Kung Hei Fat Choi!

Submitted by David on Sat, 02/10/2024 - 13:30

Wishing you and your family health and happiness in the Year of the Dragon,

David


Dragons are popular symbols in Hong Kong. See how many of the following historical dragons you can recognise (scroll down for the answers):

1970s Hilton Hotel

 

Enter The Dragon_collage.jpg

 

Dragon Lodge

 

Dragon Gate ~ Golden Dragon Theatre - 2 (Cheung Chau)

 

Dragon Inn....NT

 

Unknown House on the Beach-1953/54 ??? DRAGON VILLA

 

QE2 Coronation Dragon

 

1981 - Tai Hang Fire Dragon

 

Christmas Card

 

Tiger Balm Garden, dragon colours.jpg

 

Dragon

 

1984 - the Dragon at Ocean Park

 

View towards Shek O from Dragon's Back

 

Dragon Seed

 


Answers:

A 1970s matchbox label from the Dragon Bar in the Hilton Hotel.

1970s Hilton Hotel
1970s Hilton Hotel, by moddsey

 

A double dose of dragons here. The clips come from the film, Enter The Dragon. The film's star was Bruce Lee, whose Chinese stage name was 李小龍 or 'Lee Little Dragon'.

Enter The Dragon_collage.jpg
Enter The Dragon_collage.jpg, by H Lo

 

Dragon Lodge, at 32 Lugard Road, is still standing but it has been empty for many years. The photo below was taken 100 years ago in 1924, when the building was still new and in much better shape.

Dragon Lodge
Dragon Lodge, by schultie

 

The Dragon Gate Theatre on Cheung Chau was later renamed to become the Golden Dragon Theatre:

Dragon Gate ~ Golden Dragon Theatre - 2 (Cheung Chau)
Dragon Gate ~ Golden Dragon Theatre - 2 (Cheung Chau), by OldTimer

 

Out on Castle Peak Road was the Dragon Inn:

Dragon Inn....NT
Dragon Inn....NT, by mike
Dragon Inn
Dragon Inn, by moddsey

 

Also on Castle Peak Road, but nearer to Tsuen Wan, is Dragon Villa:

Unknown House on the Beach-1953/54 ??? DRAGON VILLA
Unknown House on the Beach-1953/54 ??? DRAGON VILLA, by IDJ

 

Large teams of dragon dancers were a common sight in the processions to celebrate major royal events in Hong Kong. These two took part in the celebrations for coronations, the first for Queen Elizabeth II, and the second for her father King George VI.

QE2 Coronation Dragon
QE2 Coronation Dragon, by Admin
Dragon Dancers-celebration for Coronation of King George 6th-1937-001
Dragon Dancers-celebration for Coronation of King George 6th-1937-001, by IDJ

 

A different style of dragon dancing is on show in Tai Hang each autumn, when the Fire Dragon makes its appearance:

1981 - Tai Hang Fire Dragon
1981 - Tai Hang Fire Dragon, by Cliff Atkins

 

The dragon at top left on this 1954 Christmas Card was the badge for British soldiers in Hong Kong at the time. 

Christmas Card
Christmas Card, by pauline

 

Dragon Emblem -Comet Tanks
Dragon Emblem -Comet Tanks, by Bryan Panter

 

Dragons on display at the Tiger Balm Gardens. (This photo's notes explain the meanings associated with the dragons' different colours.)

Tiger Balm Garden, dragon colours.jpg
Tiger Balm Garden, dragon colours.jpg, by Lai Wah Dewson
Tiger Balm Garden, dragons -1.jpg
Tiger Balm Garden, dragons -1.jpg, by Lai Wah Dewson

 

One of the many Dragon Boats in Hong Kong. (It was taking part in a race off North Point in the 1920s - see Photo 16 in Volume 3 of my books for the full story.)

Dragon
Dragon, by Admin

 

Did you ever ride The Dragon at Ocean Park?

1984 - the Dragon at Ocean Park
1984 - the Dragon at Ocean Park, by Cliff Atkins
1984 - the Dragon at Ocean Park
1984 - the Dragon at Ocean Park, by Cliff Atkins

 

The view from the Dragon's Back over the Shek O Country Club and Golf Course, as it looked over 90 years ago in 1929. It's still a popular viewpoint today, and the view looks much the same - though without the sailing junks moored in the bay.

View towards Shek O from Dragon's Back
View towards Shek O from Dragon's Back, by Admin

 

And finally, conveniently displaying a 'KUNG HEI FAT CHOY' sign, is the Dragon Seed store in Central.

Dragon Seed
Dragon Seed, by Isawall7

Comments

Continuing the Dragon related theme, here's an old rifle with a Hong Kong connection and a dragon engraved on the butt.

dragon rifle
dragon rifle, by gw

I saw it in Australia, possibly in the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, a few years ago. The display was about Australian soldiers sent to China at the time of the Boxer Rebellion. Under the title "Dragon Rifle, c.1900", the following information was provided.

“On their way to Peking, the contingents from New South Wales and Victoria were issued with Lee Metford rifles in Hong Kong. Many of the Australians engaged local craftsmen to engrave their weapons with dragon motifs”.

Glare off the display case made it difficult to get a clear photo of the engraved dragon. This is the best I could do.

Engraved rifle butt
Engraved rifle butt, by gw

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