The Upper Lascar Row in Sheung Wan, also well known as the Lascar Row, is a world-famous street in HK. We may see a lot of antiques shops in the street. So, why is Lascar Row called Lascar? What is the meaning of Lascar? And why does Lascar Row become a street of Antiques shops? Let me tell you.
位於香港上環的摩羅上街，即大家通常稱呼的摩羅街，相信很多來過香港的旅客都認識這個名字，這裡售賣很多不同的古董古玩，是香港一條國際知名的街道。不過，為何摩羅街會叫摩羅街？摩羅是什麼意思？摩羅街又為何會變成一條古玩街？讓我為大家一一道來。
Lascar was a sailor or militiaman from South Asia and the Arab world. In HK, it is especially referred to Indian. Around 150 years ago, many Indian militaries were assigned to HK by the British Government. They then worked in the police force. And people in HK called the Indian police as “摩囉”, which means lascar in Cantonese.
摩羅街一名源於「摩羅差」，「摩羅差」是100多年前香港人對印度警察的稱呼。「摩羅」一詞源於印度人的自代稱呼「婆羅多」，但廣東人通常會將「婆羅多」音譯成「摩羅」。150年前很多印度軍入被英國調派至香港投入警隊服務，當時香港人大多仍以「衙差」這個古代中國執法部門的稱呼來稱呼警察，由於印度人說粵語時帶有印度口音，「衙差」一字在廣東人聽來就成了「阿叉」，所以在香港的印度警察，以至印度人都被稱為「摩羅差」。
The HK Government built a dormitory for the Indian police at the Lower Lascar Row now. Most Indians in HK stayed at the street outside the dormitory and the street was then called the Lascar Row.
說完「摩羅差」，就要說「摩羅街」了。當年港英政府在現時摩羅下街一帶興建了專用印度警察而設的警察宿舍，於是大部份印度人都聚居在宿舍外的街道一帶，久而久之就被人稱呼為「摩羅街」。
1960年的摩羅街 Lascar Row in 1960
(Photo from hkdiscuss)
In 1860, there was civil conflict in Sze Yup of Guangdong in China. Tam Sam Choi, a wealthy businessman in HK, was born in Sze Yup. He wished to support one side of the conflict. So he recruited over 100 Indians who had experienced in the army in HK. The over 100 Indians arrived Sze Yup and lost in the conflict. Most of them dead. Their families in HK lost support and asked for help from the Government. The Government found Tam and needed him to be responsible for it. Finally, Tam built a street to settle the widows at the south of the Lascar Row. The new Lascar Row was then called the Upper Lascar Row and the original Lascar Raw was then called the Lower Lascar Row.
到了1860年，廣東省四邑一帶發生了民間衝突，居民因為爭奪資源而爆發械鬥。在香港的富商譚三才原藉開平，為了支持鄉里，他暗中在香港招募了一百多名曾服役的印度兵到四邑支援。可惜，這百多名被「賣豬仔」的印度兵大敗而回，死傷過半，他們在香港的家眷頓失依靠，並向政府求助。最後政府找到譚三才身上，譚三才為了賠償損失，就在摩羅街以南一帶建了「摩羅上街」以安置他們，而原本的「摩羅街」就變成了「摩羅下街」。
The widows and Indians mainly sold groceries at the street. At the same time, when the Indian sailors arrived HK, them brought the antiques and groceries from all over the world and sold at the street. So the Upper Lascar Row gradually became the center of antiques. The street is also called the “Cat Street”. It is because there were a lot of stolen goods. In Chinese, “Mouse goods” means stolen goods and the buyers is just like the cats who are looking for good mice. So it is called the “Cat Street”.
摩羅街一帶的印度人以售賣雜貨唯生，而當時的印度水手，每次回港都會將在世界各地帶來的雜貨古玩在摩羅街擺賣，久而久之這裡就售賣雜貨古玩的集中地。摩羅街又稱「貓街」，因為當時有很多人都將偷來的東西在摩羅街出售，香港人一般稱這些偷來的貨物為老鼠貨，而客人就像貓一般來此尋找老鼠，這條街就變成了貓街。
Today, most Indians has moved away to the Chungking Mansion. The shop owners of the Lascar Row become Chinese. And there are now more and more different types of products in the Lascar Row, like Antiques, old toys, Chinese arts, ancient coins and posters etc. Many props of HK TV series with the background of the early Republic China are also brought from Lascar Row. You may found a lot of interesting products in the Lascar Row, such as the smallest phonograph in the world, old poster of Bruce Lee, and crafts of Mao Zedong. But most shops did not allow me to take photos. I was stopped by them for few times. But finally I still took some haha.
時至今日，印度人已離開摩羅街，轉移到重慶大廈，摩羅街的雜貨店亦由華人接手，售賣的貨品也越來越多花樣，除了大家都知道的古董外，還有很多古玩、字畫、錢幣、海報、玩具等，當年香港很多民初電視劇的道具，也是來自摩羅街。我們在摩羅街會見到很多古靈精怪的東西，如世界最小的留聲機、李小龍的海報、還有很多毛澤東先生的工藝品，全都充滿了中西混合的香港特色。可惜的是，這裡的店家又是不讓人拍照，我曾數次被趕哈哈，但不知為何他們越趕我越要拍，最後都拍了一些照片給大家欣賞。
Finally a reminder for you. The shops in Lascar Row are like other antiques shops. There are real products and fake products. You may buy a fake one with high price but may also buy a treasure with a cheap price. And the most important is remember to bargain with the shops keepers! When you come HK next time, come to Lascar Row. Maybe you will get a surprised treasure from it!
最後要提醒大家的是，摩羅街和很多古玩店都一樣，貨品有真有假，你可能會用了高價買了假貨，亦可能會用低價買到寶物，最重要的是，要討價還價！下次來香港，可以到這裡尋尋寶，說不定你會有意外收獲！
Again, a video for you!
最後，也為大家製作了小視頻，希望大家欣賞 :)
!steemitworldmap 22.2849487 lat 114.1474034 long d3scr
Thanks for spending your time to read my articles. I like to share stories of Hong Kong. I wish you may support me and I will keep going!
謝謝你能抽空閱讀這篇文章，我平日喜歡分享香港的故事，希望大家多多支持，我會繼續努力！
