North Point

For other uses, see North Point (disambiguation).

North Point
Skyline of North Point in 2008
Chinese	北角
Cantonese Jyutping	bak1 gok3
Transcriptions Mandarin - Hanyu Pinyin Běijiǎo Min - Hokkien POJ Pak-kak Cantonese (Yue) - Jyutping bak1 gok3 - IPA [pɐ́k kɔ̄ːk] - Yale Romanization bāk gok

North Point Estate in North Point that has since been demolished

North Point (Chinese: 北角) is a mixed-use urban area in the Eastern District of Hong Kong. It is the northernmost point of Hong Kong Island, adjacent to both Causeway Bay and Quarry Bay, and projecting toward Kowloon Bay. westernFortress Hill(places western to the causeway bay community center) belongs to the western end of the North Point area.

History

In 1899, The Metropole Hotel was built and running until 1906. In 1919, the Hongkong Electric Company started operation of the territory's second power station at North Point.. In 1920s, Ming Yuen Amusement Park became a popular entertainment venues on the Island. During the 1930s, the beaches of North Point became one of the most popular place for holding swimming gala in Hong Kong.

In the early 1940s during W.W.II, the area had a refugee camp housing Kuomintang soldiers. It also served as the site of North Point Camp, a Prisoner of War camp for captured Canadian soldiers during the Japanese occupation. During the Chinese Civil War, a large number of the rich and middle class from Shanghai fled to Hong Kong to escape the turmoil of war, many of them settled in North Point. In 1950, North Point became known as "Little Shanghai", since in the minds of many, it has already become the replacement for the surrendered Shanghai in China. The first wave of emigrants introduced Shanghai-style restaurants, beauty parlours and barbershops. They also learned Cantonese and intermarried with people of other dialect groups. By the 1950s, North Point was the premiere place of residence for these emigrants, leading to a massive population boom; by 1962, North Point was listed as the most densely populated place on earth by the Guinness Book of Records. The first school in Hong Kong to use Mandarin as the main medium of instruction, Kiangsu and Chekiang Primary School, was founded in North Point by these early Shanghainese immigrants. Shanghai at the time was heavily associated with leftist movements; leftist-supported businesses in North Point, such as the Sunbeam Theatre which showcases Chinese Opera, are a legacy of their influence.

The second group that moved to North Point were the Fujianese, who were mostly displaced by political events in Southeast Asia. Small Indonesian specialist grocery shops selling coffee, coconuts, and bumbu are some of the remaining traces of their identity. The area became known as "Little Fujian".

Culture

Second to Cantonese, Min Nan is the most widely spoken language here. Today North Point comprises a mix of new luxury developments and older Chinese buildings. The area is undergoing something of a rejuvenation due to the rise in demand for office space in the area.^{[citation needed]}

Education

Island Children's Montessori School (ICMS, Chinese: 港島兒童蒙特梭利學校) is an international school located on Tin Hau Temple Road. Established in 2008, it educates children up to the age of eight. It was chosen as one of the top kindergartens in Hong Kong by Asia Tatler, a portal of the Tatler magazine for Hong Kong and Macau.

Min Nan influence

Many Min Nan associations (閩南同鄉會) are based in North Point to bring people from the same towns or villages together. Several Min Nan-speaking churches are located in North Point to serve the Min Nan Christians.^{[citation needed]}

Transport

North Point is served by the Island Line and the Tseung Kwan O Line of the MTR railway system. The North Point station is the terminus of the Tseung Kwan O Line. There is one highway, Island Eastern Corridor, serving North Point; it runs along the waterfront of the area. North Point is also served by Hong Kong Tramways, of which it is one of the seven terminal points. The KMB, New World First Bus and Citybus have routes through North Point. Ferries connect North Point ferry pier to various places in Hong Kong, including Hung Hom, Kowloon City, and Kwun Tong. During the annual Tin Hau Festival, special ferries operate from North Point ferry pier to Joss House Bay. North Point is also served by public light buses.

See also

• List of areas of Hong Kong

External links

• New World First Ferry
• Fortune Ferry