IT is said that an 'uncertain' clause in the lease of the New Territories denied Britain, or the Hong Kong Government, any jurisdiction over the now-demolished Kowloon Walled City. Consequently, it became a haven for criminals, especially drug dealers and vice operators - a very different place, in fact, from what had been envisaged by its founders who built the walls to form a refuge from pirate attacks and bullying by foreigners.
The history of the Walled City has been taken by Raymond To as a basis for a musical pageant, Tales of the Walled City, presented in this year's Festival of Asian Arts by the Urban Council's cultural threesome: the Repertory Theatre, the Chinese Orchestra and the Dance Company.
Such a major collaboration sounds very grand and the scale of it was indeed so. As well as some highly impressive technical contributions, there were collective and individual performances of considerable excellence.
The Chinese Orchestra, for example, under the baton of the charismatic Henry Shek, got the evening off to a fine start with composer Cheng Ning-chi's overture. It was music that really made one sit up and listen, a quality that was sustained brilliantly throughout.
Similarly, the Hong Kong Dance Company gave an exciting virility to the opening number, as they represented the toil and sweat in building the walls and erecting a huge cannon.
In contrast to this was the exquisitely beautiful Dance of the Moon Lotus, which accompanied duets by two sets of lovers.