Old Wan Chai Post Office
Do you know where is the oldest post office building in Hong Kong? The answer is right in front of your eyes, the Old Wanchai Post Office.Dated way back in 1912 to 1913, the post was officially retaliate in 1915 and was ceased to operate in 1992 hence becoming a declared monument in 1990, the only historical monument in Wan Chai area.According to legends, in the 1950s there used to be a “phantom postman” that would deliver inauspicious paper with nothing in it to the residents, with their specific name and address. People who receive the letter will face “cursed fate”, and within 7 days they will die. In order to deal with the “phantom postman”, the residents hired a mage called “玄真子”, and seal the spirits near the Hung Shing Temple.
Old Wanchai Market
The second generation of the old Wan Chai Market was built in 1937 at 262-264 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai. It accommodated the stalls of the open-air market, replacing the first generation of the market, which was completed in 1858 across one street from Wan Chai Road. There are also air-raid shelters in the underground of the market. During World War II, many people took refuge here. However, most of them were killed outside the air-raid shelter by the airstrike. Since then, there have been many ghost stories. Later, the old Wan Chai market was demolished and rebuilt. The developers planned to demolish the market, but most of the citizens, including architects, demanded that these "Grade III historic buildings" be preserved. In the end, the developers decided to retain about 45% of the area of the first half and dismantle the other to build a high-rise residential building. Wan Chai Old Market adopted the pre-war German Bauhaus style building which was 2 stories high. There are different small merchants, selling food, daily necessities in order to serve the citizens of Wan Chai district. The new Wan Chai Market, which opened in 2008, is the third generation, replacing the old Wan Chai market and the stalls.
Ship Street
There are many place names in Hong Kong that are named after sea vehicles, and Ship Street is one of them. It was inaugurated in 1910 which is located in Wan Chai. It connects Queen's Road East and Johnston Road. A section of Ship Street north of Queen's Road East is partially cascading to the Kennedy Road. The early name was Ocean Boat Street, and Ship Street was the later name. Since the nearby Johnston Road was a dock at the time, the streets nearby were named after sea transport and Chinese port cities. The staircase of Ship Street is made of stone slabs and has been preserved until now which makes it one of the best-preserved pre-war staircase streets in Hong Kong. During World War II, Ship Street is said to be a comfort area during the Japanese occupation. Many buildings in the area were once used as places to imprison comfort women, such as the famous Nam Koo Terrace near Ship Street, so there are many ghost stories.
Tung Chi College
Before the building was used as Tung Chi College, it was a Japanese funded hotel called Chitose Hotel. It was built in 1917. After the Japanese had surrendered, the founder of the college, Fok Yat Chiu decided to reestablish Tung Chi College in this address. Until 1970s, Tung Chi College had always been a popular private school. The building was sold in 1970s and dismantled in the 1990s. Now, the college is within a construction site of Hopewell Holdings.People believed that, Japanese soldiers killed and tortured people inside Tung Chi College during the occupation period. They thought the ghosts appeared there were the spirit of those pitiful victims.
Nam Koo Terrace
Nam Koo Terrace is a mansion located at Ship Street. It is also a grade 1 historic building. The mansion was built in 1918 by a Chinese merchant, To Chun-Man. It was built with both Western and Chinese elements. Nam Koo Terrace was used as a military brothel from 1941-1945. In 1988, the To family sold this mansion to the Hopewell Holdings. The company decided to redevelop Ship Street and revitalize Nam Koo Terrace into a wedding venue.Nam Koo Terrace is famous of its ghost stories relating to the Japanese occupation period. Besides, an accident happened in 2003 when a group of students tried to visit it. 3 female students claimed to be attacked by the evil spirit inside the mansion.
End of Star Street
There is a shrine with deities in an altar.Back in 1941, the place is an air raid shelter like a bunker in the second world war. During the Battle of Hong Kong facing Japanese invasion, the Japanese bomb strike the shelter and hundreds of people died. Even up to 1985, there are still residents reported that they see phantom lurking around star and moon street.
East Town Theatre
East Town Theatre was a close down cinema. The theatre opened on the site of a demolished funeral parlor. Now, it has been rebuilt as East Town Building. East Town Theatre is located at the junction of Lockhart Road and Fenwick Street, in Wan Chai. The theatre was a 1300 seat gorgeous theatre. It was the first luxurious theatre in Wan Chai district after World War II. The owner of the theatre was the Hotung family of Hong Kong.East Town Theatre opened in 1964 and closed in 1974. It has appeared a lot of urban tales and rumors have since they opened. Thus, it was closed after 10 years. Many people believed the theatre was haunted because the predecessor of East Town Theatre was a funeral parlor.
Southorn Playground
Southorn Playground is a sports and recreational ground. It locates at Hennessy Road, in Wan Chai. It includes four basketball courts, a football pitch, and a children's playground. It was named in 1934 after Sir Wilfrid Thomas Southorn, the Colonial Secretary from 1925 to 1936.Southorn Playground is a landmark in Wan Chai. The most well-known about this playground was the period of the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong from 1941 to 1945. At that time, Southorn Playground was the place for Japanese publicly beheading victims. Thus, it appeared a lot of urban tales from time to time, especially the ghost story.
