 The northern end of Stone Nullah Lane at the junction withQueen's Road East. TheBlue House can be seen in the background(left). | |
 Interactive map of Stone Nullah Lane | |
| Native name | 石水渠街 (Chinese) |
|---|---|
| Length | 140 m (460 ft)[1] |
| Location | Wan Chai, Hong Kong |
| South end | Lung On Street |
| North end | Queen's Road East |
| Stone Nullah Lane | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional Chinese | 石水渠街 | ||||||||||
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Stone Nullah Lane is a one-way street inWan Chai,Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. Named afterthe water channel that until 1959 ran down its middle, it stretches from Lung On Street toQueen's Road East. The street is noted for its historical landmarks, most notably theBlue House andWan Chai Pak Tai Temple.
During theFirst Opium War, the British occupied Hong Kong in 1841 and one year later, the territory was ceded to them under theTreaty of Nanking. At the time, anullah or water channel made of stone or concrete was located on the street.[2] It carried a stream that originated from the hills ofVictoria Peak situated aboveKennedy Road. After travelling down the street, it drained out intoVictoria Harbour underneathWan Chai Road, which was located onHong Kong Island's waterfront. However, it is now situated much farther inland due toland reclamation that has been undertaken since its opening.[2] The structure eventually lent its name to the street it was built on,[3] and it was common for laundry to be washed in thenullah.[2]
At the start of the 20th century, shops that processedsoybeans were established near Stone Nullah Lane. Because of the unpleasant odour emitted during the processing, this led to protests from residents in the neighbourhood. Eventually, the shops were forced to move to other areas.[2] Thenullah, which also emitted a foul stench,[3] wasculverted in 1959[4] and relocated underground, where the stream from The Peak still flows today.[2] Although the nullah can no longer be found on the lane, thestreet name was left unchanged.[3]
From its southern end, Stone Nullah Lane begins at its junction with Lung On Street. This is where theWan Chai Pak Tai Temple is located.[5] Made from grey-coloured brick andgranite, it was constructed in 1863,[6] although the statue ofPak Tai inside dates even further back to 1604.[7] The temple is the oldest inthe district,[8] and reportedly the largest onHong Kong Island.[6] The next landmark on the route is the headquarters ofSt. James' Settlement. Situated at 85 Stone Nullah Lane,[9] the charitable organisation was established here in 1949 with the goal of helping impoverished children living in squats around the neighbourhood, and now extends its services to needy people across the city. The current structure towers 12-storeys above the lane.[7] Before the street turns ontoQueen's Road East and ends, it passes theBlue House, aGrade I historic building.[10] The building—whose Spanish balconies made fromcast-iron have elicited comparisons to ones inNew Orleans[11]—was built in the 1920s and was originally utilised as a health centre for the community, a school teachingkung fu from the 1950s to 1960s,[8] and now houses a museum.[8][11]
| Central and Western District |
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|---|---|
| Wan Chai District |
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| Eastern District | |
| Southern District | |
| Spans more than one district | |
22°16′26″N114°10′26″E / 22.2740°N 114.1740°E /22.2740; 114.1740
