Broken (This week's Photo Hunt theme)

Less than three decades ago, the 31,000 square meter (330,000 square foot for those still not in tune with the metric system!) area that has been home to the Kowloon Walled City Park since 1995 was estimated to be home to around 33,000 people. The Kowloon Walled City arose out of -- and was -- a historical anomaly; and was an infamously lawless, densely-populated makeshift city right in the heart of urban Hong Kong controlled more by Triads than either the British colonial or Chinese governments for much of the 20th century.

Little, if anything, remains from that era of the site's history though -- for the area that was Kowloon Walled City was cleared and an early Qing Dynasty-style Kowloon Walled City Park erected in its place during the late 20th century. Surprisingly, however, some relics from an earlier part of its history are to be found within the park's walls.

One of these is an actual building -- the 19th century Yamen (headquarters) of Qing officials (in front of which stand a couple of trees and also a detailed, metal scale model sculpture of the 20th century Kowloon Walled City (See this Photo Hunt entry's upper photo.) Additionally, close by, towards the southeast, lies the ruins of the Old South Gate that include a couple of broken granite plaques with Chinese characters for "South Gate" and "Kowloon (Nine Dragon) Walled City" (the latter interestingly meant to be read from right to left -- as was the case in the olden days -- rather than left to right -- as it is now).

And yes, they may be visually modest but if those walls -- and plaques -- could talk, the tales these particular ones could tell...