Sun Yat-sen trail reopens with high hopes for tourism
After a year of work mostly funded by the Tourism Commission, the 3.3km Sun Yat-sen Historical Trail through Central and Western District has been renovated.
The HK$4 million renovation began last year to commemorate the 140th anniversary of the birth of Sun, the revolutionary leader revered as the father of modern China who died in 1925. It includes the relocation of three memorial plaques in Gough, Staunton and D'Aguilar streets, and the addition of two new ones to make the trail more accessible to visitors.
A new plaque at the entrance to the University of Hong Kong in Bonham Road recalls how Sun, an HKU alumnus, declared that 'Hong Kong and the University of Hong Kong are my intellectual birthplace' when he visited the university in February 1923. Another, at Pak Tsz Lane, marks the place where the Chinese Patriotic Mutual Improvement Association was founded in 1892 to discuss political reforms in China.
Twenty new pictures of old streets have also been put up along Staunton Street to show visitors how the city looked in days gone by.
The trail, built in November 1996, recounts Sun's education and his religious and political activities during his nine years in Hong Kong. It begins at HKU's Loke Yew Hall and passes 13 historical sites with 15 information plaques before ending at D'Aguilar Street.
Despite its historical significance, the trail has been little used. In the past six months, only 100 local residents and foreign tourists have joined guided tours. But Central and Western District Council chairman Stephen Chan Chit-kwai said yesterday at the trail's official relaunch that its actual attendance rate had been underestimated.
'We think there are, in fact, more members of the public or tourists who have walked along this trail,' he said. 'We cannot keep track of the exact number if they do not join our guided tours.'
He added that the low level of participation may be due to a lack of publicity and predicted that better promotion would triple or quadruple the number of people on the tours.
'Now, members of the public and tourists who visit Dr Sun's museum in groups can find the tour service for the trail on [a form they are given]. It makes access easier for them,' Mr Chan said.
'Moreover, this year we have launched a joint promotion with the Tourism Commission, in which the commission will provide a tour service for tourists to visit both Dr Sun's museum and the trail.'
The trail
1 University of Hong Kong
2 Original site of Diocesan Home and Orphanage
3 Original site of Tong Meng Hui Reception Centre
4 Original site of American Congregational Mission Preaching Hall
5 Original site of Government Central School
6 Original site of Yang Yao Ji - meeting place for 'Four Desperados'
7 Site of Yang Quyun's murder
8 Original site of Chinese Patriotic Mutual Improvement Association
9 Original site of Queen's College
10 Original site of Alice Memorial Hospital and College of Medicine for Chinese, Hong Kong
11 Original site of To Tsai Church
12 Original site of Hong Kong headquarters of Xing Zhong Hui
13 Original site of Xing Yan Lou western restaurant
14 Original site of China Daily office
15 Original site of He Ji Zhan fruit stall
SOURCES: CENTRAL & WESTERN DISTRICT COUNCIL
