Hon Wo Goldsmith
漢和金舖
The Remaining Old Shop on Main Street East 東大街碩果僅存的老店
In the 1960s, Shau Kei Wan Main Street East used to have many shops for the boat people, for instance, Yuen Cheong Fishing Gear shop and Hon Wo Goldsmith which there were five to eight goldsmiths within the shop. Today, there are only a few shops left that are related to the boat people , including the Hon Wo Goldsmith, which opened in 1951.
六十年代的筲箕灣東大街有很多面向水上人的店舖，例如源昌漁船用具和漢和金舖等。現時街上相關的店舖已所剩無幾，其中包括在1951年開業的漢和金舖，昔日店內有八至十位師傅人手打造金器。
Hon Wo Goldsmith and Mr Lee King Wah, owner of the shop
漢和金舖與老板李京華先生
Gold Shop=Bank of The Boat People 金舖=水上人的銀行
In the 1960s, the government tightened the asset flow and many banks went bankrupt. It created a distrust towards banks among the boat people. Thus, they exchanged their income for gold in local gold shops because it was seen as a good hedge against inflation.
在水上人眼中，金能夠保值，加上政府於1960年代收緊資產流動，致使銀行破產，令他們認為金舖較銀行有信譽，所以他們會到金舖將所得收入換成金。
Boat People Buying Gold to Celebrate 水上人買金賀節慶
Boat people would consume gold ornaments on festive occasions, such as weddings, the Tam Kung Festival, becoming blood brothers, the full month celebrations, and building a new boat. Every time their friends buy a new boat, they would buy a gold medal in the shape of a junk boat as a gift, wishing them everything will go smoothly. Upon receiving the gold, the boat people would gift gold in return. Because of their high demand for gold ornaments, East Main Street thrived and flourished. At its peak, there were 6 gold shops.
During the Tam Kung Festival, they will wear gorgeous gold ornaments and show off their wealth by comparing the size and weight of these golden accessories. According to Mr Lee, someone even asked him (Ho Won Goldsmith) to make a gold belt that weighed twenty-two taels. These reflected that the Tam Kung Festival is not only a day to commemorate the gods, but also a time for reunion among the boat people.
水上人會在喜慶日子，例如嫁娶、譚公誕、上契、嬰兒滿月和「裝新船」時買大量金器。 每當親朋戚友裝新船，水上人便會送帆船造型的金牌給他們，祝福對方一帆風順。收到金禮後，水上人亦會以金作回禮。在譚公誕當日，水上人會配戴華麗的金飾，比較誰的金飾更大、更重，藉此炫耀財力。漢和金舖的老闆李先生透露，甚至有人要求打造一條二十二両的金腰帶。可見，筲箕灣譚公誕不僅是酬神的日子，也是水上人聯誼的時候。水上人對金的需求促進了東大街的發展，在鼎盛時期，街上有六間金舖。
