Old Kowloon documentary

[Chris_a_1986]

There's this incredible documentary about the Kowloon walled city, it has no translation anywhere, it was filmed around 1975 but is in superb quality for its age, I dont think it'll ever be translated unless someone actually decides to. I'm pretty sure it's in Cantonese.

The Kowloon walled city was demolished in 1993, and was a no-go area so footage is very scarce, this short 24 minute documentary has no subtitles, I'm willing to sub it if someone provides a transcript, I don't know if there is a forum here for this sort of thing, but I have no where else to turn to.

This is the link for the YouTube video, it's a really fascinating piece of footage of Hong Kong history which unfortunately I cannot understand!

If somebody has the time and skill to write a transcript I will sub the video myself and upload it on YouTube for everyone to watch, if it's in anybody's interest please please be so kind to do so, on the plus side it can even assist people in their own learning of the language as by watching the video you'd be improving your own understanding.

Thanks in advance!

Edit:
Thanks to everyone who has contributed so far, I have decided to put the whole transcript in this post to avoid any confusion, with the parts that still need to be changed/looked at highlighted in bold. It a bit messy being scattered throughout the thread...so anything in bold posted in this post is what I've tried to translate myself, whereas anything not highlighted is dialogue that has been looked at already and corrected where I messed up.


九龙城寨一直以来都被认为是特殊地区
Kowloon walled city has long been considered a special area.

究竟为什么呢 ?
Why exactly is it?

追述城慕的历史
Let's look into the walled city's history.

它是宋代的边防最前线
It was at the frontier of the Song Dynasty's defence.

鸦片战争时候
After the opium war

清政府还派官兵到城墙里驻守
the Qing authorities still stationed soldiers in the city walls.

到 I898 生, 中英签订条约
In 1898, Britain and China signed a treaty

以 99 年期, 将租借扩至新界
for 99 years, leasing the new territories.

当时, 凊政府就坚持保留 对城寨的统治权
At the time, the Qing government held the rights to maintain the area of the walled city.

但是到 1899 年
But by 1899,

英国就宣布城寨
The British declared the walled city,

也是香港殖民地的一部分
as it was also part of the colonised land.

由于中国政府从未正式承认过城裏
The Chinese government never officially acknowledged the city,

而当时的英国政府又没实际执行过主权
and at that time the British government hadn't implemented it's sovereignty.

所以才造成今日城寨特殊的地位
This is what's led to the walled city particular status today.

使城寨变成"三不管"地区
It's what made the walled city "unregulated",

而且一度成为三教九流的庇护所
and became a shelter for all different kinds of people.

时移世易, 今日的城寨由原有的 70 亩
Now times have changed, the original 70 acres

缩减至 2.5 亩
are reduced to 2.5 acres.

以龙津道, 西城路
It's bounded by Lung Chun road, Sai Shing road,

东头村道和龙城路为界线
Tung tau tsuen road and Lung Shin road.

住了三四万人
30-40,000 people reside here

究竟城寨特殊的政治背景
We shall investigate the walled city's political background

对当地居民的生活有没有任何影响呢 ?
What impact has it had on the lives of the locals?

日出而作, 日落而息
The sun rises, the sun sets

三十多年来, 我就是这样在城寨里度日
30 years, this is how I've lived in the walled city.

这里个个都叫我雷伯
Everyone here calls me Uncle Lei.

以前有很多街访来帮衬我理发
Many used to visit me here to use my service as a barber.

现在年纪大了, 眼睛又不好
Now I'm old, my eyes aren't good,

少了很多人来帮衬
fewer people use the service.

不过偶尔也会有小孩来
However, occasionally I may get the odd child.

我的孙子就是老主顾
My grandson attends regularly.

时间真的过得很快
The time has really flown by

转眼孙子都这么大了
My grandchildren are already so big

几十年了, 城寨当然也变了很多
Decades have passed, the walled city of course, has changed a lot

现在周围都起满了大厦
Right now, the city is reaching its limit.

十分拥挤, 围住旧式的危房
It's very crowded, and enclosed by old dilapidated buildings.

给人走的
People are walking along

也就只有那些又黑又窄的巷子
There's just dark narrow alleyways

外地人进来当然是迷路了
so outsiders who enter of course get lost

很多在外面犯事的人
A lot of criminal offenders from the outside

就最终跑到城寨来
go for the walled city to escape...

没事的, 里面的街道像八阵图似的
they will be alright, inside the streets are a bit like the eight diagrams.

可以左穿右窜
They turn left and right as they flee

警蔡不容易抓到也们
The police won't be catching them easily

说到警察, 以前城寨没警察巡街的
Speaking of the police, they never used to patrol in the walled city

我记得是前几年, 好像是 76 年
I remember a few years ago, the year '76 it seems

才有正式的警察进城寨维持治安
Did the police start formally policing the walled city

以前很多老居民
The residents used to

都认为城寨的治安不算坏
think the walled city's security wasn't bad

因为当地人做事很容易被人发觉
because people who do things can be found easily;

所以如果有盗窃或者抢劫
like in the event of a theft or robbery.

都是外地人进来做的
It's the outsiders who come in to do this.

早十几二十年, 这里里面是没人理的
20 years prior to this, no one was in charge here

很多犯法的事都有人做
Many people here do illegal things

而且还明目张胆地做
and do them them blatantly too

不过现在就没以前那么猖狂了
But now it's not as bad as it used to be.

卖狗肉的三六档还在
The dog meat shop is still around.

而偶尔也有一些道友 (瘾君子) 躲在横巷或公厕里 "追龙"
There's usually a fellow (addict) hiding down a side-alley or public toilet "chasing the dragon"

但是卖白粉的就少很多了
There's much less heroin-selling

至于赌档和妓寨
As for gambling dens and brothels

就不光城寨里有
they don't only exist in the walled city

外面也有
they also exist outside.

虽然城寨"三不管"
Although the walled city is "unregulated"

但也并不像外人想象中那么可怕
It's not the terrible place that outsiders imagined

进来会被人又打又杀
(where) people were attacked and killed when they entered (here).

外面的人进来
(If) Outsiders come in

(没错,) 有的人会大眼瞪小眼
(I'll say,) they get stared at by some people (local residents)
不过是 没恶意的
It is just not in a malicious way
但是 去到哪里都一样了
However, it's the same no matter where you go

路过"三不管"的地方 黑漆漆的横街窄巷
While passing through the "unregulated" pitch black narrow side streets

就别乱闯了
move quickly, don't hang around.

自己都几十岁了
I'm getting on a bit myself

除了帮人理发之外
As well as hairdressing, I help out people

我本来不打算这么辛苦去帮人倒垃圾的
I originally hadn't planned on helping people with trash

后来不知道为什么总有人把垃圾
I don't understand why people are trashing the place

倒在我档口前面
It falls down and its all piling up

所以逼着我自告奋勇
So I was forced into helping

上门帮附近的居民倒垃圾
by vising homes of nearby residents to collect trash.

这里的街巷除了又黑又窄之外
Here, the streets are pitch black and narrow

还因为居民随处倒垃圾
Because or the residents' garbage everywhere

无形中把老鼠养得又肥又大
the rats appear to have grown very big and fat

有时路过还有水滴下来
Sometimes there are drops of water passing down

也不知道是不是污水
I don't know if it's sewage or not

城寨的坑渠都是明渠
The walled city has open canals

很多人就顺手在坑渠里倒屎倒尿
People simply dispose of their urine and faeces in the canal

有的父母还让小孩随地解决
Some parents let their children go anywhere they decide to

喂, 收了收了
Hello, here to collect, here to collect

- 阿伯 ! 垃圾左里面
- Uncle, the trash is left in there
- 好
- Excellent

- 哎呒, 吃饭啦? 沿
- Hey, having a meal? Carry on
- 是啊, 吃饭, 吃了t沒?
- Yeah, having a meal, have you not eaten?


- 一起吃吧 ?
- Eating with us?
- 多谢了
- I'm ok thanks

那就慢慢走, 看好楼梯
It's a sluggish walk up, you must mind the stairs here

我就好了, 难为你们还要挑水
I'm fine, but it must make life hard carrying up water

是啊, 阿伯, 我们挑水挑了十几年
Yea, uncle, we've been carrying water up here for 10 years now

- 好了, 就这样, 我走了, 再见
- Right, anyway, I'm off, see you soon
- 慢走
- Take care

好, 慢走
Yeah, take care

城寨楼价虽然便宜
Walled city property is cheap

但是地方真的小
But the place is really small

这不就是旧楼
Old and worn out.

只有小小的地方, 连半个窗户都没有
It's just a very small room, there aren't even any Windows

怎么透气啊 ?
How does air get inside?

真的难为他们一家七口
住在这里这么久了
It makes life difficult for the family of 7, they've lived like this a long time

整天都听别人说, 最近十几二十年来
All day long I hear people talk, for more than 20 years

香港工业发达了
That Hong Kong's industry is flourishing

我当初也不懂什么叫工业发达
I originally didn't understand what this industrial development was

自从眼见城寨的工厂越开越多, 我才知道为什么
I see more and more factories opening in the walled city, And I know the reason why this is

很多厂家都认为
Most factory owners know that

城寨好过外面很多地区
The walled city is much better than the outside

那当然了
Of course

在这里开工厂, 又不用去政府领拍照
To open a factory here, you don't the the government's approval

楼价又便宜 , 人工又低
The price of the building is cheap, the workers pay is low

难怪每条街都有一些
It's no wonder they're on every street.

五金厂, 塑胶厂, 织布厂什么的
Metal factories, plastic factories, weaving factories and what not.

虽然说, 它们对香港工业有帮助
Although to say, they're helpful to Hong Kong's industry

但是那些废气和噪音就很难顶了
It's hard to top all the industrial waste and noise

难怪外面的人经过都说城寨又吵又臭
No wonder people from outside say the walled city is noisy and smells bad

这些小型工厂多数都是一家人自己做
These small-scale factories are mostly family-run

就算请伙计
Even if someone asks to be a shop assistant

八成以上都是请住在城寨里的人
Its most likely a request by someone already living in the walled city

人工便宜嘛
The workers are conveniently cheap

不过现在住在城寨的年轻人
Nowadays young people live in the walled city

很多人宁愿去外面的工厂做
Many people would rather go to work in a factory on the outside

所以这里的工厂多数都是清年纪大的人
As a result, the majority of factory workers are elder people

或者青少年
and possibly young teenagers

在这些工厂当中
Among these factories

还有很多是做食品的
furthermore, very often foodstuffs are produced.

因为不想受什么卫生条例管制嘛
Because there's no control on hygiene or conditions to meet

好像做砵仔糕这样
This woman can make her cakes this way.

相信很多外面的人都没见过
I'm convinced many people do not see the outside of this place

做梦都想不到
I never would have imagined

这里的旧楼这么金贵
these outdated buildings would be so valuable.

这些旧楼
These worn out buildings.

都有人说是危楼了
Some people even say these buildings are about to collapse

听说建筑商想利用旧楼的地皮
Rumour is the construction business want to make use of the section of land the old buildings are on

改建新楼
To rebuild with modern housing

如果旧楼业主肯的话
In the event that the old buildings owners are willing to discuss

除了在拆楼起屋的时候有免楼住之外
tearing down the buildings

超好的新楼还可以给他们一两层
to improve the place with new buildings.

好, 趁今天有空, 去看看嫂子
Well, I have free time today so I have a chance to go see my sister-in- law

看她的新楼是怎样的
and see what her new place is like.

这么多楼梯, 那个才是呢 ?
So many staircases, which is it?

建筑商为了省地方
The building constructors have economised the space

就连楼梯都省了
staircases are connected to save space.

好多屋还要用隔壁的楼梯
There's quite a lot of houses next door to staircases

旧楼古楼当然没电梯了
The worn out buildings undoubtably have no elevators

不过十几层高的新楼也一样没电梯
Even the ones taller than 10 stories have no elevators.

这么高, 我们这些老人家上上下下
It's too high, us elderly must climb from the top to the bottom, up and down

很辛苦的
It's exhausting.

雷伯, 今天这么有空来看我啊?
Uncle Lei, you have the time to come and see me today?

你买了新楼
You bought a new place

我想来看看你的新楼
I wanted to have a quick look at the new place

住新楼还要提水啊?
In the new building you carry down your water?

别说这么多了, 先进来坐吧
Don't mention it, come inside take a seat

好
Fine

请坐, 雷伯
Please sit down, uncle Lei

这么好来看我
I like the look of it

我就是想看看你的新楼怎样
I wanted to properly have a look at the inside of the new building

新楼不就这样了, 很狭窄的
Not much of a new building, its quite narrow

豆腐块这么小
It's like small beancurd cubes (slang for small)

又没有电梯, 每个月初交三十几块水费
And yet there's no elevator, it's costs 30 a month for the water bill

那也好过人家的旧楼了
You have it easier than those in the old buildings

连窗戶都没有
which don't even have windows.

没用的, 好几个窗都很黑的
They're useless, most windows are blacked out anyway

 

李师奶 , 家里又没电了
Shīnǎi (married woman of mature age), I've no power again

- 这么巧啊
- What a coincidence
- 很不方便
- It's quite an inconvenience

服呢还想熨衣
I want to iron some clothes

谢谢
Thank you

很麻烦, 这里经常沒水没电的
He's a troublemaker, everyday either there's no water or he's run out of electric

九龙城是这样了
That's Kowloon city, Hong Kong for you.

在这十年来
Over the last 10 years,

城寨起了很多十几层高的大厦
the walled city has erected many tall buildings 10 story's and up

现在还有很多在起
Furthermore, many are done

起楼的时候不用打桩
right up from the ground with no need for foundations to be dug up.

也不用政府批准
Government approval is not needed,

而唯一的限制就是不能起得太高
the only restriction is that they mustn't rise to high

因为近飞机杨, 太高会造成危险
because airplanes come close, building too tall would cause a high threat.

政府的人有时候会来巡钡
People from the government inspect this here now and again.

这些大厦的楼顶凹不平
The roofs of these buildings have sunk in the middle.

就因为犯了规例
Because there's no regulations these things are a common recurrence.

要拆掉高出来的部分
The part at the top now needs to be demolished.

那里的楼价比外面的便宜三分之一到八分之一这么多
In that place the price compared to the outside is 1/3 to 1/8 cheaper

又不用交差饷
and you don't pay any rates.

好像三百多尺的悛
It's seems more than 300ft of space

在城寨只卖五万块
in the walled city will sell for 50,000.

外面则最少要十几二十万
On the outside the least is 200,000.

不过在城寨买楼是没有房契的
However, walled city properties come with no deed,

遇到什么事肯定是没有保障了
so what you come across certainly has no guarantee.

住在城寨, 什么时候下雨都不知道
Living in the walled city, you couldn't tell when it was raining

看这些楼逼得这么近
Look at how close these buildings are forced

在街上看不到天
These streets never see the light of day,

而在家里, 就算有窗
And also indoors, even if you have windows,

也有可能被对面的楼顶, 开不了
there's probably a building opposite
leaning on it, so it won't open. 

以为旧楼没永, 新楼有水
To think these old buildings have lasted, the newer ones have a water supply 

谁知道也是没有合法的饮用水供应
Who knows why there's still no legitimate supply of drinking water 

有人问过水务局
Some people inquired with the water department 

他们答复说安装工程困难
Their reply was that the installation was a difficulty 

因为起楼的时候
Because beneath the floor 

没起地下排水渠
there's no underground drainage 

所以很多住在新楼的居民
That's the reason why most residents live in the new buildings 

 

每个月都要给偷水集团二三十块钱 

Each month 20-30 dollars is to be payed to a group for stolen water

 

去偷街喉的水来用

The water coming through these pipes is stolen

 

但是一天最多八个小时有水

8 hours is the maximum amount of water a day

 

有时，一天只有一两个小时有水

sometimes, it'll run for just 12 hours a day

 

也不知道几时会来 

what time it will come around is not known

 

要长期开着水龙头 

It takes a long time for the taps to start running

 

虽然有些新楼有水井 

Even though the new buildings have wells,

 

但井水是咸的

the water is salty.

 

只能用来洗东西 

It can only be used to wash things.

 

喝水就要去街喉取 

There are some who are fetching water from the wells...

 

而连水井都没有的居民 

they aren't even residents here

 

除了要提水上楼煮食之外 

the water is also carried upstairs for cooking

 

就只有去街喉洗衣服了 

all the laundry is done at the standpipes

 

九龙城寨本来是很有历史价值的 

The Kowloon walled city originally had great historical values

 

可惜现在残垣败瓦

It's such a pity its low walls were destroyed

 

比较完整的古迹真的就绝无仅有了 

there are still places of historic interest with monuments that remained relatively intact

 

其中之一就是这座 

and this is one of them

 

一百多年历史的天后庙

The Tin Hau temple's history goes back over 100 years

 

不过现在很少有人来上香拜神了 

but these days people rarely pay a vist to burn incense and worship

 

另外就是这两门一百多年历史的古炮 

Another is this ancient cannon with a history going back over 200 years

 

记得在70年的时候是在老人街挖出来的 

I remember in the 70's, when some old people dug up and uncovered this in the street

 

现在就用水泥固定在巷子里 

it's now kept in place using cement,

 

没人有空打理 

although no one has the free time to keep it tidy.

 

这里是茵光园，以前是清朝的官府 

Here we have the bright-garden, formerly the official residence of the Qing dynasty

 

总共有三重大街 

it's a 3-way street here

 

门口有对石狮，多气派啊

theres a gate to Lion's rock, which is vital

 

但是现在成了幼儿园 

thesedays however, it's a nursery

 

因为这块福地属于福利会 

Because this is a place to gather for good luck and blessings

 

建筑商不能用来起高楼大 

No high rise buildings can be constructed in this area

 

所以这里算是城寨最空旷的地方了 

so this area is regarded as the most open place in the walled city

 

我的孙子已经上幼儿园了 

My Grandson attends in this nursery

 

现在就近了，在城寨上学 

being local, we make use of the schooling in the walled city 

 

不过到将来升小学和中学 

however, in the future for the primary and secondary schools

 

就要去外面读了 

studies will have to be done in the outer city

 

现在这里只有三间由慈善团体办的幼儿园 

There are now only 3 charities run by the team at the nursery

 

也是不用注册的 

Registration is not needed

 

学校是小了点 

It's a very small school,

 

校长有时还要做先生和考官 

now and then the headmaster is there to check the exams

 

不过学费比外面的学校便宜很多 

of course the tuition fee is much cheaper than schools on the outside

 

对我们这些环境不好的居民 it's not the best circumstances for us poor residents

 

也算很照顾了 

we have to have some consideration though

 

小朋友，看黑板，大家跟我学这些词 

Little ones, look at the blackboards, everyone follow these words closely

 

跟我读，

ONE We say, ONE

- ONE

- O-N-E, ONE

 

城寨里面的学校就没什么了 

Inside the walled city there's no schools apart from that nursery,

 

不过医生就很多 

although you'll find plenty doctors

 

但是这些医生多数是从中国内地 

most of these doctors come from the mainland of China

 

或者东南亚国家来的 

or other southeast Asian countries

 

个个都没有执照行医 

Not one of them have a license to practice medicine

 

相信大家都知道 

I'm sure we're all aware of

 

在城寨做什么生意都不用拿牌 

the kinds of businessess in the walled city that are without licenses

 

开医务所不用挂牌就不用说了 

medical clinics don't need one to start a business

 

开牙医诊所也是一样的 

and the same goes for dentists.

 

城寨这条牙医街就很出名 

This walled city street is well known for its dentists

 

牙医都能成行成市 

Dentists can embark into the city

 

差不多有一百多间 

in one of the hundreds of litte rooms available

 

这些牙医当中，有些是在中国内地毕业的 

Among these dentists, are some graduates from the Chinese mainland

 

有些就是做假牙的师傅 

The master here is at work on some dentures

 

外面有很多人来帮衬他们整牙镶牙 

Many people from the outside quite often have their dentures done here

 

因为便宜过外面一半有多 

because it's more than half the price cheaper than on the outside

 

而且还不用等前排后 

and plus you won't need to wait long to be seen to

 

 

城寨的福利工作也是这样了

Welfare work is also a case of the walled city

 

我们的老人中心空气和环境 都好过家里 

our old center is a nice environment with a lot of air that we can come to

 

老街坊有空坐在一起聊天，很开心的 

free time for us old local folk to sit together and gossip at our leisure

 

麻烦你看看我妈 

Could you look at my Mother

- 好 

-fine

 

拜拜 

bye bye

- 拜拜 

- bye bye

 

爹地 

Daddy

 

我要搬了

I want to move it

 

-我不舍得你啊 

- I'm not letting go of it!

- 不用街流水了 

- The water isn't need on the street

 

不舍得你啊 

I'm not letting go of it!

 

我会回来看你的 

I'll be coming back to see you!

-都住这么久了 

We've been living so long

 

住这么久了，大家都熟悉 

we've been living so long, we're all in the same situation

 

- 有空回来做客 

- we have a returning guest

- 好

- well

 

我就要搬了

I'm going to move out

 

- 住这么好，为什么要搬啊？ 

- You've lived well, why move out?

- 小孩说要搬 

- The child said to move out

 

要卖掉祖屋 

and sell Grandparents home

 

搬去别的地方住 在这里住了这么久了 

and go somewhere else to live, I've lived here so long

 

那你现在住的那里好不好？ 

Is where you're living ok at the moment?

 

不好，要提水 

No it's not good, I have to carry my water up and down

 

- 楼梯又窄 

-The stairs are narrow

- 现在住的房子呢 

-at the moment thats the house I'm in

 

比较亮点 

Compared to this bright area

 

没起楼的时候 

at the time when the buildings rose

 

现在黑的地方 

it became a very dark place

 

不好走，还漏水 

I'm good to go, water keeps leaking in there

 

我住那里二十几年了

Where I've lived for 20 years,

 

虽然地方很窄 

although the place is very narrow,

 

但总算有住的 

but at least there are gatherings now

 

给也行，不给也行 

and also, I don't travel much

 

我就没什么地方可搬了

I don't mind I have nowhere else to move to

 

住到我死，也是在那里住 

I'll live there until I die, this place is where I live

 

我死也不搬 

I'll die here not move out

 

虽然城寨这里不好那里不好 

even the walled city isn't good it's my hometown,

 

但是住这么久，什么都习惯了 

having lived here so long, we're accustomed to it

 

最初不习惯的是没厕所用 

I'm accustomed to using a toilet like this

 

城寨住了这么多人 

so many people live in the walled city

 

只有两个公厕 

with only 2 public toilets

 

有一个还是干厕 

There's a dry toilet

 

还要人倒夜香 

People also pour sweet scented fragrances at night

 

虽然是脏了点，但也好过没有 

even though it's a dirty spot, it's better than having nothing

 

不过，有时这些公厕很恐怖 

However, sometimes these toiletsare terrible

 

特别天寒地冻的时候 

especially when it's cold

 

时而会看到那些道友瘫在那里 

Occassionally I'll see a fellow paralysed in there

 

收档之前先喝两杯润润嗓子 

Before closing the archives I'll wet my whistle with 2 cups

 

城寨的年轻子女每晚放学吃晚饭 

young school children come here every night for dinner

 

很多都来这个青年中心

Many have come to this youth center

 

在城寨里，只有在这里 

here in the walled city, it's the only one

 

他们才有这么多地方玩 

there are many fun things to play here

 

 

我们是中心的工作人员 

Out of our staff in the center

 

我想知道这里有谁是在城寨住 

I want to know who here is living here in the walled city

 

到底城寨是什么因素吸引 你们住这么久呢？

In all what factors have attracted you to live in the walled city for so long?

 

很简单，我妈在这里，所以我跟着住 

That's an easy one, My Mother lives here, so I will live here too,

 

不是，例如租金便宜嘛 

My excuse is for the cheap rent

 

租金便宜? 多少钱租的？ 

Chea[ rent? How much is your rent?

 

通常来说三百多到四百多尺 只要五百多块 

Generally no more than 200-400 or just over 500 dollars

 

好像现在，城寨楼价比外面便宜 

Like, prices are cheaper here than outside of the walled city

 

我家就四百多尺 

My home is more than 4ft

 

照现在市价来买要七万块 

and in the current market it would cost somewhere from 70,000

 

还有，可以不用交差饷 

Also, no rates need to be payed

 

我每晚都去上班 

Every night I go to work

 

见到外面那条街，觉得很污糟邋遢 

and looking at the street outside, I feel dirty and bad about it

 

有滴水，有垃圾，有老鼠 

water dripping, garbage, there are rats

 

难道这种环境你们也能忍吗？ 

is this the type of environment you can cope with?

 

也不是说忍不忍得，习惯了嘛 

Well I don't mind having to put up with it, I'm used to it

 

自然就能忍了 

I mean, naturally

 

我就可怜了，从小就在这里住 

I was poor anyway, I've lived here since birth

 

有时候真的忍不住，睡不了

sometimes it really can't be helped, I can't sleep at night

 

虽然每天都有这个负责清理垃圾的 

Although everyday we should have people responsibe for garbage

 

不过这里的居民太多了 

there's so many residents living here

 

所以垃圾始终都清不完 

the rubish could all get cleared away

 

别说污糟邋遢了 

Not to mention about the dirt,

 

如果像我家的话 

if you want my opinion

 

连太阳和下雨都见不到

even without seeing any sun or rain

 

我们家就特殊点 

my home is in a special spot

 

楼本身是四层高 

It's a 4 story building itself

 

周围的楼都改建加高了

and has had tall buildings built around it

 

所以我家里很暗 

so it's always very dark

 

所以说如果家里像我这样的就很难住 

So it is difficult to live in a home like mine

 

究竟你家有没有窗户？

So to be exact you have a home without any windows?

 

有，不过跟没有差不多 

Yes, well with almost none

 

- 为什么？What do you mean?

- 为什么？ What do I mean?!

 

当然了，楼与楼之间的空间太小了 

Of course, the space between the buildings is too small

 

差不多是贴住了 

they're near-enough stuck together

 

如果有窗的话，一打开 

so if there are windowns, when opened

 

就会撞到对面楼的墙，就没用了 

it will hit the wall directly infront, which is pointless

 

你们讲到城寨这么多不好的地方 想怎么改善？ 

You've talked of so many bad things in the walled city, but how do we improve it?

 

当然是希望水务局 

Well I certainly hope the water company

 

为我们城寨居民拉水管 

give us walled city residents access to water

 

和装独立的水表 

and install separate water meters

 

我们几年前已经写信给当局了 

A few years ago we wrote to the authorities

 

水务局也派人来调查过 

the ater company was sent to investigate

 

但最后还是不了了之 

But nothing ended up happening

 

我想，除了饮水之外，还有很多问题 

I think, as well as drinking water, there are many more problems

 

我都可以看到 

I can see

 

比如排水问题和 

such as drainage problems

 

坑渠的问题 

The channeling of the sewers

 

影响卫生很严重 

has a very serious impact on health

 

你们觉得有什么办法可以 

Do you think there's any way you can

 

减少这些不好的地方？

reduce these bad things?

 

有啊，比如坑渠 

There are, things like the sewers

 

没有盖，都是明渠 

aren't covered, they're open

 

很不卫生，那些水沟 

they're unhealthy, those ditches,

 

如果下雨就更惨 

when rain falls, it's even worse

 

因为我们整体地势较低

because we are all sitting low here.

[skylee]

Here you can find a version with Chinese subtitles-> http://www.youyueke.com/uread/app/viewArt/shareViewArt-47e857da737448fdb1809fcf93d0ffc5.html

There are some mistakes in the subtitles, but they are not bad.

Not too sure if this should be called documentary. The dialogue does not sound that natural.

[889]

That'd be a big project. I'd contact RTHK first to see whether they ever produced an English version. A lot, but not all, of their documentaries were shown on both Chinese and English channels.

[Chris_a_1986]

Thanks.

I guess it's not a proper documentary, but the walled city is long gone now. It's as close as well ever get.

[Chris_a_1986]

I have sent an email to RTHK, hopefully well get a reply, I still kind of doubt they'll have the subs but we'll see. If anyone is willing to give it a go, please let me know.

 

I have already subbed another video on the city, it was a re-sub that someone else done on a really poor quality video, also their subtitles were a little bit weirdly translated (it was in Dutch) so I re-worded some of it and put it on a video that's a much better quality, this is just an example of how I would sub the RTHK video if someone translates it.

 

This is the video I did recently.

 

https://youtu.be/S-rj8m7Ssow

 

It'd be a nice film to have translated, that hasn't been done yet by anyone.

[Chris_a_1986]

Ok I've decided to give the translating a go myself, all thanks to the Chinese subtitles! You know what they say, if you want something done do it yourself!

Thanks for the link as well Skylee.

So I'm using google translate to take pictures of the text, it's also a pain in the neck as the camera won't recognise the text from the video, I have to write it on paper and then take the picture which is quite a task.

Can anybody here see if I'm on the right track, I've uploaded an example of my work in progress, that's the way I have to do it...it's attached to the post.

If I could extract the subtitles off of the video that would be ideal but I can't seem to.

[Chris_a_1986]

 

Sorry, this is how I've been doing it.

 

I already am aware that google translate isn't 100% accurate but it's the only option!

 

Can anyone say if this is any good?

 

Thanks.

[somethingfunny]

Looks to me like you're doing a good job.  The general gist of what you've written is pretty accurate, except that it would be more the case that he's saying, "I originally hadn't (本来不) planned on helping with people's trash" and it wasn't necessarily the case that he forced himself, but rather that the situation forced him.

 

Are there not translation communities that work on this kind of thing?  I know there are very active communities that translate from English to Chinese.  This might be a bit easier if you could get a group of people together and assign everyone a minute or so to translate.  As long as it wasn't too much, I'd be willing to help out.

[Chris_a_1986]

Well thanks a lot for your input, I'm pleased to hear it's at least on the right tracks. It makes more sense him being forced into the helping out, something most people should've done, it might still be standing if it wasn't infested with 40 years worth of waste.

You're right though, if another load of people did a minute or two each it wouldn't take long to fully translate, so thanks for at least showing some interest... it's an interesting film. I've reached about the 12th minute and writing out the symbols is actually quite fun, even though I've lost feeling in my right thumb gone numb, since Google translate won't recognise the letters unless they're perfectly written! But I manage to translate(or decipher I should say) bit by bit as I go along.

I just think the film itself is a bit weird, since the Kowloon walled city was a no-go area, how was this film shot back then? I think its aim was to view the city in not so bad of a place than people perceived, the guy who's taking them on the tour was shown in another film about 10 years later and said to be an ex-gang member. Plus you can tell in scenes, the way people avoid staring into the camera, the scenes in people's apartments look very 'planned'.

This was filmed back when the shacks were surrounding the city, when crime was still thriving. A very interesting place it was. But anyway, thanks again.

[somethingfunny]

Do you only have a hand-written copy of what you've done so far?  Or have you put it in word document?

 

If you want, you can send me what you've done so far and I can check it/type-it-up for you.  I've got some free time over the next couple of days so don't mind doing it.

[Chris_a_1986]

Thank you so much, I'm grateful for your help, it's much appreciated.

At the moment I have it all in the form that my example is in above. If I can use google translate on my laptop, then I can copy and paste the text from there. Nevertheless I can do the same thing using my iPhone, that will be a lot more suitable than photographing every page I've written. Since the subtitles are all on the video, I'm writing it all down so it's a case of me playing the video and pausing it where the text appears, then putting the start and end time of each segment of text for reference.

The google translate app is on my iPhone, I'm new to this app, I only searched it up for the purpose of this video, I'm surprised the app is capable of recognising the letters via the iPhone camera. It's quite a handy feature.

Anyway. When I get home I'll start this off.

[Chris_a_1986]

Ok this is the very start, the person talking seems to backtrack through the history (the boring part), Some parts near the end I'm not too sure about, I think I got most of it right.

Let me inform you that I have no knowledge of the language whatsoever, all my work is purely a result of using Google translate and a bit of guessing while piecing it together, so I'm sure there are many errors... But here goes:

九龙城寨一直以来都被认为是特殊地区

Kowloon walled city has long been considered a special area.

究竟为什么呢 ?

Why exactly is it?

追述城慕的历史

Let's look into the walled city's history.

它是宋代的边防最前线

Going back to the beginning of the song period,

鸦片战争时候

after the opium war.

清政府还派官兵到城墙里驻守

The Qing authorities stationed soldiers in the city walls.

到 I898 生, 中英签订条约

In 1898, Britain signed a treaty

以 99 年期, 将租借扩至新界

for 99 years, leasing the new territories.

当时, 凊政府就坚持保留 对城慕的统治权

At the time, the Qing government held the rights to maintain the area of the walled city.

但是到 1899 年

But by 1899

英国就宣布城寨

Britain declared the walled city,

也是香港殖民地的一部分

But Hong kept the part of land,

由于中国政府从未正式承认过城裏

since the Chinese government never officially acknowledged the city.

而当时的英国政府又没实际执行过主权

At the time the British government didnt argue over who ruled the area.

所以才造成今日城寨特殊的地位

This is what's led to the walled city particular status today

使城寨变成"三不管"地区

It's what made the walled city an "area without rule"

而且一度成为三教九流的庇护所

And became a shelter for people

时移世易, 今日的城寨由原有的 70 亩

Now times have changed, the original 70 acres

缩减至 2.5 亩

Are reduced to 2.5 acres.

以龙津道, 西城路

Longin road, west road,

东头村道和龙城路为界线

Tung tau tsuen road and Kowloon city road bounded

I'll leave it there for the minute, those last two sentences are surely incorrect, I know of Tung tau tsuen road, but the other 3 surrounding roads are carpenter road, junction road and Tung tsing road, those four roads are the borderline of the city, but Google has translated it as Kowloon city road, longin road and west road, unless I'm misinterpreting them completely.

[somethingfunny]

OK, I'll just paste the lines I think could be fixed and include my corrections in italics.  I'd just like to remind you (and anyone else) that I am not a translator, and have only limited Chinese ability myself.

 

它是宋代的边防最前线
It was at the frontier of the Song Dynasty's defence.

鸦片战争时候
At the time of the opium war. 

清政府还派官兵到城墙里驻守
The Qing authorities still stationed soldiers in the city walls. 

到 I898 年, 中英签订条约
In 1898, Britain and China signed a treaty

 

当时, 凊政府就坚持保留 对城寨的统治权

At the time, the Qing government held the rights to maintain the area of the walled city. 

 

英国就宣布城寨 

Britain declared the walled city,

也是香港殖民地的一部分
was also part of the colonised land.

 

由于中国政府从未正式承认过城裏

The Chinese government never officially acknowledged the city,

而当时的英国政府又没实际执行过主权
and at that time the British government hadn't implemented it's sovereignty.

所以才造成今日城寨特殊的地位
This is what's led to the walled city particular status today.

 

而且一度成为三教九流的庇护所

And became a shelter for all kinds of (bad?) people 

 

以龙津道, 西城路

It is bounded by Longin road, west road,

东头村道和龙城路为界线
Tung tau tsuen road and Kowloon city road.

 

I'm fairly impressed with the translation, and think it captures the basic meaning of whats being said (except for that bit about the Opium war happening in the Song dynasty).  It missed out the more subtle stuff and struggles with the more advanced grammar.

[Chris_a_1986]

Very nice of you to do this, I appreciate your input, even if your Chinese is limited, to have any kind of help is a privilege.

I'll post a bit more soon once I've typed it up and see how we go from there, I'm sure it's mostly basic stuff, the also translator does a fairly decent job I think. I'll be really interested to see what this film tells altogether since the Kowloon walled city has been in my interest for quite a while now.

By the way RTHK got back to me too, kind of assumed they wouldn't have the subs but at least they replied! Here look:

Dear Sir/Madam,

Thank you for your enquiry of 7 September 2016 regarding an archive episode of our programme “Hong Kong Connection” (鏗鏘集：城寨”). Given that the said programme was produced and broadcast nearly 40 years ago, providing English subtitling captions or retrieving any text materials in English thereof pose technical and resources problems. Thank you for your kind understanding.

We thank you again for your support to RTHK programmes.

Yours faithfully,

Zoe Wong

For and on behalf of

Corporate Communications and Standards Unit

Radio Television Hong Kong

Lol, oh well, was worth a try.

[Chris_a_1986]

Here's another bit I've just finished doing.

Just wanted to say quick, going back through my notes I feel I'm getting the hang of this, I don't know for sure what's right and wrong but I'm changing bits here and there, and I feel confident a lot is right because it seems to add up, anyway...

住了三四万人

30-40,000 people reside here

究竟城寨特殊的政治背景

We shall investigate the walled city's remarkable background

对当地居民的生活有没有任何影响呢 ?

What impact has it had on the lives of the locals?

日出而作, 日落而息

The sun rises, the sun sets

三十多年来, 我就是这样在城寨里度日

30 years, this is how I've lived in the walled city.

这里个个都叫我雷伯

Everyone here calls me Reber

以前有很多街访来帮衬我理发

Many used to visit me here to use my service as a barber

现在年纪大了, 眼睛又不好

Now I'm old, my eyes aren't good,

少了很多人来帮衬

Fewer people use the service.

不过偶尔也会有小孩来

However, occasionally I'll get the odd child

我的孙子就是老主顾

My grandson attends regularly

时间真的过得很快

The time really flies by

转眼孙子都这么大了

My grandchildren are growing up fast

几十年了, 城寨当然也变了很多

Decades have passed, the walled city of course, has changed a lot

现在周围都起满了大厦

Now all around, the metropolis is full up

十分拥挤, 围住旧式的危房

Very crowded, and enclosed by old dilapidated buildings

给人走的

People are walking along

也就只有那些又黑又窄的巷子

Theres just dark narrow alleyways

外地人进来当然是迷路了

so outsiders who enter of course get lost

很多在外面犯事的人

Most criminal offenders from the outside

就最终跑到城寨来

eventually end up in the walled city

没事的, 里面的街道像八阵图似的

It's no problem, inside the streets are similar to the eight diagrams

可以左穿右窜

They turn left and right as they flee

警蔡不容易抓到也们

The police won't be catching them easily

说到警察, 以前城寨没警察巡街的

Speaking of the police, they never used to patrol in the walled city

我记得是前几年, 好像是 76 年

I remember a few years ago, the year '76 it seems

才有正式的警察进城寨维持治安

Did the police start formally policing the walled city

以前很多老居民

The residents used to

都认为城寨的治安不算坏

think the walled city's security wasn't bad

因为当地人做事很容易被人发觉

because people who do things can be found easily;

所以如果有盗窃或者抢劫

like in the event of a theft or robbery.

都是外地人进来做的

It's the outsiders who come in to do this.

早十几二十年, 这里里面是没人理的

20 years prior to this, no one was in charge here

很多犯法的事都有人做

Many people here do illegal things

而且还明目张胆地做

and do them them blatantly too

不过现在就没以前那么猖狂了

But now that there's no order people are wild here

[Flickserve]

Why don't you use the Chinese handwriting feature in the iPhone?

You can write the Chinese in an email and send it to yourself. Then copy and paste at your leisure into google translate.

In Japan, there is an theme arcade based on Kowloon city. It's built like the real thing. Haven't visited it myself but looks really interesting and a bit creepy.

[Chris_a_1986]

I didn't know of a feature that does that, but you can also draw letters into google translate as well. Only problem, is no matter how accurately you draw a letter on the iPhone screen, the app rarely gets it right, even some simple letters won't be recognised, writing it out in paper then photographing it is proving to be quite effective. I think that sort of thing would be good on a tablet using a stylus pen.

I've heard about the Kowloon arcade, looks like a really cool place, the Japanese love the walled city apparently!

[somethingfunny]

究竟城寨特殊的政治背景
We shall investigate the walled city's special political background

 

不过现在就没以前那么猖狂了

But now it's not as bad as it used to be.

 

These were the two main errors I found.  There were a few other places where I think the English could be cleaned up a bit.  And there are other bits where I think the Chinese might be a little ambiguous so the translation might not be spot on, for example this:

 

时间真的过得很快

The time really flies by

转眼孙子都这么大了
My grandchildren are growing up fast

 

Is probably more likely to be, "The time has really flown by, my grandchildren are already so big."

[Chris_a_1986]

Thanks for the help my friend.

I'm shocked at how much didn't need changing to be fair, I wasn't expecting so few errors!

I really appreciate the stuff you've corrected for me, it's these sort of things that only a person can do with an understanding of the language. I'll try to post as much as possible while you have free time. It's just very time consuming, even the work I've post so far has taken me a long him to produce.

Thanks again.

Also one thing to ask, I know the narrator isn't the barber in the film (the guy called Reber), but I'm assuming he's speaking in place of him, am I right about this?

[somethingfunny]

In this line here:

 

这里个个都叫我雷伯
Everyone here calls me Reber

 

He uses the Chinese first person pronoun 我, so, while I only flick through the video to check the subtitles, I think it's safe to assume that the narrator is either 雷伯 himself, or speaking in his place.