Sung Wong Toi
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The name Sung Wong Toi literally means Terrace of the Sung kings. It is believed to be the memorial of the last two boy emperors of the Southern Song Dynasty, Zhao Shi and Zhao Bing, who temporaily lived in Hong Kong from 1277 to 1279.
Base on the past records, these two Sung emperors were pursued by the Mongolian army; therefore, they came all the way south and took refuge at the "Sacred Hill" along the seashore.
Zhao Shi died of illness in Hong Kong, while Zhao Bing committed suicide after the naval defeat against the Mongols at the Battle of Yamen.
After the Sung Dynasty was overthrown by the Mongolian army in 1279 AD, people inscribed the words "Sung Wong Toi" on a large rock of the "Sacred Hill".
Note that 王 (pinyin wáng, means king) is used instead of usual 皇 (pinyin Huáng, means emperor). A most probable reason is that the locals did not want to anger the Yuan rulers. Whether 皇 was used initially but the head was later cut off or 王 was used right at the beginning is unknown.
During the Japanese Occupation of Hong Kong in 1941-1945, this boulder became dislodged while the hill was being levelled for an extension of Kai Tak Airport. It was quite fortunate that the rock inscribed with the words could remain intact.
Only the part of the boulder displaying its Chinese name("Sung Wong Toi"), about one-third of its original size, survived the blasting operation. After World War II it was cut into a rectangular block and moved to the Sung Wong Toi Park, in the present-day Kowloon City District, a small park especially constructed for it close to the original site.
The park is located at the junction of Sung Wong Toi Road and Ma Tau Chung Road,
See also
- List of urban public parks and gardens of Hong Kong
- List of buildings and structures in Hong Kong
- History of Hong Kong
External link and references
- In search of the past: a guide to the antiquities of Hong Kong 《香港文物志》, The Urban Council of Hong Kong, 1988.
- [An account about the boulder]
- [Film Services Office]
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