The Noonday Gun

The Noonday Gun

The Noonday Gun (English: The Jardine Noonday Gun) is located on the shore of Causeway Bay Typhoon Shelter in Hong Kong's Eastern District. It is a gun battery owned by Jardine Matheson and fires a ceremonial gunshot at 12 noon every day, hence the name "Noonday Gun." Before firing, eight bells are rung, a tradition originating from the East Point era when Jardine’s main office and warehouse stood there, marking the end of the morning work shift. In addition to the daily noon gunshot, an extra shot known as the “Midnight Gun” is fired on the last minute of New Year’s Eve to welcome the new year. This is one of Hong Kong’s tourist attractions. Nowadays, visitors can arrange to fire the ceremonial gun by making a donation of a specified amount to MINDSET. Since 1989, over HK$5 million has been raised through this initiative.

History

In 1841, Jardine Matheson purchased land on the shore of East Point from the Hong Kong government to build the Jardine Matheson godown, which included a cargo wharf for loading and unloading goods from ships. To combat pirates, the company set up a gun battery at the site. Additionally, a ceremonial gunshot was fired to show respect whenever a VIP arrived in or departed from Hong Kong.

Until one day in the 1850s, when Sir Robert Jardine, the general manager of Jardine Matheson, returned to Hong Kong from Britain, the staff fired a 21-gun salute—the highest honor—as a tribute. However, this angered the British military garrison in Hong Kong, who argued that as a trading company, Jardine had no right to fire ceremonial gunshots. To apologize, Jardine took on the responsibility of firing a gunshot at 12 noon daily as a form of self-imposed punishment. At that time, the gun was three feet long, and its sound could be heard across both sides of Victoria Harbour.

In December 1941, the Japanese Imperial Army occupied Hong Kong and seized the gun, which has been missing ever since. After the liberation of Hong Kong in 1945, the British Navy gifted Jardine Matheson a six-pounder gun, allowing the tradition of the Noonday Gun to continue. On July 1, 1947, the Noonday Gun resumed its regular firings. In 1961, nearby residents complained about the loud noise of the gunshot, so the Marine Police confiscated the original gun and replaced it with a three-pounder quick-firing gun, which is still in use today.

Transportation Guide

Location: 310 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai District, Hong Kong.

Getting There: Take the MTR to Exit D1 of Causeway Bay Station (or use other transportation to reach Causeway Bay), then walk to the basement car park entrance of the Eton Hotel on Gloucester Road. Follow the stairs down to the car park, turn right, and you will see a pedestrian tunnel that leads to the gun battery.