Tsuen Wan

Located at the north western end of the Kowloon conurbation, Tsuen Wan has experienced significant new development in recent years. Prior to the 1898 lease on the New Territories, the areas around Tsuen Wan were a major stopping-off point for smuggling into the interior from nearby British Hong Kong, which – much like today for parallel trading activities – enjoyed a different customs jurisdiction, and much lower prices for certain key products, than the mainland.

Originally a small mixed agricultural and fishing settlement in the pre-war years, Tsuen Wan grew into a significant industrial area from the late 1940s, and was further transformed by the construction of the Mass Transit Railway in the 1980s.

A surprising amount of pre-urban “village” Tsuen Wan still remains; much has been attractively conserved, and selected remnants will be explored on this walk. Likewise, enduring links to earlier industrial times – in particular Hong Kong’s once-important textile industry – can still be seen, and this industry’s evolution and decline will be discussed and evaluated.