For nearly 50 years, the extraordinary community of Kowloon Walled City cut a dark presence in the heart of Hong Kong. Yet, without legislation and with little regard for basic services, planning regulations or building standards, the City not only survived, it positively thrived, growing to accommodate over 35,000 people at its height on just over 2.4 hectares of land – the most densely populated place the world has ever known.

It was only when it was announced, in 1987, that the City was to be cleared and demolished that I first visited the City, initially only to photograph it before it disappeared forever. But the more time I spent there, the more fascinated I became and thoughts of a book became a reality. Another photographer, Greg Girard, joined me and for four years – 1988 to 1992 – we photographed the City and its residents.

With the help of an intrepid local history graduate, Emmy Lung, we interviewed over 30 people who lived and/or worked there and, in 1993, City of Darkness: Life in Kowloon Walled City was published – a simple record of the place and some of those who worked there, but with little in the way of explanation or historical context.

Unexpectedly, however, the book sold well and remained in print for nearly 20 years, when the decision was made to bring the story up to date, adding numerous images not used in the original edition and, more importantly, adding well-researched essays on the City’s history; its dramatic post-war growth; the truth behind the many myths that swirled around the City and its dark past; and its growing impact on popular culture in Hong Kong and around the world

This edition, City of Darkness Revisited, was published in 2014 and both editions are now available here. Click on the links below for further details.

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