Possession Point, Historical landmark on Hong Kong Island, China
Possession Point is a historical site in the Sheung Wan district of Hong Kong Island, marking the spot where British forces first landed in 1841. Today the area is surrounded by commercial buildings and a busy road, with little to signal its past role.
On January 25, 1841, British naval forces under Captain Edward Belcher landed here and formally took possession of Hong Kong Island. That moment opened more than 150 years of British rule over the territory.
The Chinese name Sui Hang Hou refers to a stream mouth from Victoria Peak, reflecting the natural geography that existed before land reclamation transformed the waterfront. This name reminds visitors of the water features that once shaped this coastline before urban development.
The historical landing point is today marked by the sharp bend in Queen's Road West and sits several minutes' walk from the waterfront. A small commemorative stone nearby helps identify the exact spot.
The shoreline where the troops landed is now well inland because land reclamation added new ground between the old coast and the sea. The spot sits today in the middle of a dense urban neighborhood, with no view of the water at all.
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