Route 21 - Wong Chuk Hang Road (Aberdeen Promenade)－Shek Pai Wan Road－Pok Fu Lam Road (Béthanie Chapel)

Question 1

Route 21 - Points to Mention:

(Wong Chuk Hang Road (Aberdeen Promenade)－Shek Pai Wan Road－Pok Fu Lam Road (Béthanie Chapel))

This section ends at Béthanie Chapel

8 sites + 1 explanation - 4-8 minutes

Answer 1

1. Aberdeen Wholesale Fish Market (left)
2. Aberdeen (front)
3. Wah Kwai Estate (left)
4. Name of origin of Pok Fu Lam and Bauhinia (optional)
5. The Pok Fu Lam Farm (left)
6. Pok Fu Lam Village (right)
7. Hotel and Tourism Institute (left)
8. Chinese Culinary Institute (left) and International Culinary Institute (left)

Question 2

Aberdeen Wholesale Fish Market
1. Overview (4)
2. Operations (3)
3. Other facilities (2)
4. Guided tour (2)
5. Look at! (1)

2 minutes (if completely presented)

Answer 2

1. Overview: (4)
* On your left, you can now see the orange buildings of the Aberdeen Wholesale Fish Market.
* Built in 1950, it is Hong Kong’s oldest and largest fish wholesale market in the city
* Aberdeen has historically supplied over 70% of Hong Kong’s live seafood, drawing fishing boats from Cheung Chau, the southern islands, and even Macau.
* In addition to seafood trading, the market also offers seawater supply and seafood processing services.

3. Other Facilities: (2)
* While the indoor trading area is generally closed to the public, visitors can explore the famous seafood restaurant inside the market, which opens at 4:00 a.m. daily and serves dishes made from freshly caught seafood.
* A souvenir shop within the market offers specialty seafood products and gifts, making it a popular stop for visitors.

Question 3

Aberdeen (Name)
1. Historical Significance (1)
2. Incense Trade (1)
3. Naming Confusion (4)
4. Renaming to Aberdeen (1)
5. Cultural Legacy (3)

2 minutes (if completely presented)

Answer 3

1. Historical Significance: (1)
* During the Ming Dynasty, the area became known for trading agarwood , a fragrant wood, which led to the Cantonese name “Heung Gong”, meaning “Fragrant Harbour”.

2. Naming Confusion: (4)
* Legend says a local fisherman named Chan Kwan, guided British troops during their first landing on the island.
* When they asked for the name of the place, Chan replied “Heung Gong” in the boat people’s dialect.
* The British misinterpreted this response and recorded the name as “Hong Kong”, which later came to refer to the entire island.
* Initially, “Hong Kong” referred only to the Aberdeen and Shek Pai Wan (Aberdeen Bay) area, but the name gradually expanded to include all of Hong Kong Island.

3. Renaming to Aberdeen: (1)
* Later, the area was renamed “Aberdeen” to honour Lord Aberdeen, the then British Foreign Secretary.

Question 4

Wah Kwai Estate

1:40 (if completely presented)

Answer 4

(When the tour guide sees a round iron-framed building on his right, he should start describing Wah Kwai Estate.)

1. Overview: (2)
* In front of you on the left is Wah Kwai Estate, easily recognized by its dark gray lower and light gray upper floors.
* Wah Kwai Estate is a public housing estate located near Wah Fu Estate, built on reclaimed land in Kellett Bay, Pok Fu Lam.

2. Development: (2)
* Constructed between 1990 and 1991, the estate consists of six residential buildings with over 3,700 units in total.
* According to the 2021 Population Census, Wah Kwai Estate is home to nearly 10,000 residents.

3. Transportation: (2)
* Transportation is mainly by bus and minibus, with more than 30 routes passing through the area.
* The proposed Wah Fu Station, part of the South Island Line (West Section) of the MTR, will provide improved connectivity across Hong Kong Island in the future.

4. Public Housing Policy: (4)
* In the early 1950s, following the Communist Party’s rise in China, many immigrants arrived in Hong Kong, settling in makeshift squater homes.
* In 1953, a catastrophic fire in Shek Kip Mei, Kowloon, left around 50,000 people homeless, prompting urgent government action.
* In response, the first public housing program was launched to rehouse those affected.
* This marked the beginning of Hong Kong’s public housing policy, and by 1973, the Hong Kong Housing Authority was formally established to manage and expand the program.

Question 5

Name of Origin of
(optional)
1. Pok Fu Lam (2)
2. Bauhinia (6)

1:40 (if completely presented)

Answer 5

1. Origin of the Name “Pok Fu Lam”: (3)
* After leaving Aberdeen, we are now entering the Pok Fu Lam area, which is still part of the Southern District of Hong Kong Island.
* The name “Pok Fu Lam” (薄扶林) is believed to come from the Cantonese words for a local bird species (“pok fu”) and “forest” (“lam”), suggesting the area hinting the area was once full of birds in the woodlands.
* This was also the place where Hong Kong’s floral emblem, the Bauhinia, was first discovered.

2. Origin of the Name for “The Bauhinia” – Symbol of Hong Kong: (6)
* The full name of the flower is Bauhinia blakeana, commonly known as the Hong Kong Orchid Tree.
* A French missionary discovered it nearby in the 1880s.
* Since it’s a sterile hybrid, it was spread by cuttings.
* In 1908, a British botanist named it after Sir Henry Blake, the 12th Hong Kong’s Governor, hence the name Bauhinia Blakeana.

Question 6

Pok Fu Lam Farm

2 minutes (if completely presented)

Answer 6

1. Overview:
* Pokfulam Farm, which you will see later on your left across from Pok Fu Lam Village, is a revitalized heritage site showcasing Hong Kong’s agricultural and dairy farming history.
* First set up in 1886 by the Dairy Farm Company, it played a key role in supplying fresh milk.
* The Old Dairy Farm Senior Staff Quarters has been revitalized in 2023 as a living museum.
* It now offers exhibitions, tours, and workshops highlighting the area’s past and thecommunity’s heritage.

Question 7

Pok Fu Lam Village
1. Location (1)
2. Historical Significance (29
3. Architectural Features (39
4. Cultural Practices (3)
5. Cultural Recognistion (1)

2:20 (if completely presented)

Answer 7

1. Location: (1)
* To your right, Pok Fu Lam Village rests nestled between Victoria Peak and Mount Kellett, just opposite the site of the former Dairy Farm.

2. Historical Significance: (2)
* Established about 280 years ago, in the early 17th century, the village was founded by Hakka Chinese families from Guangdong Province.
* While many villages have disappeared due to urban development, Pok Fu Lam Village remains one of the few surviving ancient villages on Hong Kong Island.

3. Architectural Features: (3)
* One of the most recognizable landmarks in the village is the Li Ling Fairy Tower, a five-meter-high pagoda rebuilt in 1916, which continues to serve as a symbol of the village’s heritage.
* The village itself is a maze of narrow lanes and alleys, bordered by one-story buildings constructed from hay, stone, and traditional pitched roof tiles, with some dating as far back as 1886.
* Adding to its peaceful charm is Chi Chi Lake, a small tranquil body of water that enhances the area’s rustic atmosphere.

4. Cultural Practices: (3)
* Like Tai Hang, Pok Fu Lam Village celebrates the Mid-Autumn Festival with a Fire Dragon Dance, featuring a 73-meter-long incense-lit straw dragon, performed to seek blessings and drive away evil spirits.
* The Li Ling Divine Festival is held annually on the 15th day of the fourth lunar month, honoring Li Ling, a legendary figure believed to protect the village from illness and evil spirits.
* These traditions reflect the village’s deep cultural roots and enduring community spirit.

5. Cultural Recognition: (1)
* Despite past demolition attempts by the government, Pok Fu Lam Village was successfully listed on the World Monuments Fund’s Watch List in 2014, making it Hong Kong’s first historic site to receive this international recognition.

Question 8

Hotel and Tourism Institute & Chinese Culinary Institute & International Culinary Institute
1. Introduction (1)
2. Overview (1)
3. Courses (1)
4. Facilities (1)

Answer 8

1. Introduction: (1)
* Next on your left, we have a series of institutes including the Hotel and Tourism Institute, the Chinese Culinary Institute, and International Culinary Institute, all on one site.

2. Overview: (1)
These institutes offer (5) career-focused programs in
* Culinary arts,
* Hotel operations,
* Catering,
* Tourism, and …
* Event management.

3. Courses: (1)
* Courses combine academic knowledge with practical training to meet industry needs.

4. Facilities: (1)
* Facilities include training hotels and Chinese & Western training restaurants, helping prepare skilled professionals and boosting Hong Kong’s status as a culinary hub in Asia and globally.