PRESENTER:

Do you remember the big neon rooster in Yu Man Square, Kwun Tong?

Well, it’s now on display in front of you here at M+: the Kai Kee Mahjong parlour’s neon sign. It was the first Mahjong parlour in Hong Kong, established in the 1930s. And there’s an interesting story behind the name ‘Kai Kee’.

WILSON LAM:

My name is Wilson, I’m the third-generation Operator of Kai Kee Mahjong School. In 1911, when My grandfather Lam Kwan was just thirteen years old, he fled Xinhui in Guangdong Province, by sneaking onto a boat to Hong Kong.

He had no one and nothing here, so he lived on the street at the entrance of Tin Hau Temple. The temple attendant in charge took sympathy on him, took him in, and got him a job. My Grandfather diligently worked at a chicken stall and gradually built some savings. When the owner of the chicken stall retired, he bought the stall and ran the business himself. Many locals bought from him and—not knowing his name—started to call him ‘Ah Kai’, ‘Ah Kai’, literally meaning ‘Mr. Chicken’ in Cantonese!

In 1932, my grandfather switched to selling fruits as it was more profitable, but the locals still called him ‘Ah Kai’. Then one night, grandfather dreamt of a rooster crowing to wake him up, so he got up very early and happily sold all of the fruits for that day. He walked passed a store and bought a lottery ticket—and won one hundred and five dollars. So grandfather used the lottery money to buy his own store on Temple Street. Back then, The locals had nowhere to go in their free time, so they would gather at the neighbourhood store and play mahjong. Eventually more and more locals went to grandfather’s store to play mahjong, so he decided to stop running the store and rented another space next to it to operate a Mahjong School instead.

PRESENTER:

He began to expand the business to other districts, starting with Temple Street in Yau Ma Tei. Each of the new branches had a unique neon sign to attract customers. This one was hung between the bus and minibus terminals, and quickly became a landmark of Yu Man Square.

WILSON LAM:

My father Alex Lam, the second generation to run the Mahjong School had real vision; he saw the government was starting to develop the Kwun Tong area, and knew there would be a lot of factory buildings in this new Industrial area, which would mean more traffic and more potential customers for our business, so my father established a branch in the heart of Kwun Tong, right next to the bus terminal.

Standing out in the dark but newly developed busy district, the Kai Kee neon sign lit up the area, and could be seen from afar. The main function of any neon sign was advertising, and so the biggest and most colourful signs were the best. Most of the neon signs back then were a very simple graphic, such as Sammy Kitchen’s cow, Kam Lung Restaurant’s dragon, Camel Paint’s camel; and, of course, the big rooster for Kai Kee Mahjong School!

PRESENTER:

When you leave the museum today, remember Wilson’s story as you navigate the city’s streets – the neon signs around you are likely hiding their own, fascinating tales.

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