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九龙城寨，一直都被人认为是一个特殊地区

Kowloon Walled City has always been considered a special area.

究竟为何呢？

Why is it so?

追溯城寨的历史，它是宋代的边防最前线

The history of the Walled City can be traced back to the Song Dynasty when it was the frontier of the Song Dynasty.

鸦片战争时候，清政府还派官员到城墙里面驻守

Qing officials continued to station in the Walled City in the First and Second Opium Wars.

到1898年中英签订条约

In 1898, China signed The Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory with the British.

以99年期将租界扩展到新界

The convention extended the concession into the New Territories for 99 years.

当时清政府就坚持保留城寨的统治权

Meanwhile, the Qing government had also insisted on the preservation of its government in the Walled City.

但是到1899年，英国就宣布城寨也是香港殖民地的一部分

In 1899, however, Britain declares the Walled City is also part of British Hong Kong.

由于中国政府从未正式承认过放弃城寨

China has never officially dropped its claim on the Walled City,

而当时英国政府又没实际执行过主权

and the British adopted a hands-off approach.

所以才会造成今日城寨特殊的地位

The result was that it became a lawless enclave

使城寨变成三不管地区

which played a huge role in history,

而且还成为三教九流的庇护所

and also a refuge for the underworld.

时移世易，今日城寨由原有的70亩

Time flies, today's the Walled City has been reduced to 2.5 acres

削减至2亩半

from 70 acres

以龙津道、西城路、东头村道和龙城路为界限

Take Lung Chun Road 、Sai Shing Road、Tung Tau Tsuen Road、Lung Shing Road as boundaries,

住了三万至四万人

there were approximately 30,000 - 40,000 people living in the Walled City.

究竟城寨特殊的政治背景

Is there any effect on the lives of local people

对当地居民的生活有无任何影响呢？

due to the special political background of the Walled City?

日出而作，日入而息

I work by day and rest by night,

三十多年来我就是这样在城寨度日

that's how I lived in the city for more than 30 years.

这里人人叫我雷伯

Everyone here calls me ''Uncle Lui''.

以前很多街坊来光顾我理发

Many neighbors patronized my barbershop in the old days.

现在年纪大了，眼又不好

Now I am getting old, my eyes are not good.

少了很多人来光了

I am losing my customers.

不过有时还有小孩子会来

But sometimes there are children come.

我的孙就是长期顾客

My grandson is a long-term customer.

时间过的真是快

Time is so fast.

转眼间我的孙都已经这么大了

My grandson has grown up in a flash.

几十年了，城寨当然也变了许多

After decades, the Walled City, of course, has changed a lot.

现在周围都起满了大厦，逼仄仄的

Now there are buildings everywhere,

围着那些旧式的矮屋

narrowly surrounded by those old-style low houses.

剩下供人行走的呢

The remaining footpaths

就只剩下这些又黑又窄的小巷

are just these dark and narrow alleys

外面的人进来，经常会迷路

Outsiders come here and often get lost.