九龙围城 Kowloon - the Walled City

Kowloon Walled City was a Chinese military fort in Kowloon, Hong Kong, which became an enclave after the New Territories were leased to Britain in 1898. Following Japanese occupation during World War II, the Walled City developed into an extremely dense, largely ungoverned urban settlement. From the 1950s through the 1970s, it was controlled by Triads and had high rates of prostitution, gambling, and drug use. In 1987, the Walled City contained 33,000 residents within its 6.5-acre (0.03 km2; 0.01 sq mi) borders.

Contrary to what many outsiders believed, most residents of the Walled City behaved similarly to other Hongkongers. They were generally hardworking people who showed concern for living conditions, education and other pressing issues.Residents also formed a tightly knit community, helping one another endure various hardships. Within families, wives often did housekeeping, while grandmothers cared for their grandchildren and other children from surrounding households.The City＇s rooftops were an important gathering place, especially for residents who lived on upper floors. Parents used them to relax, and children would play or do homework there after school.

In January 1987, the Hong Kong government announced plans to demolish the Walled City. After an arduous eviction process, demolition began in March 1993 and was completed in April 1994. Kowloon Walled City Park opened in December 1995 and occupies the area of the former Walled City. Some historical artifacts from the Walled City, including its yamen building and remnants of its South Gate, have been preserved there.

A few people who spent time in Kowloon Walled City have written accounts of their experiences. Evangelist Jackie Pullinger wrote a 1989 memoir, Crack in the Wall, about her involvement in treating drug addicts within the Walled City.In his 2004 autobiography Gweilo, Martin Booth describes his exploration of the Walled City as a child in the 1950s.In addition to such accounts, many authors, game designers, and filmmakers have used the Walled City to convey a sense of oppressive urbanization or unfettered criminality.

Kowloon City in Literature

Robert Ludlum＇s novel The Bourne Supremacy uses the Walled City as one of its settings. The City appears as a virtual reality environment (described by Steven Poole as an "oasis of political and creative freedom") in William Gibson＇s Bridge trilogy, and as a contrast with Singapore in his Wired article "Disneyland with the Death Penalty".In the manga Crying Freeman, the titular character＇s wife travels to the Walled City to master her swordsmanship and control a cursed sword.The manga Blood+: Kowloon Nights uses the Walled City as the setting for a series of murders

Kowloon City in Movies

The 1984 gangster film Long Arm of the Law features the Walled City as a refuge for gang members before they are gunned down by police.In the 1988 film Bloodsport, starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, the Walled City is the setting for a martial arts tournament.The 1993 film Crime Story starring Jackie Chan was partly filmed in the deserted Walled City, and includes real scenes of building explosions. A walled neighborhood called the Narrows in the 2005 film Batman Begins was inspired by the Walled City. The 2006 Hong Kong horror film Re-cycle features a decrepit, nightmarish version of the Walled City, complete with tortured souls from which the protagonist must flee.

Kowloon City in Games

Kowloon Walled City is also featured in several games, including Kowloon＇s Gate and Shenmue II. The game Stranglehold, a sequel to the film Hard Boiled, features a version of the Walled City filled with hundreds of Triad members. In the games Fear Effect and Fear Effect 2, photographs of the Walled City were used as inspiration "for moods, camera angles and lighting." Concept art for the MMORPG Guild Wars: Factions depicts massive, densely-packed structures inspired by the Walled City.The pen-and-paper RPG Shadowrun includes a crime-ridden, rebuilt version of the Walled City set in 2070.