5 HSBC Lions
It’s pretty difficult to pass by the HSBC Main Building without catching sight of the two majestic, bronze lion statues which have guarded the Des Voeux Road entrance since October 1932, when the building officially opened. Upon closer inspection, you’ll see bullet holes in both of the statues, fondly known as Stephen and Stitt, which were caused by downtown fighting during the Battle of Hong Kong.
The lions’ war tale continues, as they were then kidnapped by the invaders and shipped back to Japan as scrap metal. Fortunately, they were saved from such a fate by an American soldier who spotted them in Osaka, and in the autumn of 1946, Stephen and Stitt were returned to their rightful places. On 18 October 1946, the South China Morning Post reported: “In the dead of last night the two bronze lions … crept back to their pedestals and this morning looked as comfortable and unconcerned as if they had never moved.”
HSBC Main Building, 1 Queen’s Road Central, Central