Pockets of Hong Kong - episode 2: Kowloon Park & Kung Fu Corner

Kowloon, despite being the most densely populated place in the world, has a massive 34-acre (13.5-hectare) park including a Chinese garden with lotus ponds, sports facilities, a maze and an aviary park. 

Banyan tree outside Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre

Flamingos in the aviary

The banyan trees of Kowloon Park date back to when the British Army's Whitfield Barracks were established here in the 1890s. The Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre,  is housed in two of the original blocks, which were built in 1910 to house British and Indian troops. 

There are beautiful flowers in the many flowerbeds around the park

If you go to Kowloon Park on a Sunday it has a particularly unique feel to it due to the hoards of maids who gather there. They sit on every available surface spreading out blankets or reed mats and unpack a vast array of food from picnic baskets. Some of the younger ones bring stereos and dance the hours away on their one day off a week.   

The fluid movements of kung fu are extremely impressive!

The best thing about Kowloon Park, in my opinion, is Kung Fu Corner. Every Sunday there is a two hour display of kung fu (by youngsters and adults alike from local clubs and schools), lion and dragon dancing. 

Kung fu is a test of balance!

Lion dancing

If you have never heard the beat of Chinese drums, it's something you need to get onto your 'to do' list! You can feel the reverberation throughout your whole body and it cheers you up immensely. Lion dancing (right) is like watching acrobatics: two people stand under the elaborate costumes to dance in sync with the drumming.

Dragon dancing

Dragon dancing also takes place to the beat of the drums, along with the shaking of bells, but involves far more people. They hold the dragon up high in the air on long wooden poles. You can see that this takes enormous strength and finely-tuned teamwork to make the dragon dance. 

I've seen this show many times, but it never gets boring! 





These free demonstrations of kung fu, lion dancing and dragon dancing take place every Sunday in Sculpture Walk, Kowloon Park from 2.30-4.30pm.