North Point is a mixed-use urban area in the
Eastern District of Hong Kong. Located in the northeastern part of
Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island is an island in the southern part of Hong Kong. Known colloquially and on road signs simply as Hong Kong, the island has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km2, . The island had a population of a ...
, the area is named after a cape between
Causeway Bay
Causeway Bay is an area and a bay on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong, straddling the border of the Eastern and the Wan Chai districts. It is a major shopping, leisure and cultural centre in Hong Kong, with a number of major shopping centres. Th ...
and
Tsat Tsz Mui that projects toward
Kowloon Bay.
Location
North Point is bounded by Oil Street () to the west and by Tin Chiu Street () to the east, by
Victoria Harbour
Victoria Harbour is a natural landform harbor, harbour in Hong Kong separating Hong Kong Island in the south from the Kowloon Peninsula to the north. The harbour's deep, sheltered waters and strategic location on South China Sea were instrume ...
to the north and
Braemar Hill to the southeast.
Causeway Bay
Causeway Bay is an area and a bay on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong, straddling the border of the Eastern and the Wan Chai districts. It is a major shopping, leisure and cultural centre in Hong Kong, with a number of major shopping centres. Th ...
neighbourhood lies west of North Point, while the
Tsat Tsz Mui is east of North Point.
History
Parts of North Point have been inhabited since before
the British arrived in the mid-19th century. The Metropole Hotel was built in 1899 and was used until 1906. In 1919, the
Hongkong Electric Company
The Hongkong Electric Company (HEC; ) is one of Hong Kong's two main electricity generation companies, the other being China Light & Power. The company is owned by several companies including Power Assets Holdings, State Grid Corporation of C ...
started operation of the territory's
second power station at North Point.
In the 1920s, Ming Yuen Amusement Park became a popular entertainment venues on the Island. During the 1930s, the beaches of North Point became one of the most popular places for holding swimming gala in Hong Kong. In 1938, the North Point Refugee Camp was built to accommodate the influx of refugees from the Mainland. The camp comprised 26 huts. Access to the camp was via Kam Hong Road and Marble Road. During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
, the camp was renamed the
North Point Camp
North Point Camp was a Japanese World War II Prisoner-of-war camp in North Point, Hong Kong which primarily held Canadian and Royal Naval prisoners.
History
Built by the Hong Kong government as a refugee camp before the war, it was severely ...
, and used as a
prisoner of war
A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610.
Belligerents hold prisoners of ...
camp for captured
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
soldiers during the
Japanese occupation.
During the
Chinese Civil War
The Chinese Civil War was fought between the Kuomintang-led government of the Republic of China and forces of the Chinese Communist Party, continuing intermittently since 1 August 1927 until 7 December 1949 with a Communist victory on main ...
, a large number of the rich and middle class from
Shanghai
Shanghai (; , , Standard Chinese, Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four Direct-administered municipalities of China, direct-administered municipalities of the China, People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the ...
fled to Hong Kong to escape the turmoil of war, many of them settled in North Point. In 1950, North Point became known as "Little Shanghai", since in the minds of many, it has already become the replacement for the surrendered Shanghai in China.
The first wave of emigrants introduced Shanghai-style restaurants, beauty parlours and barbershops. They also learned
Cantonese
Cantonese ( zh, t=廣東話, s=广东话, first=t, cy=Gwóngdūng wá) is a language within the Chinese (Sinitic) branch of the Sino-Tibetan languages originating from the city of Guangzhou (historically known as Canton) and its surrounding a ...
and intermarried with people of other dialect groups. During the 1950s, North Point was the premiere place of residence for these emigrants, leading to a massive population boom; by the end of 1960, North Point was listed as the most densely populated place on earth by the ''
Guinness Book of Records
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing worl ...
''. The first school in Hong Kong to use
Mandarin as the main medium of instruction,
Kiangsu and Chekiang Primary School, was founded in 1953 in North Point by these early Shanghainese immigrants. Shanghai at the time was heavily associated with
leftist
Left-wing politics describes the range of political ideologies that support and seek to achieve social equality and egalitarianism, often in opposition to social hierarchy. Left-wing politics typically involve a concern for those in so ...
movements; leftist-supported businesses in North Point, such as the
Sunbeam Theatre
Sunbeam Theatre () is a landmark theatre in Hong Kong showcasing Cantonese opera. It is located at 423 King's Road, North Point, near the intersection with Shu Kuk Street.
History
In the 1950s, many of the Shanghainese emigrants moved from S ...
which showcases
Chinese Opera
Traditional Chinese opera (), or ''Xiqu'', is a form of musical theatre in China with roots going back to the early periods in China. It is an amalgamation of various art forms that existed in ancient China, and evolved gradually over more tha ...
, are a legacy of their influence.
The second group that moved to North Point were the
Hokkien
The Hokkien () variety of Chinese is a Southern Min language native to and originating from the Minnan region, where it is widely spoken in the south-eastern part of Fujian in southeastern mainland China. It is one of the national languages ...
Fujianese, who were mostly displaced by political events in
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, most populous country, with a Population of China, population exceeding 1.4 billion, slig ...
but then soon mostly moved to countries in
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainland ...
, such as the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
and
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...
. Small
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...
n specialist grocery shops selling coffee, coconuts, and
bumbu are some of the remaining traces of their identity. The area became known as "Little Fujian".
And Chun Yeung Street which is one iconic place that you can easily find variety of traditional Fujianese food from the grocery shops, such as "misua", "tokwa", "tikoy", "lumpia" & "green bean cake", which are all also part of
Chinese Filipino cuisine
Filipino Chinese cuisine is a style of Filipino cuisine influenced from Chinese cuisine.
History
Filipino cuisine is influenced principally by China and Spain have been integrated with pre-colonial indigenous Filipino cooking practices.
In ...
in the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
.
Culture
After Cantonese,
Hokkien
The Hokkien () variety of Chinese is a Southern Min language native to and originating from the Minnan region, where it is widely spoken in the south-eastern part of Fujian in southeastern mainland China. It is one of the national languages ...
Min Nan is the most widely spoken language in North Point. Many Min Nan associations () are based in North Point to bring people from the same towns or villages together. Several Min Nan-speaking churches are located in North Point to serve the Min Nan
Christians
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρ� ...
.
Today, North Point comprises a mix of new luxury developments and older Chinese buildings.
These are the cultures of North Point nowadays.
Economy
The head office of
Sino United Publishing
Sino United Publishing (Holdings) Limited () is Hong Kong's largest integrated publishing group, formed in 1988 from the integration of some of the historic publishing agencies. Its business includes publishing, distribution, retail, printing, RF ...
is in the S U P Tower () in North Point.
Housing
City Garden, built from 1983 to 1986, is a
private housing estate
A housing estate (or sometimes housing complex or housing development) is a group of homes and other buildings built together as a single development. The exact form may vary from country to country.
Popular throughout the United States ...
consisting of 14 blocks, each 28 storeys tall. Part of the site was occupied
North Point Power Station
North Point Power Station () was a power station in Hong Kong located on Electric Road in North Point and near Fortress Hill, to the west side of where the City Garden housing estate is now located. It was built to replace the inadequate Wan ...
before 1983.
North Point Estate, beside that, the North Point Ferry Pier, was demolished in 2003.
Education
There are three government primary schools in North Point. Located at 888 King's Road, the North Point Government Primary School (NPGPS) opened in 1954. The North Point Island Place Primary and Kindergarten School is located on Tanner Road and is in the Island Place Estate. The North Point Government Primary School (Cloud View Road) abbreviated as NPCVR, also opened in 1954, is located at 22 Cloud View Road. All three schools are whole-day, co-ed and have nominated secondary school status with Shau Kei Wan GSS, Shau Kei Wan East GSS and
Clementi Secondary School.
The
Chinese International School is located on Hau Yuen Path in
Braemar Hill and is a
private
Private or privates may refer to:
Music
* " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation''
* Private (band), a Denmark-based band
* "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...
,
co-educational
Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to t ...
school providing education to students from Reception to Year 13. Established in 1983, the school has a diverse student body with over 30 nationalities represented.
Secondary school
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
students pursue the
IB Primary Years Programme
The International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP) is an educational programme managed by the International Baccalaureate (IB) for students in grades Kindergarten to Fifth grade. While the programme prepares students for the IB Middle ...
before moving on to the
IB Diploma.
North Point is in Primary One Admission (POA) School Net 14. Within the school net are multiple aided schools (operated independently but funded with government money) and North Point Government Primary School.
; Former schools
* Java Road Government Primary School
* The
Hong Kong Japanese School
The Hong Kong Japanese School and Japanese International School (HKJS&JIS) is a Japanese international school in Hong Kong. It consists of a Japanese section and international section. The Hong Kong Japanese School Limited operates the school s ...
's Secondary Section was formerly on
Braemar Hill in North Point.
[About JIS]
"
Archive.today archive
Webcitation Archive
. Hong Kong Japanese School
The Hong Kong Japanese School and Japanese International School (HKJS&JIS) is a Japanese international school in Hong Kong. It consists of a Japanese section and international section. The Hong Kong Japanese School Limited operates the school s ...
. Retrieved on 12 January 2015. "Hong Kong Japanese School - Secondary (Junior Hgh) School - Braemar Hill, North Point. " In April 2018 the junior high school moved to the
Happy Valley campus.
Transport
;MTR
North Point is served by the
Island line and the
Tseung Kwan O line of the
MTR
The Mass Transit Railway (MTR) is a major public transport network serving :Hong Kong. Operated by the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL), it consists of heavy rail, light rail, and feeder bus service centred on a 10-line rapid transit network ...
rapid transit railway system.
North Point station is the terminus of the Tseung Kwan O line.
;Tramway
North Point is also served by
Hong Kong Tramways, of which it is one of the seven terminal points.
;Bus
Kowloon Motor Bus
The Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited (KMB) is a bus company operating franchised services in Hong Kong. It is the largest bus company in Hong Kong by fleet size and number of bus routes. It is a subsidiary of Transport International.
...
,
New World First Bus and
Citybus have routes through North Point.
;Ferry
Hongkong and Yaumati Ferry services connect
North Point Ferry Pier to various places in Hong Kong, including
Hung Hom
Hung Hom () is an area in the southeast of Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong. Including the area of Whampoa, Tai Wan, Hok Yuen, Lo Lung Hang and No. 12 Hill are administratively part of the Kowloon City District, with a portion west of Hu ...
,
Kowloon City, and
Kwun Tong
Kwun Tong is an area in the Kwun Tong District of Hong Kong, situated at the eastern part of the Kowloon Peninsula, and its boundary stretches from Lion Rock in the north to Lei Yue Mun in the south, and from the winding paths of Kowl ...
. During the annual
Tin Hau Festival, special ferries operate from North Point Ferry Pier to
Joss House Bay. North Point is also served by
public light bus
The public light bus or minibus is a public transport service in Hong Kong. It uses minibuses to serve areas that standard Hong Kong bus lines cannot reach efficiently. The vehicles are colloquially known by the code-switch ' (Van Jái) lite ...
es.
;Thoroughfares
There is one
highway
A highway is any public or private road or other public way on land. It is used for major roads, but also includes other public roads and public tracks. In some areas of the United States, it is used as an equivalent term to controlled-access ...
,
Island Eastern Corridor, serving North Point; it runs along the waterfront of the area.
Streets in North Point include:
* Boat Street
* Cheung Hong Street
* Ching Wah Street
* Chun Yeung Street
* City Garden Road
* Comfort Terrace
*
Electric Road
*
Fort Street
* Fortress Hill Road
* Hei Wo Street
*
Java Road
* Kam Hong Street
* Kam Ping Street
* Kin Wah Street
*
King's Road
King's Road or Kings Road (or sometimes the King's Road, especially when it was the king's private road until 1830, or as a colloquialism by middle/upper class London residents), is a major street stretching through Chelsea and Fulham, both ...
(partially)
* Marble Road
* Ming Yuen Western Street
* North Point Estate Lane
* North Point Road
* North View Street
*
Oil Street
Oil Street () is a street in Causeway Bay on Hong Kong Island near Fortress Hill station.
Buildings along the street include the Newton Hotel (closed on 25 August 2015), AIA Tower, the former headquarters and clubhouse of the Royal Hong Kong ...
* Peacock Road
* Power Street
* Shu Kuk Street
* Tanner Road
*
Tin Chiu Street
Tin Chiu Street () is a street in Tsat Tsz Mui of North Point in Hong Kong.
Location
Tin Chiu Street runs south to north, from the base of the hill to Victoria Harbour. The street starts at the junction of Tanner Road and Kai Yuen Street. It ...
* Tin Chong Street
*
Tin Hau Temple Road
Tin Hau Temple Road () is a road starting in Causeway Bay near Tin Hau MTR station with a large portion being in the North Point Mid-Levels on Hong Kong Island, in Hong Kong.
Starting from King's Road on the west, the road then slopes up, befo ...
() (partially)
*
Tong Shui Road
Tong Shui Road ( Chinese: 糖水道) is a road on reclaimed land in North Point on Hong Kong Island. The road runs from Victoria Harbour at its northern end to a T-junction with King's Road in the south. An exit slip road from the Island Eastern ...
* Tsat Tsz Mui Road
* Wharf Road ()
* Yuet Tuen Street
See also
*
List of places in Hong Kong
*
State Theatre (Hong Kong)
The State Theatre is a former cinema in Hong Kong. It is located in the North Point area along King's Road (nos. 277-291). Concerns were raised in 2015 that it may be demolished in the near future. The building was listed as a Grade I hist ...
*
Fujianese organized crime
References
External links
* History of North Point, in ''Heritage Impact Assessment on the Former Clubhouse of Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club at 12 Oil Street'
Vol 1 Part 1 pp. 9–70
Sun FerryFortune Ferry
{{Eastern District, Hong Kong
Eastern District, Hong Kong