{{Short description|Street in Sheung Wan, Hong Kong}} {{coord|22|17|06.4|N|114|08|49.5|E|display=title}} {{Infobox street | name = Po Yan Street (普仁街) | image = Po Yan Street 2020.jpg | caption = Po Yan Street in 2020 | length = 200m | restrictions = 50 km/h | location = Central and Western District, Sheung Wan | terminus_a = Hollywood Road | terminus_b = Hospital Road | inauguration_date = 19th century (named on 1869) | former_names = 坟墓街<br>聖士提反街 (St. Stephen Street) }}
thumb|250px|An art gallery on Po Yan Street thumb|250px|A camera shop on Po Yan Street (now closed) thumb|Po Yan Street outside Tung Wah Hospital (2006)
'''Po Yan Street''' (Chinese: {{lang|zh|普仁街}}) is a street in Sheung Wan, Hong Kong, that allows two-way traffic. It was formerly known as '''St. Stephen Street''' (Chinese: {{lang|zh|坟墓街}}), and was renamed in 1869. It starts at Hollywood Road and ends at Hospital Road. Po Yan Street is the birthplace of Tung Wah Hospital and the Po Leung Kuk. The Tung Wah Hospital building was completed in 1870, and the Po Leung Kuk initially used space in the hospital as its office. In addition, a theatre, a shelter for the homeless, and a refugee camp were once built on Po Yan Street. The Hong Kong government also constructed sewer facilities in the area on multiple occasions. Since the 2000s, high-end shops such as furniture stores, antique shops, and art galleries have appeared on Po Yan Street, and some service units of the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals are also located in buildings on the street.
==Etymology== Before 1869, Po Yan Street was named ("Grave Street"), after the cemetery for Chinese people located beside the street.<ref name=":2">{{cite news|title=Túshuō xiāngjiāng: Pǔ rén jiē, yuē 1930 nián|date=2008-09-23|url=http://paper.wenweipo.com/2008/09/23/HK0809230064.htm|work=文匯報|accessdate=2011-02-14|archivedate=2008-09-25|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080925111806/http://paper.wenweipo.com/2008/09/23/HK0809230064.htm|trans-title=Illustrated Hong Kong: Po Yan Street, circa 1930|script-title=zh:圖說香江：普仁街，約1930年|language=zh}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Dōnghuá yì zhuāng lìshǐ|url=http://www.tungwah.org.hk/museum/coffinhome_archives.pdf|accessdate=2011-02-14|date=|last=|first=|publisher=東華三院網站|archivedate=2009-07-04|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090704114917/http://www.tungwah.org.hk/museum/coffinhome_archives.pdf|trans-title=History of Tung Wah Coffin Home|script-title=zh:東華義莊歷史|language=zh}}</ref> It was also previously known as "St. Stephen Street".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Tong Lau / 唐樓, the Hong Kong shophouse. Gwulo: Old Hong Kong|url=https://gwulo.com/tong-lau-Hong-Kong-shophouse|work=gwulo.com|archivedate=2020-10-04|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20201004130153/https://gwulo.com/tong-lau-Hong-Kong-shophouse}}</ref>
==History== In the late Qing dynasty, political instability on the Chinese mainland prompted many Chinese people to come to Hong Kong to make a living or to emigrate overseas via Hong Kong. Sanitary conditions at the time were very poor, epidemics were rampant, and most Chinese people did not trust Western medicine, resulting in a high death rate. The hillside beside Po Yan Street therefore became the main burial ground for Chinese people.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Wèihé shànghuán tèbié měng guǐ? Fénmù jiē yītiáo lóng sǐwáng fúwù jiànzhèng huágōng bǎinián xīnsuān shǐ|url=https://www.hk01.com/社區專題/75573/為何上環特別猛鬼-墳墓街一條龍死亡服務-見證華工百年辛酸史|date=2017-03-03|last=呂嘉麗|work=香港01|language=zh-HK|archivedate=2020-09-17|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917003541/https://www.hk01.com/%E7%A4%BE%E5%8D%80%E5%B0%88%E9%A1%8C/75573/%E7%82%BA%E4%BD%95%E4%B8%8A%E7%92%B0%E7%89%B9%E5%88%A5%E7%8C%9B%E9%AC%BC-%E5%A2%B3%E5%A2%93%E8%A1%97%E4%B8%80%E6%A2%9D%E9%BE%8D%E6%AD%BB%E4%BA%A1%E6%9C%8D%E5%8B%99-%E8%A6%8B%E8%AD%89%E8%8F%AF%E5%B7%A5%E7%99%BE%E5%B9%B4%E8%BE%9B%E9%85%B8%E5%8F%B2|trans-title=Why is Sheung Wan particularly haunted? Grave Street's one-stop death services witness a century of hardship for Chinese workers|script-title=zh:為何上環特別猛鬼？墳墓街一條龍死亡服務 見證華工百年辛酸史}}</ref> There was also a church named "St. Stephen's Church" in the Po Yan Street area, which was completed in 1866 and demolished around 1888.<ref>{{Cite web|title=St. Stephen's Church (1st Generation), IL830 [1866-c.1888]. Gwulo: Old Hong Kong|url=https://gwulo.com/st-stephens-church-gap-street-hollywood-road|work=gwulo.com|archivedate=2020-09-17|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917121607/https://gwulo.com/st-stephens-church-gap-street-hollywood-road}}</ref>
In addition, the Tong Hing Theatre (同庆戏院) was completed in 1868 on Po Yan Street. The theatre was built of brick and wood, two storeys high, and provided 200 to 300 seats across four classes.<ref>{{Cite book|chapter=|publisher=三聯書店(香港)有限公司|date=2010-11-01|isbn=978-962-04-3048-0|last=黎鍵|title=香港粵劇敘論|location=|pages=145|trans-title=Discourse on Hong Kong Cantonese Opera|language=zh}}</ref> It was renamed Chung Hing Theatre in the 1890s and demolished in 1912.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Tung Hing theatre [1867-1912] {{!}} Gwulo: Old Hong Kong|url=https://gwulo.com/node/32520#19/22.28196/114.16308/Map_by_ESRI-Markers/100|work=gwulo.com|archivedate=2020-09-16|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200916114948/https://gwulo.com/node/32520#19/22.28196/114.16308/Map_by_ESRI-Markers/100|language=zh}}</ref> The Shengping Theatre was also built at the junction of Po Yan Street and Tai Ping Shan Street.<ref>{{Cite web|author=鄭寶鴻|title=Túshuō xiāngjiāng: Pǔ rén jiē, yuē 1930 nián|url=http://paper.wenweipo.com/2008/09/23/HK0809230064.htm|accessdate=2020-09-16|work=香港文匯報|archivedate=2020-10-04|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20201004130144/http://paper.wenweipo.com/2008/09/23/HK0809230064.htm|trans-title=Illustrated Hong Kong: Po Yan Street, circa 1930|language=zh|script-title=zh:圖說香江：普仁街，約1930年}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.heritagemuseum.gov.hk/documents/2199315/2199705/The_Majestic_Stage-C.pdf|title=Xìtái shàngxià — xiānggǎng xìyuàn yǔ yuèjù|publisher=香港文化博物館|date=2020|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210131103044/https://www.heritagemuseum.gov.hk/documents/2199315/2199705/The_Majestic_Stage-C.pdf|archivedate=2021-01-31|trans-title=On and Off the Stage — Hong Kong Theatres and Cantonese Opera|script-title=zh:戲台上下 — 香港戲院與粵劇|language=zh}}</ref>
Po Yan Street is the origin of the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals and the site of the first hospital in Hong Kong founded by Chinese people.<ref name=":3" /> Tung Wah Hospital was established in 1870. Governor Sir Richard Graves MacDonnell granted a plot of land on Po Yan Street and sponsored HK$115,000 under the Tung Wah Hospital Ordinance, with the balance raised by the Chinese community. After its establishment, the hospital provided traditional Chinese medicine services to Chinese people.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|title=Wǒmen de qǐyuán {{!}} Dōnghuá sān yuàn|url=https://www.tungwah.org.hk/about/our-origin/|language=zh-TW|archivedate=2020-10-04|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20201004130214/https://www.tungwah.org.hk/about/our-origin/|work =tungwah.org.hk|trans-title=Our Origins|script-title=zh:我們的起源 {{!}} 東華三院}}</ref> The hospital was initially a two-storey wooden building; in 1934, it was rebuilt as a six-storey structure designed by architect John Carr Clark.<ref>{{Cite web|title=John Caer CLARK [c.1878-1943] {{!}} Gwulo: Old Hong Kong|url=https://gwulo.com/node/29876|work=gwulo.com|archivedate=2020-10-04|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20201004130217/https://gwulo.com/node/29876|language=zh}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Historic Building Appraisal Main Block, Tung Wah Hospital, No. 12 Po Yan Street, Sheung Wan, H.K.|url=https://www.aab.gov.hk/historicbuilding/en/183_Appraisal_En.pdf|archivedate=2020-10-04|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20201004130223/https://www.aab.gov.hk/historicbuilding/en/183_Appraisal_En.pdf}}</ref> When the Po Leung Kuk was first established, it used the "Ping On" and "Fuk Sau" buildings at Tung Wah Hospital on Po Yan Street as its office. In 1891, the government allocated a plot on Po Yan Street for the construction of the Po Leung Kuk headquarters. By 1932, the premises on Po Yan Street were insufficient, and the organisation relocated to its current site on Leighton Road.<ref>{{Cite book|chapter=|publisher=中華書局(香港)出版有限公司|date=2015-05-08|isbn=978-988-8340-20-0|last=黃棣才|title=Túshuō xiānggǎng lìshǐ jiànzhú 1920-1945|location=|pages=136|trans-title=Illustrated Hong Kong Historical Buildings 1920–1945|language=zh|script-title=zh:圖說香港歷史建築 1920－1945}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|chapter=|publisher=三聯書店(香港)有限公司|date=2012-07-01|isbn=978-962-04-3249-1|last=張連興|title=Xiānggǎng èrshíbā zǒngdū|location=|pages=126|trans-title=The 28 Governors of Hong Kong|language=zh|script-title=zh:香港二十八總督}}</ref>
In the 1880s, the government made several efforts to improve sanitary conditions in the Po Yan Street area. In 1882, sanitary commissioner Osbert Chadwick, sent by the British Colonial Office, proposed building a sewer system in the Po Yan Street and Pound Lane area.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Mr Chadwick's reports on the sanitary condition of Hong Kong; with appendices and plans|last=Chadwick|first=Osbert|publisher=George E.B. Eyre and William Spottiswoode, for Her Majesty's Stationery Office|year=1882|isbn=|location=|pages=15}}</ref> The Hong Kong government had similar plans in 1884.<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Government Notification No.81|author=Hong Kong Government|url=http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkgro/view/g1884/672595.pdf|journal=Hong Kong Government Gazette|issue=|doi=|volume=|page=|pmid=|date=1884-03-08}}</ref>
=== 1990s === In the 1930s, a shelter for the homeless was built on Po Yan Street, and after the war, Tung Wah Hospital established a refugee camp there.<ref>{{Cite news|url=|title=STREET SLEEPERS: Shelter Society's Humane And Efficient Work NEED TO EXPAND|author=|date=1936-03-31|work=South China Morning Post|publisher=|accessdate=|language=en|format=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=|title=Xuè jiàn pǔ rén jiē|author=|date=1951-09-28|work=Ta Kung Pao|publisher=|accessdate=|language=zh|format=|trans-title=Blood Splattered on Po Yan Street|script-title=zh:血濺普仁街}}</ref> In 1964, a four-storey wooden building at No. 2 Po Yan Street collapsed,<ref>{{Cite news|url=|title=Pǔ rén jiē yī jiù lóu tāntā sān fù bèi mái kěnéng shì sān shī wǔ mìng cǎnjù|author=|date=1964-10-02|work=Ta Kung Pao|publisher=|accessdate=|language=zh|format=|trans-title=The collapse of an old building on Puren Street buried three women, possibly a tragic incident involving three corpses and five lives|script-title=zh:普仁街一舊樓坍塌三婦被埋可能是三屍五命慘劇}}</ref> killing three people, including a pregnant woman; two other women were buried alive.<ref>{{Cite news|url=|title=Xiāofáng yuán zài pǔ rén jiē tā wū xiànchǎng|author=|date=1964-10-04|work=Hong Kong Kung Sheung Daily News|publisher=|accessdate=|language=zh|format=|trans-title=Firefighters at the scene of the collapsed house on Po Yan Street|script-title=zh:消防員在普仁街塌屋現塲}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=|title=Pǔ rén jiē de jiàoxùn|author=|date=1964-10-05|work=工商晚報|publisher=|accessdate=|language=|format=|trans-title=The Lesson of Po Yan Street|script-title=zh:普仁街的教訓}}</ref> Afterwards, the {{Interlanguage link|Works Bureau|zh|工务局}} sealed off the area to facilitate search operations by firefighters.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=|title=Shànghuán pǔ rén jiē tā lóu zāi cháng liǎng fù bèi huómái réng wèi jiùchū|author=|date=1964-10-02|work=工商晚報|publisher=|accessdate=|language=zh|format=|trans-title=Two women remain buried alive in the collapsed building on Po Yan Street in Sheung Wan; rescue efforts are still ongoing|script-title=zh:上環普仁街塌樓災塲兩婦被活埋仍未救出}}</ref> An editorial in the ''Kung Sheung Evening News'' identified poor building supervision and ageing structures as the main causes of the accident;<ref name=":1" /> another editorial suggested that government departments should immediately seal buildings with structural problems for repairs, and that residents should notify the government immediately.<ref name=":0" />
=== 2000s === Since the 2000s, high-end shops such as furniture stores, antique shops, and art galleries have appeared on Po Yan Street.<ref>{{Cite news|url=|title=The Source: PO YAN SREET, SHEUNG WAN|author=Bassi, Fiorella|date=2001-02-07|work=South China Morning Post|publisher=|accessdate=|language=|format=}}</ref> Some properties on the street house service units of the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals; for example, the first floor of Tung Fai Garden is used as the general outpatient clinic for traditional Chinese medicine at Tung Wah Hospital, while the first to fourth floors of Tower 125 (世银花苑) accommodate the Hui Mok Tak Yu Care and Attention Home for the Elderly operated by the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Qíxià fúwù dānwèi {{!}} Dōnghuá sān yuàn|url=https://www.tungwah.org.hk/about/services-coverage/|accessdate=|language=zh-TW|archivedate=2020-10-04|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20201004130245/https://www.tungwah.org.hk/about/services-coverage/|trans-title=Service Units|script-title=zh:旗下服務單位 {{!}} 東華三院}}</ref> In addition, in 2011, Po Yan Street was included by the Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences in the Tai Ping Shan Medical Heritage Trail to help the public understand the history of medical development in Hong Kong.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Tàipíng shānxià yīdào xué lìshǐ - dōngfāng rìbào|url=https://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/lifestyle/20110320/00294_004.html|work=orientaldaily.on.cc|archivedate=2020-10-04|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20201004130247/https://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/lifestyle/20110320/00294_004.html|trans-title=Medical History Trail at the Foot of Tai Ping Shan|language=zh|script-title=zh:太平山下醫道學歷史 - 東方日報}}</ref>
Illegal parking has long been a problem in the Po Yan Street area, especially on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays. In 2013, the Transport Department temporarily designated Po Yan Street as a restricted zone, prohibiting all motor vehicle drivers from picking up or setting down passengers or loading/unloading goods within the zone. The Central and Western District Council raised the issue with the Hong Kong Police Force in 2018.<ref name="#1" /> The Police Force stated that officers from the Central District would conduct irregular traffic control and enforcement actions in the area.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Zhǎngzhě tíchū yǒuguān jiāotōng jí yùnshū de yìjiàn|url=https://www.districtcouncils.gov.hk/central/doc/2016_2019/sc/committee_meetings_doc/tts/13800/20180201_TTC_Paper_WQ_3_2018_Annex.pdf|accessdate=|author=|date=|format=|publisher=中西區區議會|language=zh|archivedate=2020-10-04|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20201004130254/https://www.districtcouncils.gov.hk/central/doc/2016_2019/sc/committee_meetings_doc/tts/13800/20180201_TTC_Paper_WQ_3_2018_Annex.pdf|trans-title=Opinions on Transport and Traffic from the Elderly|script-title=zh:長者提出有關交通及運輸的意見}}</ref>
==Alignment== The alignment of Po Yan Street has changed several times. In 1887, it started at Gap Street (now incorporated into Hollywood Road).<ref>{{Cite book|chapter=|publisher=商務印書館(香港)有限公司|date=2019-07-18|isbn=978-962-07-7334-1|language=zh|last=鄭寶鴻|title=Xiānggǎng lìshǐ kǎochá zhī lǚ: Gǎngdǎo qū|location=|pages=40|trans-title=Hong Kong Historical Exploration Tour: Hong Kong Island District|script-title=zh:香港歷史考察之旅：港島區}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|chapter=|publisher=|date=1894|title=The Directory & Chronicle for China, Japan, Corea, Indo-China, Straits Settlements, Malay States, Siam, Netherlands India, Borneo, the Philippines, &c: With which are Incorporated "The China Directory" and "The Hongkong Directory and Hong List for the Far East" ...|last=Hongkong Daily Press Office|isbn=|location=|pages=265}}</ref> In 1906, it started at No. 222 Hollywood Road and ended at Rutter Street.<ref>{{Cite book|chapter=|date=1906|title=The Directory & Chronicle of China, Japan, Straits Settlements, Malaya, Borneo, Siam, the Philippines, Korea, Indo-China, Netherlands Indies, Etc|last=Hongkong Daily Press Office|publisher=|isbn=|location=|pages=983}}</ref> In 1979, the section of Po Yan Street between New Street and Hollywood Road was converted to two-way traffic.<ref>{{Cite news|url=|title=Pǔ rén jiē jiāotōng zhōu wǔ gǎi shuāng chéng|author=|date=1979-02-21|work=大公報|publisher=|accessdate=|language=zh|format=|trans-title=Traffic on Po Yan Street will be diverted to both directions on Fridays.|script-title=zh:普仁街交通周五改雙程}}</ref> Currently, Po Yan Street starts at Hollywood Road and ends at Hospital Road,<ref name=":2" /> and intersects with New Street, Po Hing Fong, Po Yee Street, and others.<ref name="#1">{{Cite web|title=Yùnshū shǔ - jiāotōng tōnggào|url=https://www.td.gov.hk/tc/traffic_notices/index_id_32359.html|work=www.td.gov.hk|archivedate=2020-10-04|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20201004130235/https://www.td.gov.hk/tc/traffic_notices/index_id_32359.html|trans-title=Transport Department - Traffic Notice|script-title=zh:運輸署 - 交通通告|language=zh}}</ref> Hospital Road and Po Yan Street are connected by a staircase that passes staff quarters and a mortuary; nearby residents also use it.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Yì zāi chéng guǐ yù tàipíng shān jiē sǐ dé rén duō yuànqì zhòng|url=http://the-sun.on.cc/channels/adult/20051031/20051030230719_0000.html|author=|date=|format=|work=the-sun.on.cc|publisher=|language=zh|archivedate=2020-10-04|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20201004130241/http://the-sun.on.cc/channels/adult/20051031/20051030230719_0000.html|trans-title=Epidemic turns area into ghost town; many deaths on Tai Ping Shan Street breed resentment|script-title=zh:疫災成鬼域 太平山街死得人多怨氣重}}</ref>
==Nearby== *Hollywood Road *Kwong Fook Tsz *Blake Garden, Hong Kong *Hollywood Road Park *Tai Ping Shan Street *Po Hing Fong
==References== {{reflist|30em}} ==External links== {{commons category|Po Yan Street}} * [https://www.map.gov.hk/gm/map/search/keyword/普仁街#0 Lands Department - GeoInfo Map: Po Yan Street]
Category:Central and Western District Category:Roads on Hong Kong Island Category:Sheung Wan