Gallery: Old Hong Kong in miniature

Cityplaza is hosting "In retrospect: Hong Kong zoomed in miniature exhibition" until July 17. A group of 16 artists have captured the essence of Hong Kong in the old days with their miniature models. Many of these art pieces portray the times and scenes of a Hong Kong that has slipped away with time.  

Some 42 models illustrate the old streets and shops in Hong Kong. You can almost feel the olden days by admiring the exquisitely-made art-pieces: the 150-year-old Cantonese-restaurant, Tai Ping Koon; the tasty street hawkers' carts; the closely-built flats (from which residents could pop out of their window and shake hands with neighbor living across the street); the classic barber's salon chair as well as a mini television which seems to be really broadcasting a program.

Also on CNNGo: A tour of Shanghai Street with the 'Old Hong Kong' expert 

Although they may be small it doesn't mean building the miniatures is easy. One artist told Ta Kung Po, that just the drawers inside the pharmacy took her three months to build. 

One part of the show is the infamous Kowloon Walled City. After Japan's surrender in World War II, some 2,000 squatters took over the place immediately and declared autonomy. Subsequently, it was ruled by triads and became a hotbed of drugs, brothels, gambling parlors and illegal clinics. 

It was a place outsiders dared not enter. It was demolished in 1984. Now it is a peaceful park and you can only trace its darker past by its name -- Kowloon Walled City Park. 

Also on CNNGo: Tsang Tsou-choi: King of Kowloon, crazy old man and pioneer of Hong Kong street art

When these collective memories of Hong Kong gave way to other "more valuable" land developments, at least these miniature models take up less space.