Sheung Wan is one of the earliest Chinese settlements in Hong Kong. In the first part of this walking tour, we will visit various historical sites and try to sketch how Chinese people made a living in this storied area over a century ago. In particular, we will probe the following:

• Was the neighborhood of Tai Ping Shan – literally ‘peaceful hill’ – really that peaceful in the early colonial era?
• How did a street-corner temple serve as the ‘supreme court’ for the local Chinese population?
• How did early 20th century Chinese intellectuals use Hong Kong as a base to spread revolutionary ideas in their bid to topple the last dynasty of imperial China?

Today’s news is tomorrow’s history. The second part of our journey will uncover forgotten stories from newspapers that were once printed along Hollywood Road — the culturally fascinating thoroughfare used to host various important newspapers and over 150 printing shops. Besides picking up a few life tips from a veteran horse-racing journalist, you will also learn the forgotten skill of printing with movable types (one of the four great inventions of ancient China) in a special letterpress workshop from a master of the craft. Aided by ‘relics’ like his birth certificate, the friendly master will also tell us stories from his own life and how they connect with the local neighbourhood.