The hustle and bustle, sights, sounds and smells of Sheung Wangive the district aparticularly distinctiveneighborhoodfeel.Popular with young and old, locals andtourists, the area is a hive ofactivity by day and night.
It forms part of the heritage trail in the Central andWestern districts that was createdby the Antiques and Monuments Office.
One of the key buildings is Mo ManTemple, apopular destinationfor students seekingspiritual blessings before exams.
The area has a long and colorful history dating back to the1840s when it became oneof the earliest British settlements.
It wasalso popular withChinesemerchants as well as revolutionaries and revellers.
Itis where Sun Yat Sen,commonly referred to as the foundingfather of modern China,spent his formative years.
The area remains comparatively ungentrified, combining high-rise office buildingsinterspersed with residential tenement buildingswhose shopfronts line the streets andoffer an eclectic mix of prettymuch everything from food to fashion to funeral offerings.
The area is also renowned for its array of dried fish shops and traditionalmedicine emporiums.
Dai paidongs,cool cafes, cheap hotels and bars are everywhere.
It is always satisfying when we find aspects of our culture reflectedin the creativepractices of local artists.
Thisisevident in the work of So Wing Po, whose familyroots aredeeply embedded inChinese medicine. Hercreative process sees her investigating and transforming traditionalingredients into mesmerizing works of art - as seen in herfirst soloexhibition at Tai Kwun Contemporary.
An artist whose work depicts our cityscape andexplores the richness withinis Sim Chan, who hasalso received many accolades and participated in the 15th Venice BiennaleInternational architecture exhibition.
Against this urban backdrop, wanderers are always welcome in a relaxed and easygoing atmosphere wherever you are in Sheung Wan, a really greatplace to get a sense of our rich traditions and history.
Bernard Charnwut Chan is chairman of Tai Kwun Culture & Arts Co Ltd.
