"Snake's Mouth" |
"Shekou" literally means “Snake’s Mouth” due to its position at the tip of the Nantou peninsula at the mouth of the Pearl River. The Shekou Hash logo, a snake on a rock is derived from this name.
Shekou is located on a peninsula at the far southwestern end of Shenzhen bay, opposite Huang Gang on the eastern side, with Luo Hu visible in the distance on a clear day. The housing estates in Yuen Long in Hong Kong can be seen across the bay, and a bridge completed in 2007 links Shekou with the New Territories in Hong Kong. Shekou Ferry Terminal links to Central in Hong Kong, Hong Kong International Airport, Zuhai and Macau. |
Shekou was a small fishing village with an old port in the early 80s, located in Baoan County before the founding of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone in 1979. The rights to develop Shekou were given to The China Merchants Company. China Merchants initially created the Shekou Industrial Zone which attracted many factories to the peninsula, including makers of everything from toys, paint, garments, heavy industrial equipment and household appliances. China Merchants also developed Shekou Port into what was for many years the busiest in Shenzhen (until being overtaken in volume by the Hong Kong invested Yantian Port).
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Modern Development |
The Oil Industry Arrives |
Westerners came to Shekou after the offering of oil concessions and oil joint ventures to western oil companies. Those initially included Agip, Chevron, Texaco, StatoilHydro, and Shell which began exploration, and later attracted myriad support and service companies to the area.
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The Snake Pit, The Hash and Bar Street
There wasn't much for oil personel to do on the weekend in Shenzhen during the 80s, and it was in 1984 that the Saturday Shekou Hash was founded by Steele "Bullwinkle" George and Colin "Tampon" Martin to have something to look forward to every week. The Hash soon became one of the mainstays of Shekou life and very popular with the oil crowd.
After almost three years of running without a suitable place to drink afterwards, the Shekou Sports and Social Club (a.k.a. "The Snake Pit") was established in 1987 as the first expatriate bar in China, with Steele George and Colin Martin among the founding members. Now in its third location since then, the Shekou Hash has called the Snake Pit home. |
The Snake Pit was originally located in a ground floor location on an alley near the end of Taizi Road. Soon afterward, local bars with names like "Mustang Sally", "Manilla Bar" and "Flower Girl Bar" sprang up, offering colorful night-time entertainment for visitors and locals alike. The street became a famous evening destination in South China, and became known as Shekou Bar Street or "Chicken Street" by those who live here.
The Snake Pit has since moved to a new location at Shop 117, Sea World District C, Shekou.
The QSI Elementary School has since opened in its place.
the Development of Sea World |
In 1992 then President and Chairman Deng Xiaoping visited Shekou on what would be his final visit to Guangdong. He observed the Ming Hua Ship (left) then sitting in Shenzen Bay and dubbed the area "Sea World". Deng's calligraphy of that name can be seen today atop the Ming Hua rendered in a neon sign bearing his initials.
Developers added a few new buildings and attractions for tourists, and the area became a minor Shenzhen tourist destination. A second international school, QSI arrived in the 1990s and was based near Sea World. Eventually developers recognized Shekou's unique western atmosphere, and capitalized on this by renovating the areas in front of and surrounding the derelict, landlocked ship the "Ming Hua" as the new "Sea World" with an obvious western flair. Completed in 2006, the new Sea World included a 4-star hotel inside the Ship, and attractive new space for international restaurants and bars throughout the plaza. From 2004-2010 a huge growth in new housing lead to a huge influx of foreigners and Shekou's place as Shenzhen's foreign base was sealed. |
Shekou and the Hash Today
Finally, this is China where nothing seems to stay the same for very long, and Shekou is going through some major changes. Old factories are being rapidly converted into cool new office space as the former "Shekou Industrial Zone" continues to transform into a prime residential, office and commercial area. More expatriate housing keeps hitting the market, and Local international schools are expanding as more foreigners choose to to call Shekou home. More western food specialty shops and stores that cater to foreigners open all the time, and the great selection of bars and restaurants keeps growing.
Sea World is undergoing a dramatic renovation from the previous village atmosphere, to a destination with an 82 storey office plaza, a Hilton Hotel, serviced apartments, high end apartment buildings and first class shopping malls and plazas.
Shenzhen Bay Port, with a bridge across Shenzhen Bay to Hong Kong now gives quick and easy access to all parts of Hong Kong, and the metro link opened at the end of 2010 with an entrance located at Sea World. An airport rail link to Shenzhen airport is under construction, a second highway from near Shekou to Guangzhou is underway, and an airport train to Hong Kong is under consideration. The Qianhai economic zone near Shekou Port, a free port and commercial service center on the other side of Nanshan Mountain is under rapid development, and will be connected to Hong Kong by rail. With the completion of the Qianhai zone, the transformation of Shekou from sleepy village at the far end of the city, to a central hub will be complete.
At one time the Hash consisted mainly of oil industry staff and a few locals. While there are still a few oil staff on occasion, we now have runners from all walks of life, including more locals, and we never know who the next "virgin" is going to be.
No matter what changes, The Shekou Hash keeps on running every Saturday from the Snake Pit, and you can bet that the Shekou Hash will still be running strong from the Pit for years to come!
Sea World is undergoing a dramatic renovation from the previous village atmosphere, to a destination with an 82 storey office plaza, a Hilton Hotel, serviced apartments, high end apartment buildings and first class shopping malls and plazas.
Shenzhen Bay Port, with a bridge across Shenzhen Bay to Hong Kong now gives quick and easy access to all parts of Hong Kong, and the metro link opened at the end of 2010 with an entrance located at Sea World. An airport rail link to Shenzhen airport is under construction, a second highway from near Shekou to Guangzhou is underway, and an airport train to Hong Kong is under consideration. The Qianhai economic zone near Shekou Port, a free port and commercial service center on the other side of Nanshan Mountain is under rapid development, and will be connected to Hong Kong by rail. With the completion of the Qianhai zone, the transformation of Shekou from sleepy village at the far end of the city, to a central hub will be complete.
At one time the Hash consisted mainly of oil industry staff and a few locals. While there are still a few oil staff on occasion, we now have runners from all walks of life, including more locals, and we never know who the next "virgin" is going to be.
No matter what changes, The Shekou Hash keeps on running every Saturday from the Snake Pit, and you can bet that the Shekou Hash will still be running strong from the Pit for years to come!