Aberdeen () is an area on southwest Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. Administratively, it is part of the Southern District. While the name "Aberdeen" could be taken in a broad sense to encompass the areas of Aberdeen (town), Wong Chuk Hang, Ap Lei Chau, Tin Wan, Wah Kwai Estate and Wah Fu Estate, it is more often used to refer to the town only. According to the population census conducted in 2011, the total population of the Aberdeen area is approximately 80,000.
Aberdeen is famous not only to tourists but also to Hong Kong locals for its floating village and floating seafood restaurants located in the Aberdeen Harbour. The Tanka people, who used to live on boats in the Aberdeen Harbour, are generally associated with the fishing industry, and there are still several dozens of them living on boats in the harbour.
Etymology
This town is named in memory of George Hamilton-Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1852-1855) and former Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1841-1846). The statesman's title referred to Aberdeen in Scotland. Hong Kong's "Aberdeen" is also the name of a harbour and a housing estate: Aberdeen Harbour is the harbour between Aberdeen (town) and Ap Lei Chau, and is one of the nine harbours in Hong Kong. It is known for its view and is a popular tourist spot. During the fishing moratorium and typhoon weather, the Aberdeen Typhoon Shelters have provided a parking spot for fishing vessels owned by local fishermen. Aberdeen Centre is a private housing estate located in Aberdeen town, owned by Hutchison Whampoa Limited company. The twenty buildings (blocks), providing 2,788 private apartments, have provided a home for Hong Kong middle-class families for more than thirty years.
History
Starting from the Ming Dynasty, "Hong Kong" became the original name for the presently-named Aberdeen village. In the early 19th century, foreigners who landed near Aberdeen Village mistook the name of the village "Hong Kong" for the whole island. When the foreigners eventually realized their mistake, the name "Hong Kong" was already commonly used to refer to the entire island.
In Cantonese, Aberdeen is known indigenously as Hong Kong Tsai which means "Hong Kong Minor", "Son of Hong Kong" or "Little Hong Kong". It is believed that Aberdeen is where the name of Hong Kong (more accurately transcribed as Heung Kong) originates. Heung Kong Tsuen (香港村, "Hong Kong village") on Ap Lei Chau was mentioned on Ming-era maps. Another walled village called Heung Kong Wai in Wong Chuk Hang was also founded during the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty. Hong Kong means "fragrant harbour", and it was Aberdeen where incense trees (Aquilaria sinensis) from the New Territories used to be brought for export to other cities in China. One alternative Chinese name was Shek Pai Wan ().
At the time of the 1911 census, the population of Aberdeen Town was 1,314. The number of males was 951.
In the Second World War, during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong (1941-1945), the Chinese name of Aberdeen, Hong Kong Tsai, was transformed into Japanese as Moto Hong Kong (), meaning "The Origin of Hong Kong".
Authorities
The Aberdeen Kai-Fong Association (abbreviated "AKA"; , literally means "Aberdeen Neighbours Association"), located at 180B Aberdeen Main Road, provides outreach and elderly services throughout the Southern District. It provides teenager services through the Harmony Life Enrichment Centre. It also aims to bridge the divide between teenagers and the elderly in the district through the Linkages Centre, located in Carpark Block, Shek Pai Wan Estate.
The Tung Wah Group of Hospitals organisation has a total of four social enterprises in Aberdeen; one of them is Cookeasy, which is a project in collaboration with the Towngas company, creating job opportunities for the disabled and promoting healthy diet culture.
Aberdeen is one of the 19 constituencies of the Southern District Council. Each constituency has one elected council member in the Southern District Council. , the council member representing the area of Aberdeen is Pauline Yam.
Culture
Food
Moored in the harbour between Wong Chuk Hang and Ap Lei Chau, the Jumbo Floating Restaurant was a popular tourist spot. Designed to resemble a floating palace of imperial China, it had attracted over 30 million visitors since it opened in 1976.