KOWLOONWALLED CITY

Try to imagine a city with no laws or regulations inhabited by 50,000 residents in an area that is less than six acres.

In a chaotic labyrinth of darkness lies a community of human beings working and living without sunlight or fresh air.

Opium dens and brothels sit side by side kindergartens and illegal doctors and dentists. Food is prepared for upscale Hong Kong restaurants in areas the size of a closet, crawling with roaches and mice. Sewage runs freely down dark streets as women and drugs are sold with no fear of repercussions.

Here lies the social and legal anomaly named Kowloon Walled City.

THE WALLED CITY

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EXPLORE THE WALLED CITY

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Rotate & zoom to get a sense the walled city. Tap to view full-screen.

INTERACTIVE 1.1 Kowloon 3D Model

CITY OF DARKNESS

Kowloon is a legal and social anomaly found just outside the city limits of Hong Kong, China. The original 6 acre plot of land was established in the year 960 by the Song Dynasty to be used as an outpost to regulate the trade of salt. In 1842 the Chinese built the infamous wall around the outpost to further protect it from future invasion of the British. China eventually lost Kowloon to the British in 1899. After years of inactivity China declared to take the walled city back after the Japanese surrender in World War II. By 1947 over 2,000 squatters, wishing to live under China’s protection, flooded the area. After a failed attempt to drive them out in 1948, Britain adopted a hands-off approach.

With little to no government enforcement from either Great Britain or China, the walled city became a refuge for those who wished to live outside the law. The city became a haven for crime and drugs, and by 1959 Kowloon was almost completely governed by the organized crime ring known as the Triads. The Triads had complete control of all the brothels, drug dens, and gambling operations inside Kowloon. Using the profits of such businesses, construction took off in the 1960s and 1970s to expand to new enterprises. By the early 1960s, crime was so bad that the police would only attempt to enter Kowloon with mass forces in raids. The Triads demanded that the residents and business owners of the city pay them a fee in order to be protected while living there. It was not until 1973-74 when a series of 3,500 police raids resulting in over 2,500 arrests and 4,000 pounds of seized drugs that the Triad’s power began to wain.

Self-organized groups were established to improve the quality of life in Kowloon and some schools were established, although they were unregulated.

The architecture of the city itself during this time is what gave it the name the City of Darkness.The buildings could not expand outward past the natural wall borders, so the new construction was built upwards. The buildings themselves were not to exceed 14 stories so that planes could land at the Hong Kong airport, less than a mile away. A labyrinth of  250 sq. ft. apartments and 10x10 rooms used for businesses went up, one on top of the other, until natural sunlight was seen no more. Fluorescent lighting and fans were found throughout the structure to try to compensate for the lack of fresh air and sunlight.

Only eight main water pipes were responsible for providing all 50,000 residents with water. Sewage flowed down the streets, which were an average of 3.5 feet wide. People on upper floors would simply empty a bucket of sewage out their door without regard to what was beneath them. Walkways inside the city were built with bamboo shoots linking the tiny rooms on many levels to each other. All of the walls inside of the apartments and businesses were constantly wet from the poor irrigation systems. Residents would get the water they needed for personal use at filling stations located at various stations throughout the city. The streets were littered with rats and roaches and any other scavengers that had found a safe

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place to live in Kowloon, not unlike the residents. The rooftops were completely covered with TV antennae and ladders connecting one roofline to the other. The very center of the city was called the Yemen, where many different religions were practiced and gambling was prevalent.

Even though Kowloon was notorious for the violent lifestyle that went on within its walls, there were many others who lived there due to extreme poverty. Since there were no regulations on how products were manufactured, residents of the city were able to sell their merchandise at a greatly discounted rate. This attracted the business of many fine restaurants and merchants out of the Hong Kong area looking to increase their profit margin.  Working 12 hour days, 7 days a week, anywhere from 1-10 workers would occupy a space up to 10x10 feet. Food was prepared alongside the rats and roaches with wet, dripping walls; and plastic-bag manufacturers worked in rooms with children and no ventilation. Children as young as two were working

as well, mimicking the motions of their mothers.

Over time, the British and Chinese governments agreed that the living conditions of the city had become intolerable and laid out the plans for destruction in 1984. The actual announcement to demolish the city came in 1987. The Hong Kong government spent some 3.5 billion dollars in compensating the residents that lived in Kowloon; however, some of those residents were not satisfied with this compensation and were forcibly removed from the city between November 1991 and December 1992.

After four months of planning, the demolition of the walled city began on March 23, 1993 and concluded in April of 1994. Construction for the Kowloon Walled City Park began the following month. The 336,000 square-foot area that was once among the darkest, most desolate places in the world to live, now has a beautiful, fresh, flower-filled memorial park standing in its stead.

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DENSE

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DIAGRAM 1.2 Tap to view population density comparisons.

Lenoir City Maryville, TN Knoxville, TN New York, NY Kowloon

DIAGRAM 1.1 Each dot represents approximately 100 people. The boxes represent one square mile.

Explosive growth in a limited space made Kowloon Walled City one of the most densely populated places on earth. At it’s peak, it is estimated that 50,000 people lived in about 6 acres.

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CITY OF ANARCHY2

UNREGULATED & UNACCOUNTABLE What made Kowloon dark and terrifying is also what caused some to find it irresistible: it existed in a lawless vacuum.

If you were on the run, Kowloon was where you got to stop running. If you wanted to conduct business in the shadow of anonymity without regulations, Kowloon was perfect.

If you wanted to break a law, you’d have to do that somewhere else, because in Kowloon there were no laws.

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NOT GONE YET

The historical and political anomaly once called “Kowloon Walled City” now only exists in photos and memories. But the mind is everyone’s walled city. In our minds we can construct our own reality, and it’s just as ungovernable as Kowloon once was. A fleeting moment of shame, rage or lust and our minds may play host to thoughts that we’d never want revealed. We dream of doing things we’d “never dream of doing.” And yet, there’s no one to call us into account... no brows being furrowed, no fingers being wagged, and certainly no punishments being exacted.

But, just as the inner workings of Kowloon dramatically impacted the great city of Hong Kong that surrounded it, the inner workings of our minds contribute to our external lives constantly. What happens in Kowloon, doesn’t stay in Kowloon.

The greatest concern, however, is not the threat of idle thoughts working their way into reality. This instruction was not just concerned with preventing a potentially dangerous thought pattern from leaking into the real world. This

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instruction was given because our thought patterns

don’t have to lead to an action to be real... the workings of the mind are no less

real than the things we can see and touch.

Beyond even that, what happens in our minds is actually a far better indicator of who we are than our actions in the physical world could ever be. The Bible teaches from start to finish that it’s the

condition of our heart that matters most, not our external actions.

Why does God care about what happens between our ears? Because our thoughts do more than just impact reality, they represent it more clearly than anything else possibly can.

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“The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV)

BABY AND BATHWATERThe dominance of the Triad gangs, rampant prostitution, drug use and the almost unthinkable living conditions will always be the story of the City of Darkness. Nevertheless, most of its residents lived decent lives. Families grew, communities formed.

Granted, many of the inhabitants were on the run from the law, and many others ran there for the purpose of getting around the law. But many more were victims. Some were in such desperate poverty that Kowloon may have been their only option. Some were born in Kowloon. Others were driven there by addictions that could only be indulged within its walls. Still others, searching for work, saw it as their only opportunity for employment.

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Kowloon had plenty of shady characters, but that’s not even close to the whole story. Many who lived there report a close-knit community. Thousands worked long hours day in, day out to provide for themselves and the people they loved. In many ways Kowloon displayed the incredible ingenuity of people who made untenable living conditions sustain an explosively growing population for decades, using little more than their own innovation and determination.

There were bright spots throughout the City of Darkness. But that didn’t change the unavoidable: Kowloon had to be evacuated and demolished.

The twisted labyrinth of sewage-filled passageways, piecemeal electrical work, and crumbling high-rises simply could not provide a suitable foundation for a new start in Kowloon. It had to be deconstructed piece by piece.

Isn’t this true of us? Our best thoughts flow and intermingle with our worst secrets in the hidden passageways of our minds. If we intend to “hold every thought captive” (2 Corinthians 10:5) we can’t build on our existing patterns. We have to deconstruct our old ways of thinking and build a new system of thought, based on God’s values for our lives.

Consider the scriptures:

• “If people’s thinking is controlled by the sinful self, there is death. But if their thinking is controlled by the Spirit, there is life and peace.” Romans 8:6 (NCV)

• “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” Colossians 3:2 (ESV)

• “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2 (ESV)

• “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Philippians 4:8 (ESV)

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FINDING FREEDOMKowloon had two kinds of residents:

1. those who wanted to be there.2. those who had no choice but to stay.

Plenty of people lived there because that’s where they wanted to be. Where else, for example, can you mass produce food for local restaurants without being bothered by health inspectors or sanitation laws?

But the historic population density was driven by more than the absence of governance. There were many who stayed because

they couldn’t leave. To leave would mean abandoning a parent, facing a debt, risking arrest, or enduring the fury of a pimp or druglord. They were stuck. To put it simply, it was a lot easier to get into the Walled City than it was to get out of it.

In much the same way, many people are trapped in their own minds. Some are the victims of trauma or abuse, and as a result find themselves captive to patterns of thought that inevitably lead to fear, shame, rage, and self-loathing. Others are so entrenched in their thought habits that they simply have no hope of pulling out on their own. In these all-too-common

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To put it simply, it was a lot easier to get into the Walled City than it was to get out of it.

circumstances, counseling and other forms of intervention may be necessary and can certainly be helpful. But we believe that Jesus is our first and greatest resource in finding freedom.

Quoting Isaiah’s prophecy, Jesus said:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” Luke 4:18-19 (ESV)

And Paul taught the Corinthians that we can be free from strongholds:

“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NIV)

FEEL TRAPPED IN YOUR OWN MIND? • Turn to Jesus and ask him to give you freedom.

• For ongoing prayer ministry, Christian community, or a referral to a trusted counselor, contact us or join us for worship.

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Maryville Vineyard Church 713 William Blount Drive

Maryville, TN 37801

www.maryvillevineyard.com865.268.WOOT (9668)

Canvas Church 201 North B Street, PO Box 1114

Lenoir City, TN 37771

www.mycanvaschurch.com865.599.0025

A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESSCalled by God at the age of five, Jackie Pullinger grew up knowing that she would be a missionary. However, she admits, she did not like God very much back then. She did know that He always won you over in the end, so she might as well face the fact that she would walk the road of a Christian—as God surely wanted everyone to be a missionary.

Jackie grew up in a wealthy family in the UK and was an active member in her church. She wondered why the Christians she knew claimed to love God so much but looked as if they disliked him so much. It wasn’t until she started to attend college that she had her first encounter with God “despite the Christians.” She was

introduced to a small group of Christians that were having Bible study in their homes. One day while she was praying with them, she opened her eyes and watched the other people thanking God for eternal life. She saw that they believed with all their hearts that they had received eternal life. She then realized that since she had accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior, she also was to receive eternal life. After about 30 seconds of pure happiness, she was filled with terror. She realized that she had this life with Jesus for eternity, but not everyone else did.

As the group moved to the kitchen to make dinner, she was overwhelmed with an urge to leave right then and go find someone

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“It is very much easier to do what God made you for than not.”

who did not know Jesus. God led her to a park bench outside the apartments where there was a lady sleeping who did not know the Lord. Jackie was able to pray with her and lead her to Christ. That was the point where her calling met her faith.

Jackie prayed about what God wanted her to do. She knew that she wanted to share Jesus with anyone who would listen, and she did so. She began to receive visions and dreams where God clearly told her to “Go.” When she would ask “where?” he would remain silent. At 21, she had just graduated from Royal College of Music. When she began to contact missionary organizations, she was rejected. Rules dictated that one had to be 25 years old and a graduate of a missionary college in order to work in the field.

She turned to her vicar, Richard Thompson, for advice, telling him how confused she was. God kept telling her to go, but she was not able to get her circumstances to line up. Thompson told Jackie that if God said “go,” she needed to get all her money together and buy a ticket on a boat going as far away as possible, passing through as many countries as possible, and to pray to God about where to get off. In 1966, with the equivalent of $100 in her possession, she prayerfully got off the boat in Hong Kong.

God led Jackie to other missionaries in the Hong Kong area, and she found a job immediately. After she’d been in the city for awhile, some missionaries asked her if she would like to accompany them into the hidden city behind the walls: Kowloon. Jackie assumed this was a poor place that needed Jesus’ love, so she gladly followed her new friends into Kowloon, the City of Darkness.

She was met with one of the most horrific scenes she had ever come across in her life. The city itself was a labyrinth of darkness—

no natural light shone on its streets. Half-clothed prostitutes walked past the entrances to opium dens. An armed man patrolling the streets looked at her with his hand on his knife. Raw sewage poured down the side of the street, and she saw a man lying there in the midst of the filth. She walked over to him, pulled out a white handkerchief, cleaned his face, and propped him up against a wall. She was led inside this City of Darkness to a school for the most poor children. She knew then that this was exactly where God intended for her to be. She said it was like hearing a song in her heart.

As the years went on, Jackie was able to meet people in the streets of Kowloon and tell them about Jesus. She had the support of several missionary friends, and they began to take in drug addicts and prostitutes, helping them find a new life.  

Jackie described the rehabilitation process as being completely led by the Holy Spirit. It all started when a prominent member of the Triads, the largest gang of opium smugglers in Kowloon, came to her and said that he wanted to see if this Jesus she spoke of could save him. She began to pray over this man, and, as she did, he began crying. He later testified that all the drugs left his body painlessly. After seeing the miraculous transformation, others from the gang flooded the rehabilitation home that Jackie had started. As the addicts came in, she and the other ex-addicts would pray in shifts over the men and women. The Holy Spirit would minister to

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“People say to me. ‘What about the rich?’ They need Jesus too.’ Well, that’s fine if you’re called to them, but we’re called to the poor. The rich can look after themselves.”

their hurts and save them from their disease. As they healed, these former addicts in turn helped pray with addicts coming in, and they also began to go back out into the darkness of the city and share the light of the gospel. This was how Jackie founded St. Stephens Society in 1981.

“I went up to a man and said ‘Jesus loves you’ …but I realized that it didn’t mean anything unless I did it.”

Jackie did not walk without enemies in Kowloon. The Triads were angered by what they were seeing her do to gang members, and they made a ritual of stealing from her and vandalizing her home. She would send the gang leader messages about Jesus and said that she would like to meet with him. Oddly enough, Jackie had begun to notice that certain stolen items, such as a typewriter, were returned a couple of weeks after being taken. She later discovered that the leader had demanded that anything that was taken be returned and anything that was broken be fixed. When the gang members refused, stating that Jackie would never forgive them, the leader simply replied, “she has to forgive—she is a Christian.”

Jackie was even more determined to meet the gang leader after this and waited for hours outside of his opium den for a meeting. When he finally appeared, she told him that they were going for tea. At the table she told the leader that he was very much like her Jesus. She explained that she used to be Jesus’ enemy, but even so he had given his life to save her; and now, even though she was the Triads’ enemy, this man had given of himself to return her lost belongings. That day the leader left the table completely embarrassed, but not much later he used a double-decker bus to take his friends to the ocean—to witness his baptism.  

After the government-mandated destruction of Kowloon in 1994, Jackie stayed in an area right outside of Hong Kong. She continues to minister to drug addicts and gang members in a housing development paid for by the city government. She has also been working with a world-wide foundation, Isaac, to educate the body of Christ on its call to help the poor and lost. Jackie is also a published author best known by her book Chasing the Dragon, which chronicles her ministry in Kowloon.

1. Booth, Martin. Opium: A History. (New York: St. Martin's Press, 1998) p.100

2. Jackie Pullinger; Andrew Quickie (1 Sep 1980). Chasing the Dragon. Hodder & Stoughton Religious. p. 28. ISBN 978-0-340-25760-9.

3. Booth, Martin pp.99-100

4. Baynham, Jacob Hong Kong missionary uses intensive prayer to help heroin addicts San Francisco Chronicle. 17 December 2007. Retrieved August 14, 2008

5. Pettie,Gordon. “The Interview”; July, 2011. Revelation TV.

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CREDITS

• Created by: Maryville Vineyard Church in conjunction with Canvas Church

• Development: Matt Farrand

• Editor: Sarah Small

• Writers: Jenny Dawson, Aaron McCarter

PHOTOS

• “Kowloon Walled City Night View from SW Corner,” ©1987 Greg Girard, All rights reserved. Used by written permission on cover, pg 2, pg 7.

• “Kowloon Walled City from an aeroplane,” ©1989 Dan Jacobson, used under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license on pg 1: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en

• “Full Model of Kowloon Walled City,” ©2013 Google Sketchup User “NY,” used on pg 2 according to Terms of Service: http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/preview_tos.html

• “KowloonWalledCityAlley2,” ©2006 Underbar dk, used on pg 4 under Fair Use: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_use

• Google Maps used on pg 6, Imagery ©2013 TerraMetrics, Map data ©2013 Google. All rights reserved.

• “KWC Vieze Gang,” ©2012 Daan Kolkman, used on pg 8 under Fair Use: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_use

• “Kowloon Demolition 1 & 2,” ©1993 Michael Freeman. Used by written permission on pgs 11, 12, 13.

• "Jackie Pullinger of Hong Kong," ©2010 The Totton Linnet, used under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

• Census data on pg 5 from US Census Bureau and SCMP Graphics: Adalpho Arranz.

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DIG DEEPER

Learn more about Kowloon Walled City:

• “Chasing the Dragon: One Woman's Struggle Against the Dark-ness of Hong Kong” by Jackie Pullinger

• Kowloon Walled City on Wikipedia

• “Inside the Kowloon Walled City where 50,000 residents eked out a grimy living in the most densely populated place on earth” by Pamela Owen for Daily Mail

• “A Brief Visual History of Kowloon Walled City” by HongWrong.com

• A selection of Greg Girard’s photography from inside Kowloon Walled City

• “Kowloon Walled City Hong Kong 1990” on YouTube

• “Kowloon walled city 九龍城砦” on YouTube

• “City of Anarchy” Infographic from South China Morning Post

• Official Kowloon Walled City Park website

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