Why Do So Many People Sit on Cardboard Boxes on Sundays in Hong Kong's Central Area?
→ This is a very characteristic cultural feature that tourists often wonder about.
If you've ever been to Hong Kong on a Sunday, especially in the Central area, you must have been surprised at some point to see:
Hundreds of people gathering on sidewalks and overpasses
Spreading out cardboard boxes, sitting to eat, sing, and chat
The atmosphere more like a "mini festival" than everyday life
👉 Good news: this is not homeless people, nor a strange event, but a very famous urban cultural feature of Hong Kong, called "Sunday Gathering".
👩🍳 What is Sunday Gathering?
This is a familiar activity of the foreign domestic helpers community in Hong Kong – mostly Filipinos, partly from Indonesia, Thailand…
📅 Sunday is their only legal day off in the week.
🏠 Why do they have to go out to gather?
According to Hong Kong law, domestic helpers:
Must live with the employer
In apartments that are often very small and cramped
👉 On days off, they want to:
Escape from the work space
Have true privacy
Meet friends and compatriots
But:
Coffee shops and restaurants in Hong Kong are very expensive
No private homes to gather
➡️ Public spaces like sidewalks and overpasses in Central become the ideal "outdoor living room".
📦 Why use cardboard boxes?
Cardboard boxes are not random, but very "practical":
- ✅ Create temporary private space for each group
- ✅ Sit cleanly, insulated from the ground
- ✅ Easy to clean up, easy to discard after finishing
- ✅ Subtly mark territory: which group sits in which area
For them, it is the cheapest – most convenient – most effective solution for a day off.
🎤 What happens at Sunday gatherings in Central?
What you see like a real festival is actually their way to relieve pressure and homesickness:
- 🍲 Eating: bring Filipino dishes like Adobo, Sinigang
- 🎶 Singing – dancing – karaoke
- 💇 Haircutting, manicures for each other
- 👑 Even mini beauty contests, rehearsal performances
- 🤝 Sharing information: jobs, legal matters, support for newcomers
👉 This is also a very important spiritual support network for those working far from family.
🌆 How do Hong Kong locals view this?
For locals, Sunday Gathering has become part of urban life rhythm:
Not too surprised
Not seen as a nuisance
Simply: "Sundays in Central are like that"
Even if it looks a bit messy to first-time tourists, behind it is a story about the right to rest, community, and mental health.
💡 If you are a Hong Kong tourist
Don't panic or misunderstand
Don't take photos too close, respect their private space
View this as a very real slice of Hong Kong life, not found in guidebooks
📍 And if you want to avoid crowds, please:
- Go to Central on weekdays
- Or explore other areas like Sheung Wan, Wan Chai, Tsim Sha Tsui on Sundays
👉 In summary:
The cardboard boxes in Central every Sunday are not a scene of poverty, but a characteristic cultural feature of modern Hong Kong – where migrant workers find back the feeling of community and freedom in their rare day off.
