Tsuen Wan

Tsuen Wan (formerly also spelled Tsun Wan) is a town built on a bay in the Western New Territories of Hong Kong, opposite to Tsing Yi Island across Rambler Channel. The market town of Tsuen Wan emerged for the surrounding villages and fleets of fishing boats in the area. The now crowded city is around the present-day Tsuen Wan Station of the MTR. It was extended as far as the reclamation proceeded.

For the district of Hong Kong, see Tsuen Wan District. For the new town in Hong Kong, see Tsuen Wan New Town.

Tsuen Wan

荃灣
The day scene of Tsuen Wan across Rambler Channel (View taken from Tsing Yi Island)
Coordinates: 22°22′07″N 114°06′47″E
Region Hong Kong
Area
 • Total60.7 km2 (23.4 sq mi)
Population
 (2006)
 • Total288,728
 • Density4,800/km2 (12,000/sq mi)
Tsuen Wan
Traditional Chinese荃灣
Simplified Chinese荃湾

History
Night scene of Tsuen Wan taken near Belvedere Gardens Estate. To the left is Nina Tower
Commercial area in Chung On Street, Tsuen Wan
Jockey Club Tak Wah Park
Chai Wan Kok
Tsuen Wan Plaza
Tsuen Wan (Bottom Right), Tsing Yi and Kwai Chung

According to the report of Hong Kong archaeological society, there were people settled in Tsuen Wan as early as two thousand years ago. In earlier days, it was known as Tsin Wan (淺灣) which means shallow bay, and later renamed to Tsuen Wan. Another name Tsak Wan (賊灣, Hakka dialect pronunciation: tshet wan), pirate bay, indicates the presence of pirates nearby long ago. In fact, the area around Rambler Channel was known as Sam Pak Tsin (三百錢), literally meaning three hundred coins. There was a legend that pirates would collect three hundred coins should one pass through the area.

In 1911, there were approximately 3000 villagers living in Tsuen Wan. In the 20th century, factories moved in gradually due to its proximity to Kowloon. With the construction of Castle Peak Road in 1917, motor vehicles could reach the town in addition to access on foot and by boat. Regular bus services did not begin until 1933. Early industries relied on the ample local water supply to make incense sticks, preserved fruit and farming, while post-war industries included metalwares and textiles.[1]

In the 1950s, the Hong Kong Government developed the area with new town concept. In the 1960s it was developed as part of Tsuen Wan New Town, including housing estates like the Fuk Loi Estate, built in 1967.[1] By 1971, the area housed 400,000 residents. It was one of the last areas in Hong Kong to be developed without the "Colony Outline Plan".[2] A museum of a local settlement village is located in Tsuen Wan Town: Sam Tung Uk Museum. The museum consists of a 200-year-old walled village featuring exhibits designed to replicate traditional village life. It was donated in 1981 and after restoration during the construction of the MTR, it was opened for the public in 1987.

Tsuen Wan has one of the highest concentrations of Shanghainese people in Hong Kong, particularly in the constituency Fuk Loi.[3]

Landmarks

Discovery Park, one of Hong Kong's largest shopping centres, is located in the heart of Tsuen Wan Town. There is a goldsmith street there where jewels can be purchased. Other features include Tsuen Wan Plaza, Tsuen Wan City Landmark, Citywalk and L'Hotel, The Sam Tung Uk Museum, Tin Hau Temple and The Panda Hotel, one of the biggest hotels in Hong Kong. The Nina Towers, which include an 80-storey tower, rise over Tsuen Wan. Hong Kong's cable TV service company i-CABLE also has their headquarters located in Tsuen Wan at Wharf Cable Tower.

Situated in the valley, floodplain and reclaimed land, Tsuen Wan is surrounded on two sides by hills and woodlands that make up the Shing Mun Country Park and the Tai Mo Shan Country Park. Located within these parks are the Tai Mo Shan peak, the highest point in Hong Kong at 957 metres (3140 feet), and the Upper Shing Mun Reservoir. Route Twisk winds over and through the country parks linking Tsuen Wan with Pat Heung, via Shek Kong. Originally built by the Royal Engineers as a military road, it was opened to the public on 25 May 1961.

An urban renewal project led to the shopping malls Citywalk and Citywalk 2, as well as the residential areas above it.

The former Tsuen Wan Sports Ground, on Yeung Uk Road, was demolished and replaced by the Shing Mun Valley Sports Ground. The site, now known as Tsuen Wan Town Lot 393, remains abandoned, but was sold by the government for nearly HK$4 billion in 2014 to Vincord Limited.[4]

Housing

Public housing estates
Main article: Public housing estates in Tsuen Wan

Private housing estates
See also: Private housing estates in Hong Kong
Allway Gardens

Private housing estates in Tsuen Wan include:

Economy

Chinachem has its head office in Nina Tower in Tsuen Wan.[6]

Schools

Public transport
Tai Ho Road

Trains

Tsuen Wan is served by three Mass Transit Railway (MTR) stations: Tsuen Wan Station and Tai Wo Hau Station on the Tsuen Wan Line, as well as Tsuen Wan West Station, which opened in late 2003 as a part of the West Rail Line.

Ferries

The Tsuen Wan Pier connects Tsuen Wan to Park Island, a private housing estate in Ma Wan.[7]

Buses

The Tsuen Wan Transport Complex was once a major interchange point between ferries and buses. It was rendered obsolete when land reclamation moved the adjacent ferry pier, and when ferry services were scaled back following the opening of the MTR.

Tsuen Wan is still well-served by many bus routes. There are major bus termini at Tsuen Wan and Tsuen Wan West railway stations, and at some private developments like Nina Tower and Allway Gardens. There are also many minibuses to major destinations around Hong Kong.

See also

References
  1. http://cd1.edb.hkedcity.net/cd/TC/Content_4025/Changes_in_Tsuen_Wan/frame.htm HK Ed City. Urban Development in Tsuen Wan. Retrieved 18 Sept 2012.
  2. Buckley, Roger. [1997] (1997). Hong Kong: The Road to 1997 By Roger Buckley. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-46979-1
  3. https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Routledge_Handbook_of_Spanish_in_the/4zz3DwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=tuen+wan+%22shanghainese%22&pg=PA23&printsec=frontcover
  4. "Tenders awarded for two residential sites". Hong Kong Government. 13 August 2014. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
  5. (in Chinese) Allway Gardens official homepage Retrieved 2011-09-17
  6. "Contact Us". Chinachem. Retrieved 29 December 2020. Head Office 35-38/F, Nina Tower, 8 Yeung Uk Road, Tsuen Wan, New Territories
  7. "Ferry Services of Park Island". pitcl.com.hk. Archived from the original on 16 June 2008.

Further reading
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