Tai Kok Tsui

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Tai Kok Tsui (traditional Chinese: 大角嘴 or 大角咀) is an area west of Mong Kok in Kowloon, Hong Kong. The mixed land use of industrial and residential is present in the old area. The Cosmopolitan Dock and oil depots were previously located there. Blocks of high-rise residential buildings have been erected on the newly reclaimed area to the west.

[edit] Demography

Until recently, many of the residents in Tai Kok Tsui were senior citizens but there has been a more recent influx of younger people, especially those returning to Hong Kong after time spent overseas. Traditionally the area has been known as one characterised by the presence of immigrants - often described as 'illegal immigrants' though this term is used rather intolerantly in Hong Kong and at times may describe people who are no such thing.

[edit] History

Before any reclamation, Tai Kok Tsui was geographically a long island of Hong Kong of granite linked by an isthmus at its north to Kowloon Peninsula. The long granite hill divided the reclamation in its east and dock area in the west in 1924. The tip of the cape hosted the Asia oil tanks. The area was mainly for dock facilities at this period as reflected in present-day Anchor Street. The Cosmopolitan Dock survived till 1960s which is now Cosmopolitan Estate (大同新邨).

[edit] Coast and reclamation

The Chinese character Tsui (嘴) in Tai Kok Tsui implies that the area was originally an elongated cape on the west side of Kowloon Peninsula. The cove between the cape and Kowloon Peninsula was reclaimed during the period of 1867–1904. More reclamation along its shore took place during the period of 1904–1924 and more covered its tip during the period of 1924–1945. Minor reclamation was needed during the period 1964–1982 when the Tai Kok Tsui Ferry Pier (大角嘴碼頭) was built. The launch of the Airport Core Programme in the 1990s gave rise to substantial reclamation as well as revitalisation of the district. Part of Tai Kok Tsui - the area newly reclaimed in the 1990s - is increasingly referred to as Olympic due to the nearby MTR Station opened in 1998, and the Olympian City shopping centre.