View source for Yau Ma Tei

{{short description|Area in Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong}}
{{Use Hong Kong English|date=August 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}

{{Chinese
| pic = Yau Ma Tei Overview 201105.jpg
| c = 油麻地
| y = Yàuh màh deih <!--colloquial pronunciation-->
| j = Jau4 maa4 dei2
| p = Yóumádì
| h = yiu4 ma2 ti4
| c2 = 油蔴地
| j2 = Jau4 maa4 dei2
| y2 = Yàuh màh deih
| p2 = Yóumádì
| l = Oil-Jute Ground
}}

'''Yau Ma Tei''' is an area in the [[Yau Tsim Mong District]] in the south of the [[Kowloon Peninsula]] in Hong Kong.
{{TOC limit|2}}

==Name==
''Yau Ma Tei'' is a phonetic transliteration of the name {{lang|zh-Hant-HK|油麻地}} (originally written as {{lang|zh-Hant-HK|油蔴地}}) in [[Cantonese]]. It can also be spelt as '''Yaumatei''', '''Yau Ma Ti''', '''Yaumati, Yaumáti''' or '''Yau-ma-Tee'''.

''Yau'' ([[wikt:油|油]]) literally means "oil", ''Ma'' ([[wikt:麻|麻]] or [[wikt:蔴|蔴]]) can either refer to "sesame" or "jute", and ''Tei'' ([[地]]) means "field" or "open ground". Hence, ''Yau Ma Tei'' can be interpreted to mean either "oil-sesame field" or "oil and jute ground". This dual-interpretation is perhaps the reason for there being two explanations for the origin of the place name.<ref name="Heritage Impact Assessment Report">[http://www.amo.gov.hk/form/YMTT_RBB_HIA%20Report.pdf Architectural Conservation Office, HKSAR Government. (2008). ''Heritage Impact Assessment Report of the Yau Ma Tei Theatre & Red Brick Building''] Retrieved October 21, 2009</ref>

==Geography==
[[Dundas Street, Hong Kong|Dundas Street]] marks the north border of Yau Ma Tei with [[Mong Kok]] and [[Austin Road]] its south border with Jordan and [[Tsim Sha Tsui]]. To its west is [[Victoria Harbour]] and its east the hilly region of [[Ho Man Tin]].

Southern Yau Ma Tei was traditionally known as [[Kwun Chung]], but came to be called [[Jordan, Hong Kong|Jordan]] after the completion of [[Jordan station|Jordan MTR station]] at its heart.

==History==
[[File:Yau Ma Tei 1880.jpg|thumb|The shore of Yau Ma Tei in 1880]]
[[File:Hong Kong Yaumatei West.jpg|thumb|The old shore of Yau Ma Tei in 2008]]

Yau Ma Tei was a village in Kowloon. It was mentioned that a Chinese burial ground was assigned at a mile northeast of a village of Yau-ma-Tee at 2 December 1871.<ref>Hongkong Government Gazette, Notification 169 of 2 December 1871</ref> The name Yau Ma Tei is not thought to pre-date British rule. However, Kwun Chung is mentioned in many historic documents. Kwun Chung was a river valley with village and cultivation. To the south, a hill near the coast was used as a [[fortification]] by the [[military of the Qing dynasty]] during the 19th century. In 1839, [[Qing dynasty|Qing]] official [[Lin Zexu]] ordered the construction of a fortification in the area to defend against possible [[British Empire|British]] attacks. When the [[First Opium War]] broke out, the fortification, along with another fort in [[Tsim Sha Tsui]], saw action against British forces during the [[Battle of Kowloon]].

Before the ceding of Kowloon to the British in 1860, Yau Ma Tei was a beach and a bay gathering many [[Tanka (ethnic group)|Tanka]] fishermen. Its water remains a harbour for fishermen after several times of reclamation by the [[Government of Hong Kong|Hong Kong Government]]. The [[Yau Ma Tei Typhoon Shelter]] became an exotic water area where restaurants on boats offered dishes of indigenous seafood. These 'typhoon shelter dishes' remain famous to this day and are even offered on land. The [[typhoon shelter]] not only hosted fishermen, but was also a port in Hong Kong. Numerous piers were built along its shore. [[Ferry Point, Hong Kong|Ferry Point]] in the southern part of Yau Ma Tei was a transportation hub where many commuters took ferries to and from [[Hong Kong Island]]. The service was offered by [[Hongkong and Yaumati Ferry]].

Inland, the reclamation became the residential area for the ever-increasing Chinese population, with retail shops on the street level. [[Shanghai Street]] was the main street before being replaced by [[Nathan Road]]. Along [[Waterloo Road, Hong Kong|Waterloo Road]] is the century-old [[Fruit Market]]; its adjacent [[Yau Ma Tei Theatre|Yaumati Theatre]] was once the largest in Kowloon. The [[Kwong Wah Hospital]] was the first hospital on the Kowloon peninsula, established in 1911. [[YMCA]] headquarters and its [[hostel]] in Hong Kong are located on the road. On 26 January 2021, 12 buildings in Yau Ma Tei were placed under lockdown due to COVID-19.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-01-26|title=Hong Kong places residents of 12 buildings under sudden Covid-19 lockdown|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3119275/hong-kong-fourth-wave-carrie-lam-promises|access-date=2021-01-26|website=South China Morning Post|language=en|first1=Zoe|last1=Low|first2=Jeffie|last2=Lam|first3=Rachel|last3=Yeo|first4=Gigi|last4=Choy}}</ref>

==Public health==
[[Kwong Wah Hospital]], run by charity [[Tung Wah Group of Hospitals]], is the first major hospital in the area. Historically, there was a [[small pox]] hospital ({{lang|zh-Hant-HK|油蔴地痘局}}) at the hill northeast of Kwong Wah Hospital. Founded by [[Government of Hong Kong|Hong Kong Government]], [[Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Hong Kong|Queen Elizabeth Hospital]] is another major hospital in the area.

Yaumatei Maternal & Child Health Centre ({{lang|zh-Hant-HK|油麻地母嬰健康院}}) is under Family Health Service, Department of Health.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fhs.gov.hk/tc_chi/centre_det/maternal/maternal_kd_ymt.html|title=家庭健康服務 - 母嬰健康院|website=www.fhs.gov.hk|language=zh-hk|access-date=2018-11-23}}</ref>

==Sightseeing==
[[Image:Yaumati Theatre 1.jpg|thumb|[[Yau Ma Tei Theatre]] in 2007. A small portion of the [[Yau Ma Tei Fruit Market]] can be seen on the right.]]
The district is mainly an area of mixed residential and retail. During day time, the Yau Ma Tei wet market and fruit market are the markets to visit, buying souvenirs like dried noodles and some fruits. Every night there is a market selling many different kinds of products including clothes, decorations, VCD and toys in [[Temple Street, Hong Kong|Temple Street]], a street in the area where [[Tin Hau Temple Complex, Yau Ma Tei|the famous Tin Hau Temple]] was built in 1876. The Temple is at [[Public Square Street]]. The square, known as [[Yung Shue Tau]], was a [[night market]]. Jade Market and Jade Street, China's most revered green stone is in abundance here, with around 400<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/see-do/tours-walks/self-guided-walks/yau-ma-tei-and-mong-kok.jsp|title=Markets for Leisure and Pleasure {{!}} Hong Kong Tourism Board|website=www.discoverhongkong.com|access-date=2018-11-23}}</ref> registered stall owners ready to pitch jade amulets, ornaments, necklaces and trinkets.

===Museums===
The Hong Kong International Hobby and Toy Museum ({{lang|zh-Hant-HK|香港國際玩具博物館}}), located at No. 330 [[Shanghai Street]], showcases models, toys and pop culture memorabilia from around the world. Exhibits include toy vehicles, dolls, action figures, cartoon characters, science fiction collectibles, model rockets, Japanese anime, classic toys.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.hktoymuseum.org/ |title=Official website of the Hong Kong International Hobby and Toy Museum |access-date=1 December 2011 |archive-date=11 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160511100655/http://www.hktoymuseum.org/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Museum]] in [[Kwong Wah Hospital]] details the history of [[Tung Wah Group of Hospitals]] and its relation with Hong Kong people, is also located in Yau Ma Tei.

===Historic buildings===
[[File:Old Yau Ma Tei Police Station (full blue sky).jpg|thumb|Old [[Yau Ma Tei Police Station]]]]
[[File:Yau Ma Tei Fruit Market (Hong Kong).jpg|thumb|[[Yau Ma Tei Fruit Market]]]]
* [[Tin Hau Temple Complex, Yau Ma Tei|Tin Hau Temple]] ({{lang|zh-Hant-HK|油麻地天后廟}})
* Old [[Yau Ma Tei Police Station]]
* [[Yau Ma Tei Fruit Market]]
* [[Yau Ma Tei Theatre]]
* [[Engineer's Office of the Former Pumping Station]] (Red Brick Building)
* [[Former Kowloon Magistracy]]
* Kowloon Union Church

== Public housing ==

===Prosperous Garden===
[[File:Prosperous Garden 201301.jpg|thumb|Prosperous Garden]]
In the 1980s, the Government handed over the [[redevelopment]] project of Lee Tat Street ({{zh|t=利達街}}) and Cheung Shui Street ({{zh|t=祥瑞街}}) in Yau Mei Tei (the two streets were later removed during redevelopment) to the [[Hong Kong Housing Society]]. This became Prosperous Garden ({{zh|t=駿發花園}}), an "Urban Improvement Scheme" estate<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.hk-place.com/view.php?id=224 |title=Urban Redevelopment Project (Chinese) |access-date=2 September 2009 |archive-date=11 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210711233117/http://www.hk-place.com/view.php?id=224 |url-status=dead }}</ref> in [[Public Square Street]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.wastereduction.gov.hk/chi/materials/household/RVMLocation.xls |title=Location with Reverse Vending Machine Installed |access-date=2 September 2009 |archive-date=22 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120622053307/https://www.wastereduction.gov.hk/chi/materials/household/RVMLocation.xls |url-status=dead }}</ref> Phase 1, including Block 1, 2 and 5, was completed in the site in 1991. Block 1 and 2 were for sale while Block 5 was for rental. Its Phase 2, including Block 3 and 4, was completed in 1995 and was for sale.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.hk-place.com/view.php?id=226 |title=Prosperous Garden (Chinese) |access-date=2 September 2009 |archive-date=2 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200202020608/http://www.hk-place.com/view.php?id=226 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Hoi Fu Court===
[[File:Hoi Fu Court (clear view and better contrast).jpg|thumb|right|Hoi Fu Court]]
Hoi Fu Court ({{zh|t=海富苑}}) is a mixed [[Home Ownership Scheme]] court and public estate built on [[Land reclamation in Hong Kong|reclaimed land]] of the old [[Yau Ma Tei Typhoon Shelter]].<ref>[http://www.hab.gov.hk/wkcd/competition/comp_notes-e-2.pdf TYPHOON SHELTER]{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>[http://www.cityu.edu.hk/hkhousing/prm/cpc/Cpc13-99.PDF Hoi Fu Shopping Centre, Mongkok]</ref> It is the only public housing estate built by [[Hong Kong Housing Authority]] in the District. It comprises 6 blocks completed in 1999 and 2004.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.housingauthority.gov.hk/en/interactivemap/estate/0,,1-347-14_4804,00.html|publisher=Hong Kong Housing Authority|title=Hoi Fu Court|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110908084232/http://www.housingauthority.gov.hk/en/interactivemap/estate/0,,1-347-14_4804,00.html|archive-date=8 September 2011}}</ref><ref>Yu, Pui-kwan, Robin, [http://hub.hku.hk/bitstream/10722/52819/1/FullText.pdf "A study on quasi-public space in large scale private residential development, case in Hong Kong"], [[University of Hong Kong]], 2007</ref>

Hoi Yu House of the estate was put under lockdown for mandatory COVID-19 testing on 7 February 2021.<ref>[https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1574605-20210207.htm RTHK]</ref>

Hoi Fu Court is in Primary One Admission (POA) School Net 31.<ref name=POAlist>{{cite web|url=https://www.edb.gov.hk/en/edu-system/primary-secondary/spa-systems/primary-1-admission/school-lists/index.html|title=POA2023 Primary School Lists by School Net for Discretionary Places Admission Stage|publisher=[[Education Bureau]]|accessdate=2022-10-13}}</ref> Within the school net are multiple aided schools (operated independently but funded with government money) and Jordan Road Government Primary School.<ref name=POA31>{{cite web|url=https://www.edb.gov.hk/attachment/en/edu-system/primary-secondary/spa-systems/primary-1-admission/school-lists/2023dpnet-31b.pdf|title=POA School Net 31|publisher=[[Education Bureau]]|accessdate=2022-10-13|archive-date=12 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220912235443/https://www.edb.gov.hk/attachment/en/edu-system/primary-secondary/spa-systems/primary-1-admission/school-lists/2023dpnet-31b.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Charming Garden===
[[Charming Garden]] is an 18-block estate built under the [[Home Ownership Scheme]] and [[Private Sector Participation Scheme]].

==Education==
=== Primary and secondary schools ===
* [[Wah Yan College, Kowloon]] is a boys' school, located in 56 [[Waterloo Road, Hong Kong|Waterloo Road]] in Yau Ma Tei.
* [[True Light Girls' College]], a girls' [[EMI school]], is adjacent to the above. 
* The Methodist College is located in 50 [[Gascoigne Road]] in Yau Ma Tei. It is an [[EMI school]] for both boys and girls. 
* Tung Koon Society Fong Shu Chuen School (東莞同鄉會方樹泉學校) is located near the [[Yau Ma Tei Fruit Market]]. 

Yau Ma Tei is in Primary One Admission (POA) School Net 31. Within the school net are multiple aided schools (operated independently but funded with government money) and Jordan Road Government Primary School.<ref name=POA31/>

=== Public Library ===
[[File:HK YauMaTeiPublicLibrary.jpg|thumb|Yau Ma Tei Public Library]]
[[Hong Kong Public Libraries]] operates the {{ill|Yau Ma Tei Public Library|zh|油蔴地公共圖書館|zh-yue|油蔴地公共圖書館}} ({{lang|zh-Hant-HK|油蔴地公共圖書館}}).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hkpl.gov.hk/en/locations/yau-tsim-mong/library/yau-ma-tei.html|title=Yau Ma Tei Public Library|publisher=[[Hong Kong Public Libraries]]|access-date=2025-10-12}}</ref>

==Transport==
Nathan Road goes north–south across the heart of Yau Ma Tei. Most of buses routes via Nathan Road to the destinations in North Kowloon and [[New Territories]]. Trains of [[MTR]] shuttle beneath the road. Yau Ma Tei is served by [[Tsuen Wan line|Tsuen Wan]] and [[Kwun Tong line|Kwun Tong]] lines on the [[MTR]] [[rapid transit|metro]] system, at a single station with the same name, [[Yau Ma Tei station|Yau Ma Tei MTR station]]. 
Other streets in the area or partly in the area include:
* [[Canton Road]]
* Dundas Street - shares its Chinese name (登打士街) with the Chinatown section of [[Dundas Street]] and in Toronto and are both named for [[Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville]]
* [[Portland Street]]
* [[Public Square Street]]
* [[Reclamation Street]]
* [[Shanghai Street]]
* [[Temple Street, Hong Kong|Temple Street]]

==See also==
* [[List of places in Hong Kong]]
* [[Broadway Cinematheque]]
* [[Eaton Hotel Hong Kong]]
* [[Fo Pang]]
* [[King's Park, Hong Kong]]
* [[Kowloon Central Post Office]]
* [[Yau Ma Tei Car Park Building]]
* [[Yaumatei Ferry Pier]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |last= |first= |author-link= |editor-last= Hase|editor-first= P. H.|editor-link= Patrick Hase |date=1999 |title=In the Heart of the Metropolis: Yaumatei and its People |url= |location= |publisher=[[Joint Publishing]] |page= |isbn=9789620417474}}
* {{Cite journal|last1= Hayes|first1= James|author-link=James W. Hayes|date=1966|title=Old British Kowloon|jstor=|url=https://hkjo.lib.hku.hk/archive/files/ca3a17aaa1b85476a8216973ffaee358.pdf|journal=[[Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong Branch]]|volume=6|pages=120–137}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Yau Ma Tei}}
{{Wiktionary|Yau Ma Tei}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110721092013/http://www.amo.gov.hk/form/YMTT_RBB_HIA%20Report.pdf History of Yau Ma Tei] (pp.&nbsp;5–12)
* {{cite web |url=https://www.edb.gov.hk/attachment/tc/curriculum-development/kla/arts-edu/resources/ae-pdp-materials/CDI020150845.pdf |title=The Rise and Fall of Yau Ma Tei Theatre |last=Dr. Lee Ho Yin 李浩然博士 |date=4 November 2015 |publisher=[[Education Bureau]] |access-date=28 August 2020 |archive-date=22 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201022034215/https://www.edb.gov.hk/attachment/tc/curriculum-development/kla/arts-edu/resources/ae-pdp-materials/CDI020150845.pdf |url-status=dead }}
{{Yau Tsim Mong District}}
{{Hong Kong Urban Areas}}
{{Reclaimed land in Hong Kong}}
{{Authority control}}

{{Coord|22.31301|114.17053|display=title}}

[[Category:Yau Ma Tei| ]]