Stone Nullah Lane

Stone Nullah Lane

石水渠街
The northern end of Stone Nullah Lane at the junction with Queen's Road East. The Blue House can be seen in the background (left).
Length	140 m (460 ft)
Location	Wan Chai, Hong Kong
South end	Lung On Street
North end	Queen's Road East

Stone Nullah Lane (Chinese: 石水渠街; pinyin: Shí Shuǐqú Jiē; Cantonese Yale: sek6 seoi2 keoi4 gaai1) is a one-way street in Wan Chai, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. Named after the water channel previously located on it, it stretches from Lung On Street to Queen's Road East. The street is noted for its historical landmarks, most notably the Blue House and Pak Tai Temple.

During the First Opium War, the British occupied Hong Kong in 1841 and one year later, the territory was ceded to them under the Treaty of Nanking. At the time, a nullah or water channel made of stone or concrete was located on the street. It carried a stream that originated from the hills of Victoria Peak situated above Kennedy Road. After travelling down the street, it drained out into Victoria Harbour underneath Wan Chai Road, which was located on Hong Kong Island's waterfront. However, it is now situated much farther inland due to land reclamation that has been undertaken since its opening. The structure eventually lent its name to the street it was built on, and it was common for laundry to be washed in the nullah.

At the start of the 20th century, shops that processed soybeans were established near Stone Nullah Lane. Because of the unpleasant odour emitted during the processing, this led to protests from residents in the neighbourhood. Eventually, the shops were forced to move to other areas. The nullah, which also emitted a foul stench, was relocated underground, where the stream from The Peak still flows today. Although the nullah can no longer be found on the lane, the street name was left unchanged.