Backpacking Philippines: Jose Rizal Hong Kong Historical Walking Tour

Jose Rizal Hong Kong Historical Walking Tour

Unknown to many Filipinos, Jose Rizal left Europe in 1891, with newly-published El Filibusterismo (published in Ghent, Belgium with the financial aid of Valentin Ventura. In the same note, Maximo Viola financed the publication of Rizal's first novel Noli me Tangere in Berlin) and his annotation of Dr. Antonio de Morga's "Sucesos delas Islas Filipinas," to live and practice medicine (opthalmology) in Hong Kong until 1892.

Rizal requested his family, persecuted and driven out of their home in Calamba by the Spanish friars aided by the guardia civil, to join him in Hong Kong.

Rizal's business card (right)on display at Rizal Shrine, Fort Santiago, Intramuros, Manila

these pictures of places where Rizal lived and held clinic officially marked by The Antiquities Authority of Hong Kong

Marker of Rizal's residence on Rednaxela Terrace (Rednaxela is Alexander spelled backwards attributed to a Chinese street sign painter who couldn't read English)

Written on the marker: "Dr. Jose P. Rizal (1861-1896) National hero of the Philippines Lived in this area with his family from December 1891 to June 1892."

Looking down on the granite steps where Rizal used to pass on his way to his clinic unaided by the escalators. (Try also to look for Health Cafe and Deli at 10 Shelley St. downstairs for healthy, organic treats)

the view of the present place upwards with the Central Mid-level escalators, the longest outdoor covered escalator in the world, in view plus the nearby Orange Tree Restaurant

the granite steps near Lyndhurst Terrace and marker #13 of the Sun Yat-Sen Historical Trail. The old buildings are gone but these are almost the same granite steps hurdled by Rizal more than a hundred years ago.

It is noteworthy that when Rizal was living in Hong Kong, Sun Yat-sen (孫逸仙), instrumental in the eventual overthrow of the Qing Dynasty and acknowledged as the father of modern China, was studying medicine at the nearby Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese.

Rizal and Sun Yat-sen might have crossed paths in Hong Kong!

Going down from Rednaxela Terrace, passing through Shelley street, and Hollywood Road going to D'Aguilar Street, you'll see the marker (above) on Century Square, where Rizal's clinic used to stand.

marker states:

"Dr. Jose P. Rizal (1861-1896)
Philippine physician, poet, author and patriot practised medicine in 1891-92 in a clinic which once stood on this site"

A view of D'Aguilar environs. Modern Hong Kong does it's usual business in a hurried pace.

With thousands of Filipinos living and working in Hong Kong, it's a shame if they just pass by the marker oblivious of the man who once practiced medicine there.

Tutubi would love to thank ms. Isabel Escoda, a Hong Kong-based writer and Inquirer contributor, for guiding him in Hong Kong to these historical markers.

How to go to there:

The Mid-level escalators that pass through Rednaxela terrace can be reached via MTR at Central station Exit C. The marker on Rednaxela is near Orange Tree Restaurant whose location map on their website will guide you there. The former clinic location is near Lan Kwai Fong.

Labels: Hong Kong, Jose Rizal

posted by GingGoy @ 11:43 PM,

34 Comments:

At Sep 7, 2007, 10:29:00 PM, Anonymous said...: interesting! i was in Hongkong for some time and never got a chance to visit this place. thanks for sharing.
At Sep 7, 2007, 11:13:00 PM, KA said...: Those photos are beautiful! Thanks ofr posting those... I thoughth I knew about Jose Rizal, butI guess I'm totally in teh dark! ah well, means I gotta get reading. :-)

thanks for posting that.
At Sep 8, 2007, 7:35:00 AM, Abaniko said...: I didn't know about this of Rizal. OFW din pala sya ha? Interesting facts (and pics) you have here. Thanks.
At Sep 8, 2007, 8:55:00 AM, Anonymous said...: Interesting pics of Hong Kong, Tutubi!

It's nice to know there are Rizal landmarks here. The first Philippine flag was sewn in Hong Kong. I wonder if the place had been marked as well.
At Sep 8, 2007, 9:15:00 AM, Anonymous said...: Awesome information. Thanks for sharing!

[:

When I have a chance next time, I'll check out this place in Hong Kong.
At Sep 8, 2007, 12:46:00 PM, The Rainmaker said...: Well, that's a lesson my history teachers never taught me. Thanks.
At Sep 9, 2007, 1:16:00 AM, tin-tin said...: parang naguilty ako ha. when i was still in grade school, we would always have out fieldtrips in intramuros but i've never seen that business card. and when i went to hk, i've been to the temples but not to rizal's place.
At Sep 9, 2007, 2:49:00 AM, Anonymous said...: hey, his business card is somethin i've never seen before. take note of his late business hours in contrast to doctors of today - out by 11:00 am to play golf:-)

thanks!

nini
At Sep 9, 2007, 3:46:00 AM, Anonymous said...: Interesting photos & facts.Thanks for sharing them to us tutubi!
At Sep 9, 2007, 3:05:00 PM, Wil said...: That is indeed an interesting tidbit of history. I believe Aguinaldo also spent some time in Hong Kong, exiled because of the Americans.
At Sep 10, 2007, 11:40:00 AM, Anonymous said...: beele, next time try to visit these places, only walking distance from MTR central

katana, i like your name. love japanese culture too. btw, after Rizal's first trip to Hong Kong in 1888, he went to Macau then Japan where he met O-Sei-San :)

abaniko, rizal was an OFW, yes!

rhodora, the place you're referring to is also marked but it's for my nect post :)

kyels, did my posts make you change you change your mind on Hong Kong? :)

daniel, most history teachers there are only ahead of you by a page or two. it's a pity :(

tin-tin, i will revisit rizal shrine in Intramuros to take better pictures. all i have are P&S lousy ones :P

nini, maybe because of siesta time or walking from house to clinic is far (no escalators yet)

cheh, more history lessons in Hong Kong to come :)

wil, yes, Aguinaldo went to Hong Kong with the Junta but it's my next post. you're pre-empting me hehe
At Sep 10, 2007, 1:58:00 PM, Jon Mariano said...: Little things/info that add up to make us proud to be Pinoy.

Yeah, Rizal was an OFW! I've never thought of that, I was only looking at his travels. But in HK, he did serve as a doc!
At Sep 10, 2007, 10:28:00 PM, Mari said...: Gosh, I missed that business card when I went to Intramuros in 2002. Next time I visit Manila, I'll make it a point to see it.

Thanks for sharing these photos and information.
At Sep 11, 2007, 12:45:00 AM, -= dave =- said...: his calling card is in english, but of course, hehe. i think clinic hours is the doctor's preference, then and now. and, most probably, the short hours in one clinic is due to hops to other clinics or the hospital.
At Sep 11, 2007, 5:57:00 AM, Anonymous said...: sa hongkong pa merong markers kung saan nagstay si rizal...
At Sep 11, 2007, 1:19:00 PM, Nick Ballesteros said...: This is the first time I saw markers in HongKong showing where Rizal stayed! This is really something!

I'm currently reading a book on the destruction of Manila during World War II. I'm learning a lot from this... if Limahong succeeded in its war vs the Spaniards during their early occupation here, we would have been part of China. We also encountered Dutch threats during the Spanish occupation.

I'm still early in the book and it's very enlightening. We do have a rich and colorful history.
At Sep 11, 2007, 4:02:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Oh, excellent post Tutubi! So I guess Rizal was the first Hong Kong OFW! :)
At Sep 11, 2007, 5:22:00 PM, dodong flores 도동 플로오리스 said...: It's interesting to note that the Hongkong government had seriously put value of "other country's" national hero's staying in their country that they really invested time and effort in putting up a marker.

Perhaps, not all country would do this.

Interesting Hongkong story and photos. I'm keen into following this series...
At Sep 12, 2007, 11:47:00 AM, Anonymous said...: Wow! I really like topics pertaining to history. Thanks for sharing ^^
At Sep 12, 2007, 12:25:00 PM, Dennis Villegas said...: Wow, you've just traced Rizal's footsteps in Hongkong! I'm really fascinated about Rizal. Maybe I'll also trace his routes in old Manila :)
At Sep 12, 2007, 2:08:00 PM, Anonymous said...: jon, an OFW in Hong Kong like you :)

mari, it's just there displayed but it's too small to be noticed beside the others

dave, that calling card has chinese characters but didn't include them in my frame since the glare from the glass is too much :(

carlotta, di ko alam kung yung iba places nag-stay sya meron pero marami syang monuments in Europe even in California

watson, yang reading mo dahil ba kay phil? babalikan ko pala sya sa isang post sa blog nya :)

toe, one of the first, maybe :)

dodong, mrami pa ako i-post. just wait for them :P

paris, reminisce and think how rizal lived there in the 1890s

dennis, wanna make that a joint project? i already posted lots of Jose Rizal trivias, quotes, and other information in this blog
At Sep 15, 2007, 10:35:00 AM, Anonymous said...: Very interesting information Tutubi! Rizal really did go place during his time. And I plaud the government for recognizing him as well by putting these markers
At Sep 18, 2007, 6:21:00 AM, punkiliciousss said...: wow! there is such a trip like this. thanks for the head's up! tamang tama, me and my neighbors plan to go to hongkong this sembreak! yey! thanks uli!
At Sep 18, 2007, 6:24:00 AM, punkiliciousss said...: ay mali ata yung unang post ko... malamang si miss isabel escoda ay hindi tour guide. sayang naman! gusto ko pa naman puntahan rin ang mga sites na yan. baka kasi tamarin kami kapag kami-kami lang ang maghahanap. hehehe! anyways thanks na rin!
At Sep 18, 2007, 4:20:00 PM, Anonymous said...: ferdz, applaud also some people who did the lobbying with the Hong Kong authorities

punckiliciousss, you're right. Ms. Isabel Escoda is not a tour guide. as i've said, she's a Hong Kong-based teacher and writer. I've already put the directions on how to get to the sites I've mentioned. I will also post additional Hong Kong travel tips later.

just stay tuned :)
At Jun 27, 2009, 7:46:00 PM, kathangisip said...: Dumaan kami sa kalyeng to! :S
Sayang, hindi namin alam na may ganito pala. Well hindi talaga sya noticeable from the pictures.
At Jun 28, 2009, 11:53:00 AM, GingGoy said...: kathang isip, will re-visit it someday plus the rizal monument in singapore
At Dec 30, 2009, 1:03:00 AM, david said...: thanks for posting the info about rizal's clinic.actually i just saw the pics. of his business card and the curiosity of looking for the place in hongkong hit me.it answered all my questions in just a flick-para sa bayan david serapio-
At Sep 28, 2010, 7:22:00 PM, Alexandra Mae Martin said...: Hi. I am Alexandra Mae Martin, researcher of ABSCBN's Maalaala Mo Kaya. I would like to ask if you have the contact number of Ms. Isabel Escoda? I would like to ask her about an article she recently wrote in Inquirer. Thank you very much!
At Sep 29, 2010, 1:32:00 PM, GingGoy said...: hi Alexandra, ms Escoda wants to know more details about you and your work. what articles are you referring to? Ms. Escoda is based in HK so I only have her email address that she checks regularly. You may email me at tutubi AT backpackingphilippines DOT com
At Aug 31, 2011, 2:13:00 PM, Paulina Lawsin said...: I like to visit this place when i go to HK on Sept. 14-18. It will be my first time in HK. Will you be kind to teach how to reach Rizal's place?
At Sep 1, 2011, 11:15:00 AM, GingGoy said...: paulina, the two places are in Central walking distance actually from MTR since we merely walked. here are the HK maps centered on the two places for your reference:
Rednaxela terrace
rednaxela terrace and D'Aguilar St
d'aguilar st.
At Aug 9, 2012, 6:16:00 PM, Unknown said...: Hi Tutubi, I'm ces, and I am visiting hongkong for the first time next week. I am very interested to join the Rizal Tour. Could you give me contacts/ details on how to get on this tour?

Thank you very much
At Aug 12, 2012, 4:52:00 PM, GingGoy said...: Hi Cecille, sorry but it's not a hong kong guided tour nor package tour, just a DIY tour. You can try to look it up yourself though

Jose Rizal Hong Kong Historical Walking Tour

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