Hong Kong Snapshot (75) – Start of Chinese Department Stores, related to brothels and prostitutes? 香港隨拍(75) – 永安百貨，華人百貨業之始竟與妓女有關？

The history of department store in China started from the early 20th century. In Nanjing Road at Shanghai, there were the “4 great department stores” – Sincere, Wing On, Sun Sun and The Sun – founded by Chinese. They introduced the western business model and decoration style, making Nanjing Road having the nickname of “Little Paris”. They brought up the department store industry of China. And I would like to say that, 3 of the “4 great Department Stores” started in HK, and grew up because of brothels?

中國的百貨業始於二十世紀初期，在二十年代的上海南京路，曾屹立四大百貨公司 – 先施、永安、新新及大新，都是由華人創辦，他們引入西方的經營模式，華麗的裝潢設計，讓南京路曾有「小巴黎」的稱號，帶動了中國的百貨業。不過我今天想講的是，四大百貨公司，有三間始於香港，更是因黃業發達？

Since the colonized of HK, a number of successful Chinese spring up in Hong Kong. And due to the rebellion and war of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom in China, many wealthy Chinese came to HK. The Chinese brothels of HK became more and more high graded.

香港在1842年被殖民統治，經過50年後，已有一批致富華人出現，加上中國太平天國動亂，很多富人都避難到香港，因此華人妓院竟慢慢由簡陃、純粹解決生理需要，發展成千金難求一紅牌的高級妓院。

Des Voeux Road Central in Sheung Wan，1920s (photo form Wikipedia)

Before 1904, most Chinese brothels were located at Sheung Wan. And the rich Chinese also lived in Sheung Wan too. Where’re the prostitutes come from? Many of them were bought by brothels when they were kids. They needed to attend prostitute training: clothing, dieting, music, vocal, liquor, make up and speaking skills! After training, the brothels will sell their first night by auction.

在1904年前，華人妓院多在上環水坑口街一帶，而華人中的有錢哥兒都是住在附近，因為中環是洋人住的。當年的華妓怎樣來？除了自願的外，還有很多是被妓院買下的女孩，她們從少就要接受課程，先有「猜、飯、彈、唱」，即是穿得不能少，要讓客人猜、不能多吃、要懂彈琴，還有唱歌，後來又有「飲、彈、唱、靚、柄」，靚就是要懂打扮、「柄」就是說話技巧，故每位妓女都是多才多藝，相信與當年秦淮河畔的名妓們不遑多讓。經過訓練後，她們的初夜會被拍賣，價高者得，然後妓院會為她辦「嫁女」儀式，正式破處，與客人歡好約一星期後，妓院又會為她辦「喪夫」儀式，她們就正式成為「舉人」，即妓女了。

An advertisement of prostitute… (photo source: review33.com)

The trained prostitutes were so famous. To compete with others, those rich man spent a lot of money to buy them clothes and gifts. At the time, there was only Lane Craftford opened in 1850 in HK and some Chinese traders took the chance to open department stores. Sincere was opened in 1900, Wing On opened in 1907, The Sun opened in 1912. There were almost 20 department stores opened, all located at the Des Voeux Road Central in Sheung Wan!

當年受過訓練的妓女們深得客人喜愛，為博紅顏一笑，送禮自然必不可少，這個時候，香港本來只有1850開業的連卡佛，一班已出頭的華商看準時機，開始創辦華資的百貨公司，其中「先施」於上環開業，其後「永安」在1907年開業，大新則在1912年開業，前前後後共十多間華資百貨公司，全都堆在了上環的德輔道中一帶！

Wing On in 1920s (photo from Wikipedia)

Sincere in 1920s (photo from Wikipedia)

Rich man spent money on prostitutes, and then prostitutes spent the money on Department Stores! They liked to buy newest clothes, make up accessory, and to check the newest fashion trend. At the time, the Chinese department stores were the indicators of the fashion trend. The first Fashion Walk of HK was just held in Sincere at 1930. Later, the departments stores opened their branches in China. Sincere, Wing On, The Sun, and Sun Sun which was founded in China, were called the “4 great department stores” of China.

華人的有錢哥兒不停送禮送錢給妓女們，現在就輪到妓女們去百貨公司逛街了，她們都會在百貨公司選購衣服、化妝品，還有留意最新的時裝潮流！當時各大百貨公司是香港華人的潮流尖端，香港歷史第一次時裝表演就是在1930年於先施舉行！其後，各大百貨公司亦走到上海開設分店，其中的先施、永安、大新更與在內地創立的新新成為「中國四大公司」。

Display of Wing On in 1918 (photo from Wikipedia)

Wing On even published its magazines (photo from Wikipedia)

Time passed, after wars and turmoils, the “4 great department stores” of China were closed except Wing On. But Wing On China already has no relationship with Wing On HK. In HK, there were the trend of Japanese Department stores in the 1970s-80s. Many JP department stores opened branches in HK. Then in the 1990s, HK people changed their favor to “malls”, which include shopping, dining and entertainment. Now, Only Sincere and Wing On are still here. But Sincere is not department stores anymore. It’s just chain stores. Wing On is the only department store still at Des Voeux Road Central.

好景不常，中國經歷一輪戰亂，四大公司先後結業，只剩下「永安」仍存，不過與香港的永安已沒有關係。至於香港，在七八十年代，大批日本百貨公司湧入香港，加上中國改革開放，再不需要港人在國貨公司買物資寄回國，華資百貨公司紛紛倒閉，再到九十年代後，香港商場興起，集購物、飲食、娛樂於一身的商場把華資百貨狠狠打敗。至今先施及永安仍在，但先施已由百貨公司變成小商店，而永安是最強的，它仍屹立在上環的德輔道中。

But, when I look at the decoration style of it, I am really not interested to go in…

不過，看見裡面的風格設計，我也真的沒有興趣進去…

In 1904, the HK Government moved all the brothels of Sheung Wan to Shek Tong Tsui, west of HK Island. It’s the strat of the “Erotic Romance of the West Quarry”. So why did the HK government have such decision? And what is the “Erotic Romance of the West Quarry”. See you next time!

1904年，香港政府將上環所有妓院搬到港島西的石塘咀，自此開始三十多年的「塘西風月」，醉生夢死…為何政府要這樣做？「塘西風月」又是怎樣的？下回再續。

十二少，3811老地方等你。

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Thanks for spending your time to read my articles. I like to share stories of Hong Kong. I wish you may support me and I will keep going!
謝謝你能抽空閱讀這篇文章，我平日喜歡分享香港的故事，希望大家多多支持，我會繼續努力！