Hong Kong Snapshot (36) (With Video) – Shau Kei Wan Main Street East, decline of fishery, decline of my family history 香港随拍(36) (附有视频) – 筲箕湾东大街，见证香港渔业衰落，见证我的家族衰落史

aaronli (73)in #cn • 7 years ago (edited)

Shau Kei Wan is not a popular tourist spot in HK. But it is a famous “food street” for HK people. And it witnesses the rising and declining of the fishery industry of HK. Shau Kei Wan is located at the east of HK Island. HK Island is actually a big mountain so there is not a lot land for farming. Fishing was the main industry in HK Island. Before the colony time, Shau Kei Wan was the second largest village in HK Island with population of 1200 people. It was an important village in HK Island. It was also the village my family from gone up to decline.

筲箕灣，不是香港的一個熱門旅遊勝地，不過是香港人中很著名的「食街」，但它其實是見證著香港第一個祖業的地方，見證著香港漁業之地。香港由於山多地少，古時不像其他地方一樣以農業為基業，反而更大程度依靠漁業，在英國佔領香港之前，筲箕灣是香港第二大村落，有人口1200人，僅次於赤柱，是一個很重要的村落。而它，亦是我祖先落葉生根之處，也是我家族由一無所有轉到極盛，再衰落為普通家庭的地方。

History of Shau Kei Wan 筲箕灣的歷史

Shau Kei Wan is a bay. Shau Kei means colander in Chinese. As the bay looks like a colander so it is called Shau Kei Wan. Shau Kei Wan was a perfect harbor and a great place to develop fishery. Shau Kei Wan Main Street East (Main Street East) is the oldest street in Shau Kei Wan and tells us the history of the place. But after the development of the society, there is almost no fishery in HK and we can’t see anything related to fishery in the street now.

筲箕灣是一個海灣，由於海灣形狀像一個筲箕，所以叫做筲箕灣。這個海灣是一個天然的避風塘，故自故已吸引很多漁船停泊，成為香港漁業的根基，東大街，正是筲箕灣最古老的一條街道，見證著筲箕灣的歷史，可惜，經過社會的發展，香港已幾乎沒有漁業，東大街也再不見漁業的痕跡。

We usually called Shau Kei Wan Main Street East as Main Street East only. In 1860, there were many pirates in Shau Kei Wan. So the government rectified the order and built the Main Street East, the first street in Shau Kei Wan. Shau Kei Wan was the center of the east HK Island. After the tram system started operating in HK Island, Shau Kei Wan became more and more important.

東大街全名是筲箕灣東大街，原意是指筲箕灣的大街之東部，不過由於名稱太長，大家都稱呼為東大街。在1860年代，香港海盗盛行，尤以筲箕灣一帶極為嚴重，故港英政府決定整頓筲箕灣海邊的房屋，開闢了東大街。筲箕灣是香港島東部的重心，當年香港島的交通還未開發時，居民只能靠班次極疏的舢舨來往中環，更有俗語：「英雄被困筲箕灣，不知何日到中環」，這意味了筲箕灣是當年香港島東邊的重心。

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Shau Kei Wan harbor, 1920 筲箕灣避風港 1920 (photo from uwants.com)

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Main Street East and tram terminal, 1930 東大街與電車總站, 1930 (photo from uwants.com)

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Main Street East, 1930 東大街, 1930 (photo from uwants.com)

The Tram Terminal in Main Street East today 今天東大街的電車總站

Shau Kei Wan, My Grandfather and Opium 我的祖父、筲箕灣、與鴉片

I was born in Shau Kei Wan and live there until I was 2. Of course, I lost all memories. From my dad, I find that Shau Kei Wan was the life of my family. He told me the story of my family in Shau Kei Wan. I don’t if it is true or not. Just take it as a story.

筲箕灣是我出生頭兩年生活的地方，當然，當年的記憶已全沒了，但從爸爸的口裡，筲箕灣就是我家族的一生。以下是我爸爸曾跟我說過我家族的歷史，是真是假無法確認，大家就當成是一個故事聽吧。

At the end of the 19th century, my great grandfather smuggled to HK from China. Shau Kei Wan was his destination. He worked hard and was smart. In 20 years, he became the owner of 3 big ships from a fisherman. Everybody in Shau Kei Wan knew him. In 1920s, his son, my grandfather had HK$10 dollars pocket money each day. I asked my dad how much is $10 in 1930s. He said he only knew that a bowl of Char Siu Rice costed HK$0.66 in 1950s. Today, a bowl of Char Siu Rice is around HK$32, which means HK$10 in 1920s may around HK$1000 today! At that time, my grandfather was only around 15 years old.

我曾祖父在清末時從廣東新會游泳偷渡來港，落腳點正是筲箕灣東大街，我曾祖父是一位聰明且勤奮的人，二十年間已由一名漁夫晉身為一名船主，他有三輛大船，分別名為「新友利」、「新榮利」及「新財利」，當年在筲箕灣無人不識。他的兒子，即我的祖父，在1930年期間，每天有10元港幣的零用錢。我曾問爸爸當年10元即是有多少，他說他也不知道，他只知道50年代一碗叉燒飯的價錢是6毫6。我嘗試計算一下，今天在香港一碗叉燒飯的價錢大約是6毫6的50倍，那即是說，當年我祖父一天的零用錢比10元的50倍還要多，而我祖父當年只是十多歲，可想而知當年我的家族是多麼富有，這都是因漁業而成。

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Char Siu Rice 叉燒飯 (photo from artintern)

My Grandfather studied in private school. He had a book child with surname “Fok”. The book child became one of the richest entrepreneur of China and the vice chairperson of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. An Olympic Gold Medalist is the wife of his grandson. The book child left my grandfather few years later and my grandfather continued to be a fuerdai. Then, he was addicted to opium.

我祖父讀的是私塾，他有一位書僮，姓霍，後來成為了中國最富有的商人之一，也是全國政協副主席，某位奧運金牌得主是他的孫媳婦，他是哪位香港的霍姓商人，我就不說了。後來霍姓商人離開了祖父，祖父繼續做他的富二代，然後，祖父迷上了鴉片。

Chinese private school 100-150 years ago 清末民初的私塾 (photo from Sohu)

Opium user 為禍中國百年的鴉片 (photo from kknews)

When Japan attacked HK, my grandfather took refuge with his ships and the whole family in the international waters. How cool it is! Then after the World War II, during the Korean War, the book child found my grandfather and invited him to join his gunrunning business. My grandfather refused him, just because he only wanted to enjoy his opium. Finally, my grandfather lost all his properties by opium.

日本攻打香港期間，祖父帶了全家坐船到公海避難，我現在聽來，是多麼有型的事啊！後來二戰結束，南北韓內戰，那書僮找我祖父一起走私軍火，但我祖父只顧抽鴉片拒絕了他。祖父的下場如何，可想而知，因鴉片敗盡身家，滿城家業只餘下一個唐樓單位。

My grandfather had 17 children and two wives. And the second wife was older than the first one! Cool! I never see my grandfather. He died before I was born. I only remember dad always said that he didn’t pay him school fee because of opium and my dad couldn’t secondary school. My dad hated him and never call him dad even the moment he passed away.

我祖父有兩個老婆，最有型的是，第二個老婆年紀比第一個老婆大！想來我祖父也是一位性情中人，他生了17個孩子，平安成長的有12個，我爸排11。其實我還未出生我祖父已過世了，我對他一點印象都沒有，我只記得爸經常說的，當年祖父為了把錢省下來買鴉片，也不給錢他讀中學，所以，最到祖父死的一刻，我爸都沒有再把他一聲爸爸。

“Foot Street” Main Street East 東大街，今天的「食街」

OK. The story ends. I just want to say that how prosper the fishery industry was in HK at that period. But now there is no fishery in Shau Kei Wan anymore. Main Street East is already a famous “food street”. I have no idea how Main Street East is turned to a food street but there are really a lot of restaurants! Many people even take a day to the street to enjoy food!

過去的事我不願再想，只想跟大家說，當年筲箕灣的漁業是如何豐盛，不過，今天的筲箕灣已不再是漁港，東大街已成為一條香港聞名的「食街」。其實東大街如何發展成「食街」我也不知，只知整條街道的食店真的很多！更有很多人特地過去品嘗美食！

I have tried two restaurants in the street. Let me introduce to you:

由於很久沒來筲箕灣了，我吃過的食店只有兩間，在此推介給大家：

On Lee Noodle Shop 安利魚蛋粉

On Lee is one of the most famous noodle shop in HK. Many super stars of HK also visited the shop. There will never be empty seat at any time. The most famous food of the shop is fish ball. The shop has its own workshop. All fish balls are handmade by the shop. Another famous food is slice brisket especially the Skirt Steak (the meat at the diaphragm). You can only enjoy it in the morning and it will all be sold! I always went to On Lee when I was small. No people knew the restaurant at the time. And now it is already known by all people in HK.

安利可說是香港最出名的魚蛋粉之一，很多大明星都曾光顧，基本上差不多任何時間都是人頭湧湧！他們自設工場，所有魚蛋都是新鮮手打，是真正的魚蛋。另外牛腩也是這店一大特色，尤其是「蝴蝶腩」(即是橫膈膜的位置)，中午未到已賣清！這店是我小時候常去的店，那時安利還未出名，沒想到數年後的今日已是名聞香港。

Full of people waiting 全是等候的人

Sliced Beef Brisket and Sliced Fish Cake with Think Noodle 切腩片頭撈粗

Lui Chai Kee 呂仔記

Lui Chai Kee is famous of HK style snack and dessert including Shumai, Imitation shark fin soup and Chinese dessert. My favorite is “Three Mix”, which is Imitation shark fin soup, lettuce, and fish mixing together. No MSG, No water diluting, Handmade fish meat. I must try one every time I pass by. “Day Day Up”, one of the most famous talk show in China, also interviewed the restaurant.

呂仔記專賣燒賣魚肉和碗仔翅等特色香港小食，我最愛吃的是這樣的「三溝」，即碗仔翅加生菜魚肉，不含味精，沒有加水，手打魚肉，我以前每次經過都要來一碗！就連《天天向上》都曾來香港訪問這店！

MC Jin in the house 歐陽靖也曾光顧！

Press interview 雜誌訪問

Three mix 三溝！

Although the life of fishery has gone, by the working hard of HK people, a new life of “food street” starts again in Main Street East. It is heard that the government is also interested in developing the tourism of the street. But, I really hope that the government please don’t damage the original style of the “Food Street”, or we will lose our folk style again.