西九樓計色 West Kowloon: where life, heritage and culture meet

Document Type

Book

Publication Date

2008

Abstract

「樓」自然是指「樓宇」。深水埗自東漢開始已有人居住，有不少具歷史價值的建築物，內裡蘊藏了大量動人的人物故事，值得我們探索和欣賞。其中有不少極富建築特色：大騎樓、前舖後居、外牆、柱子、地磚、窗戶等混合了不同地方色彩的建築風格，形成獨特的中西合璧形態。

「計」指的是智計，也就是民間智慧。深水埗二十四小時均發放無限活力和能量，全賴這裡在居住、勤奮工作的人。他們各種靈活多變的生活態度和民間智慧，猶如霓紅光管，令人目不暇給。在這裡我們可以看到人的尊嚴，更體會到他們對這地方的熱愛，以及深水埗數十年以來的變遷。 計謀、計劃、計策、計算、計較、估計..「計」字，彷彿怎樣為它配對，都包含著某種智慧，不單讓人們能夠活著，更要活下去。 十二位深水埗人，在史冊上的不同頁數起步，從戰火漫天前開始拓荒，到頹垣敗瓦中昂然站起，再在紙醉金迷的年代沾上金光，最後在千禧年代尋找新世界，彷彿是個循環，一切重新起步，即使在時代巨輪中看似微不足道，亦繼續憑睿智活在西九、活在當下。

「色」表達的是深水埗的特色。每當走過深水埗的大街小巷，便會發現這裡獨有的市集式人文景觀，街邊小販的叫賣聲、街市的活力氣息、摩肩接踵的街坊、普羅大眾的市井對談，以及新舊文化的有趣交融，為街道添上豐富的色彩，綻放出社區光芒。

石硤尾街一帶的舊樓宇，殘留著幾塊山寨廠的舊招牌，為本港的製成王國留下點點遺跡。深水埗曾是成衣山寨廠的根據地，「車衣女」時代一去不返，但這行業所衍生的布行、鈕扣店、成衣批發行，仍留守在汝洲街、南昌街、長沙灣道、基隆街、大南街……他們努力掙扎求變，發展出「珠仔街」、「黑人市場」、「越南市場」等機遇。

“Lou” means “building” in Cantonese. As early as the Eastern Han Dynasty, man started to settle in Sham Shui Po, leaving behind a number of historic remains. There are lots of stories, worthy for exploration and appreciation in Sham Shui Po. There are lots of characteristic architectures: large veranda, commercial/residential complex, outside wall, columns, tiles and windows. Built under a combination of architectural forms, Sham Shui Po established its own unique East-West style.

“Ji” means the civil wisdom embedded. Relying on the people who live and work industriously here, Sham Shui Po emanates infinite energy and power around the clock. Their flexible attitude to life and civil wisdom are just simply fascinating. We can find dignity and love here; experience their passion for Sham Shui Po and the changes over the decades. Plan, scheme, strategy, trickery, calculation, estimation… everything is related to“Ji” or wisdom. Different levels of wisdom is embedded within them, allowing people to live on. Twelve residents of Sham Shui Po, each started from a different page in history. From the chaotic time of the war, to the gradual development of Hong Kong, then come the time of booming economy, to the beginning of a new millennium; they each had a story to tell. Their stories might not be significant to you, but they live in West Kowloon, using their wisdom to live on.

“Se” represents the characteristics of Sham Shui Po. The unique marketplace scenery can be found on all the streets and alleyways here. The peddling of the hawkers, energetic wet markets, busy buzzing crowd, everyday conversation of the neighbourhood, and the blend of new and old, painted the streets with vibrant colours; radiating the glow of Sham Shui Po.

The last few pieces of signage from the abandoned “Shan Zhai” garment factories in the old establishments of Shek Kip Mei Street recall the glorious “Kingdom of Garment Manufacturing” era of Hong Kong. Sham Shui Po was one of the core bases for assorted garment “Shan Zhai” factories. (Shan Zhai, literally means “villages of the mountain”, refers to the unique business model in the 50s and 60s when large manufacturers distributed the finishing processes among numerous small-scale factories). Gone are the days of “sewing girl”, but a few industries derived from garment manufacturing can be found among Yu Chau Street, Nam Cheong Street, Cheung Sha Wan Road, Ki Lung Street, Da Nam Street…They struggled to survive and strived to change, developing into the famous economic clusters of “Bead Street”, “ African Market”, “Vietnamese Market”…etc.

ISBN

9789627893295

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