| Tsuen Wan | |||||||||||
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| The day scene of Tsuen Wan across Rambler Channel (View taken from Tsing Yi Island) | |||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 荃灣 | ||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 荃湾 | ||||||||||
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Tsuen Wan (formerly also spelt Tsun Wan) is a bay in the Kowloon area of Hong Kong, opposite to Tsing Yi Island across Rambler Channel. The market town of Tsuen Wan emerged for the surrounding villages and fleets of fishing boats in the area. The town is around the present-day Tsuen Wan Station of the MTR. It was extended as far as the reclamation proceeded.
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In earlier days, it was known as Tsin Wan (淺灣) which means shallow bay, and later renamed to Tsuen Wan. Another name Tsak Wan (賊灣, Hakka dialect pronunciation: tshet wan), pirate bay, indicates the presence of pirates nearby long ago. In fact, the area around Rambler Channel was known as Sam Pak Tsin (三百錢), literally meaning three hundred coins. There was a legend that pirates would collect three hundred coins should one pass through the area.
A museum of a local settlement village is located in Tsuen Wan Town: Sam Tung Uk Museum. The museum is an effort to preserve one of the heritage villages in Hong Kong. It was restored when Tsuen Wan underwent urban development during the construction of the MTR.
In the 20th century, factories moved in gradually due to its proximity to Kowloon. With the construction of Castle Peak Road, motor vehicles could reach the town in addition to access on foot and by boat. In the 1950s, the Hong Kong Government developed the area with new town concepts. In the 1970s it was developed as part of Tsuen Wan New Town. By 1971 the area housed 400,000 residents. It was one of the last areas in Hong Kong to be developed without the "Colony Outline Plan".[1]
Discovery Park, one of Hong Kong's largest shopping centers, is located in the heart of Tsuen Wan Town. There is a goldsmith street there where jewels can be purchased. Other features include Tsuen Wan Shopping Plaza, Tsuen Wan City Landmark, Citywalk and L'Hotel, The Sam Tung Uk Museum, Tin Hau Temple and The Panda Hotel, one of the biggest hotels in Hong Kong. The Nina Towers, which include an 80-storey tower, rise over Tsuen Wan. Hong Kong's cable TV service company i-CABLE also has their headquarters located in Tsuen Wan at Wharf Cable Tower.
Private housing estates in Tsuen Wan include:
Allway Gardens (Chinese: 荃威花園) is the earliest and one of the largest private housing estates in Tsuen Wan. It developed by Hopewell Holdings. It is located on Tsuen King Circuit, a hilltop at the west of Tsuen Wan. It comprises sixteen towers in four phases, completed between 1978 and 1981.[2]