A City of Many Tongues
How words, names, and translation shaped Hong Kong
Joy Luck Club
Hong Kong's map is an archive of aspiration. From prosperity and security to health and happiness, street names reveal how generations inscribed their dreams into the urban landscape.
Naming the Unnameable
Why does Hong Kong rename streets, skip numbers, and rewrite entire districts? Discover how superstition, homophones, and feng shui quietly shape the city's map, turning language into a tool for avoiding misfortune and courting luck.
Lost in Translation
Hong Kong's map is written in two languages and countless compromises. Behind every street sign lies a story of translation, mistranslation, colonialism, superstition, and the struggle to make places legible across cultures.
Foreign Influence
Think Hong Kong’s street names are purely British? Think again. From Portuguese suburb creators and Indian regiments to Parsi pioneers and bizarre mistranslations, over 11% of non-Cantonese street names hide unexpected global roots. Discover the fascinating, multicultural secret history behind the signposts you walk past every day.