Exploring Little Ghost Lane

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The 1960s was the golden era of Chinatown, Kuala Lumpur. The area was the nerve center of Kuala Lumpur with lots of activities, sights, and sounds. An area in Lorong Panggung, Chinatown has been redeveloped to bring us back to this era.

The Cantonese name for Lorong Panggung is Kwai Chai Hong, which roughly translates to "Little Ghost Lane" or "Little Demon Alley."

However, two stories have been put out regarding the name's origin, which is not supernatural in nature. One is that Chinese migrant laborers who arrived here would refer to naughty kids running through Lorong Panggung as "kwai chai" (ghost children or little demons). Another hypothesis holds that Kwai Chai Hong's reputation as a gambling, drug, and vice-involved neighborhood contributed to its moniker.

An advertisement for Tiger Beer

It was a hot Saturday afternoon when I made the trek from Pasar Seni (Central Market) to Kwai Chai Hong. Guided by Google Map, I navigate the narrow streets of Chinatown. My shirt was soaked with sweat when I arrived at the entrance of Kwai Chai Hong.

The entrance of Kwai Chai Hong.

To enter the Lane, I had to cross a red bridge. On one side of the wall, a pair of lovers were painted sitting on the bridge. After the lovers, authentic olden louvered windows were displayed on the wall. Colorful lanterns adorned the upper area and added an air of festivity.

Crossing the red bridge. The bridge is symbolic in linking the past to the present. For the Chinese, red is an auspicious color. On the left of the wall, is the painted pair of lovers and the old windows.

The place is made even more festive by the colorful lanterns.

I soon forgot about the afternoon heat as I was enthralled by the murals, the artwork, and the atmosphere of the place. It is as if time had stood still and I was actually walking in Chinatown during the heydays. Some of the murals depicted the occupations that were common in that era. There was the calligrapher who can help you to write letters to your loved ones back in China. A barber with an actual chair can be seen operating in the open air. This area was also known for its brothels. A woman of the night holding her handkerchief was depicted trying to solicit customers. Children laughed as they play happily in the streets. Clothes can be seen hanging from the first floor of the shophouses. The business owners and their families also stayed here. As such, there were endless activities here from dawn to the wee hours of the night.

A calligrapher offers his services of helping you to write letters.

A prostitute waves her handkerchief seductively as she solicits for business.

Children playing happily in the streets.

Beautiful mosaic artwork.

A statue of a beautiful Chinese dressed in cheongsam.

This huge two-and-a-half-storey mural is the centerpiece of Little Ghost Lane. As business owners and their families also stayed in the premises, daily activities such as hanging clothes are depicted in the mural.

Although I was dripping with sweat, I was glad that I made the trip here. The walk has offered me a glimpse of the past and helped me to understand to some extent my Chinese heritage. For your information, entrance to Kwai Chai Hong is free.
[//]:# (!pinmapple 3.104001 lat 101.683556 long A Walk In Little Ghost Lane d3scr)

I am having an imaginary haircut from the barber who is operating in the open air.

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