The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) has launched a two-month free city walk program in Wan Chai -- a district full of historic buildings and streets -- inviting participants to step into the pages of their favorite literary worlds while exploring the architectural heritage.
In collaboration with the Museum of Hong Kong Literature and the Salvation Army, the event centers around the 7 Mallory Street (also known as M7), with guided tour routes covering several historically significant sites including the Old Wan Chai Market Building, the Blue House, the Old Wan Chai Post Office, Hopewell Centre, Spring Garden Lane, Lee Tung Avenue, and the historical shophouse on 186-190 Queen's Road East.
The guided tours will feature stories from renowned writers such as Eileen Chang, Leung Ping-kwan (pen name: Yesi), and Lu Wei-luan (pen name: Xiaosi) to highlight Wan Chai's literary heritage.
Participants will immerse themselves in scenes from classic literature, experiencing the bustling atmosphere of Spring Garden Lane as described in Liu Yichang's "The Drunkard" and childhood memories of Xiaosi in Wan Chai.
The URA noted that the tours launched in July received an enthusiastic response, with six sessions attracting over 900 registrants.
For the upcoming six free guided tours in August, local residents aged 12 and above can now register, with a maximum of 15 participants per session.
Connecting to last year's "Touring Central with Locals" initiative, the event aims to revitalize the district by blending classic literature with the area's rich historical and architectural heritage.
To encourage self-guided exploration, the URA and the Museum of Hong Kong Literature have created an "Exploration passport," highlighting historical buildings, streets, and food spots in Wan Chai, along with excerpts from literary works.
The public can obtain the passport for free at M7, Lee Tung Avenue, the Hong Kong House of Stories at the Blue House, and the old Wan Chai Market.
After collecting stamps at six designated locations, participants can redeem literary gifts and merchant vouchers at the bookstore on the third floor of M7.
Additionally, NFC audio guides are available at the sites, allowing visitors to embark on their own adventure through the voices of the past.
The event will also feature two guided tours led by food culture scholar Siu Yan-ho, exploring culinary references in literary works.
The first tour concluded in July, but the public can register for the second tour on August 10, with 15 spots available for the tour on August 16.
The URA also reveals plans to promote similar events in Kowloon City as early as the fourth quarter of this year to foster local economic and cultural sustainability.
