Hong Kong Snapshot (25) (With Video) – “The lanes of Central”, Li Yuen Street East and Li Yuen Street West 香港随拍(25)(附有视频) – 百年老街中环利源东街及利源西街

aaronli (73)in #cn • 7 years ago (edited)

中環是香港自開埠以來的經濟、政治、文化等的重要基地，更是香港的商業金融中心，是「香港的心臟」。經過百多年的發展，今天的中環已演變成高樓臨立的現代商業社區，逐漸取代一座又一座的舊建築，失去本土味道。

Since the colonial era, Central of HK is already an important place of economy, politics and cultures, and also the commercial Centre. Central is the “Heart of HK”. After 100+ years, Central has become a modern Commercial Centre with high building everywhere, replacing the old buildings, and losing the local style.

不過，香港的本土力量仍在默默掙扎，縱被逼到絕地，仍努力堅持，保留屬於舊香港的風味，味道，就如利源東街及利源西街，兩條狹窄小巷，竟仍能在今天的中環，繼續保留著香港的傳統市集。

But, the HK local culture is still working hard to survive. Li Yuen Street East and Li Yuen Street West, two old and small streets, are still retaining their traditional markets in nowadays Central.

利源東街及利源西街位於中環，是香港第一條以華人名字命名的街道。在19世紀末，中環一帶填海，富商金利源投得了一塊土地，便將這塊土地附近的街道命名為利源東街。不過，金利源其實並非人名，已是一個商號，街道真正的買家為晚清「保險業大王」之稱的李煜堂。

Li Yuen Street East and Li Yuen Street West are located in Central. They are the first road named after a Chinese in HK. In the late 19th century, a large scale reclamation projects were carried out in Central. Businessmen Kim Li Yuen bought part of the reclaimed land and named after his name. But, actually Kim Li Yuen is not a person, it is a brand. The real buyer of the land is the “King of Insurance” Li YuTang.

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李煜堂 Li YuTang (Photo Source: 南方+)

李煜堂是香港富商，當年在香港上環設有藥材店金利源及水利源，故便以「利源」一詞為街道命名。李煜堂不僅是富商，更是中國現代史不可或缺的重要人物，當年孫中山先生搞革命，建立同盟會，就得到李煜堂的大力支持，並建立同盟會的香港分會，後來孫中山在香港辦《中國日報》，經費就出自李煜堂。李煜堂更將其金利源藥材店提供予革命黨人藏軍火及秘密會議，而家黃花崗起義前，李煜堂更為孫中山一夜籌集80萬元軍費，並於第二天立即送往廣州。

Li YuTang was a wealthy businessman in HK. He opened two Chinese drug stores “Kim Li Yuen” and “Shui Li Yuen”. So he used the name “Li Yuen” as the name of the street. Li was not only a businessman but also an important person in the modern history of China. When Mr Sun Yat-sen, Father of the Nation in the Republic of China, found the Tongmenghui, the Chinese Revolutionary Alliance, Li was a supporter and help to set up the HK Tongmenghui. Later Sun found the “China Daily” in Hong Kong. Li was the main investor. Lee provided his Chinese drug store, Kim Li Yuen, for Sun and Tongmenghui to hide weapons. The night before the Seconf Guangzhou Uprising, Li raised $800,000 to support it.

孫中山 Sun Yat-sen (Photo Source: Now News)

孫中山先生一直很感激李煜堂的貢獻，更在他死後親自為其墓碑的碑文提筆，著名電影《十月圍城》中，由王學圻飾演的角色李玉堂，原型就來自李煜堂。可惜，今天回想過去歷史，大多人只想到孫中山，卻從不知道李煜堂。

Li was one of the best friend of Sun. The inscriptions on the tombstone of Li was written by Sun. In the film “Bodyguards and Assassins”, the character Li Yutang casted by Wang Xueqi, is inspired from Li. But now, every Chinese knows Sun, and no one know Li.

十月圍城 Bodyguards and Assassins

回到利源東得及利源西街，這裡初期本是幾家報館的總站，當年有「報紙街」之稱，自1950年起，開始有小販攤檔在這裡售賣布匹、皮革等，成為今日利源東西街的初型，慢慢街邊售賣貨品的種類越來越多，終演變成今天的特式市集，更被冠名為「中環女人街」。

Back the Li Yuen Street. Initially, it was a street of press. Many newspaper set their office in the street. After 1950, the press moved out and bazaars started to sell daily products here, which is the beginner of Li Yuen Street today. And now, Li Yuen Street becomes a traditional market selling various kind of products.

夾雜在兩旁大廈之間，利源東西兩街展現著它的活力，在小小的街道，售賣著富中國特色的商品，加上各種日用品，種類達百樣之多。在這裡，你會見到很多在香港已經很難見到的東西。而這樣的環境，本身就已是一塊瑰寶，商販們埋頭苦幹，外國遊客充滿好奇，狹窄小街處處寶物，地方雖小，卻充滿魅力，盡現老香港的特色，是香港的縮影。

Located between high buildings, the two narrow streets remain their energy. You may see products with Chinese style as well as different kinds of daily products in the market. Some are already can’t be seen outside the street. The streets are already treasure, bazaars working hard, tourists with curiosity, and precious products in the street, which is full of charm. It shows the charm of the old HK. It is the miniature of HK.