-552: Was formerly headquartered in Harbour Centre. Geographically, Wan Chai is the crossing point between the Central and Western District ( West Point / Central ), and the Eastern ( Causeway Bay / North Point ) district. Its thoroughfares connect the main developed areas along the northern coast of Hong Kong Island . The transport infrastructure is efficient, convenient and highly accessible. The Star Ferry at Wan Chai Pier
6885-527: Was home to several well-known schools. One of these schools was established by the famous traditional teacher, Mo Dunmei ( 莫敦梅 ). Started as a shushu ( 書塾 ) in 1919, the school was renamed Dunmei School ( 敦梅學校 ) in 1934 after him. It taught classical Chinese writings and Confucian ethics. In 1936, the Chinese Methodist Church ( 香港基督教循道衛理教會 ) moved its building from Caine Road, Mid-levels Central, to Hennessy Road ( 軒尼詩道 ), Wanchai,
6970-404: Was in the 2010s converted into a Lee Tung Avenue zone of luxurious residential apartments, shopping, restaurants and bars. Next to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre is the " Golden Bauhinia Square ". There is a huge sculpture of a bauhinia , which is the representative flower of Hong Kong, in the square. This is a popular tourist spot in Hong Kong for mainland visitors and also
7055-709: Was in use as a military pier. Southorn Playground on Johnston Road (the tram line) is a meeting place for the locals in Wan Chai, particularly the senior residents. During the prime years of the British colonial administration, coolie workers would convene at the playground in the morning to await employment opportunities. In the evening, the playground became an open-air pitch where people sold food, performed magic and kung fu . Some of those trademark activities still exist through today: senior citizens socialise and play Chinese chess , young people at school play football and basketball , ad-hoc street basketball games that attract flocks of spectators and players. Occasionally,
7140-607: Was largely replaced by written vernacular Chinese . A distinct, narrower definition of the Classical period begins with the life of Confucius (551–479 BCE) and ends with the founding of the Qin dynasty in 221 BCE. The adoption of Chinese literary culture in the Sinosphere amid the existence of various regional vernaculars is an example of diglossia . The coexistence of Literary Chinese and native languages throughout China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam can be compared to
7225-399: Was the site of the Hong Kong handover ceremony in 1997, in which the last governor of Hong Kong, Chris Patten , formally concluded the British chapter and transferred Hong Kong to China . The WTO Ministerial Conference in 2005 was also one of the largest international events hosted in Hong Kong, with delegates from 148 countries participating. In May 2009, 300 guests and staff members at
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