The lions are back.
Stephen and Stitt are not just ordinary bronze lions, the 85-year old lions still bear injuries from the Second World War and the social unrest in 2020.
The lions have guarded the entrance of HSBC headquarters in Central since 1935.
During the Second World War, the two lions were sent to Japan to be melted down, but were saved at the sudden end of war. An American sailor recognised the lions in a dockyard in Osaka in 1945 and the lions were rescued and restored to their original positions in October 1946. Bullet holes can still be found on Stephen’s left flank. (𝘗𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰 𝟺)
During the protest on New Year’s Day in 2020, the lions were sprayed with red paint and set on fire. They were removed from public view for restoration since then for the third time in their history.
The lions are back on public view after first phase of restoration works. Welcome back. Many visit the lions today, taking photos and touching his head and paws.
Full restoration can be done only when British experts can fly to Hong Kong.
𝗪𝐡𝐲 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐭?
Stephen, the growling lion, was named after Alexander Gordon Stephen, the Chief Manager of HSBC in 1923, and Stitt, the quiescent one, was named after Gordon Holmes Stitt, formerly Manager Shanghai.
𝗪𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲?
1 Queen's Road, Central
中環皇后大道中一號
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