Duk Ling Is the Last of Hong Kong's Original Wooden Junk Boats still Afloat

There was a time when Victoria Harbour was teeming with steamers, schooners, sampans, and junk boats. But that time belongs to a bygone era. In 21st-century Hong Kong, the only junk boats still roaming the waters of Victoria Harbour are modern crafts designed specifically for partying cruises or sightseeing cruises in the harbour.

Of those few junk boats, however, one stands out: Duk Ling. Not only because of its three iconic red sails, but also because of its history. Although it now offers sightseeing tours, like all other junk boats, Duk Ling was originally a fishing boat. In fact, launched in Macau in 1955, Dukling is the oldest and the only original Chinese junk boat still sailing in Hong Kong.

Its name derives from the shape of the hull, which resembles a duck. The boat was hence named 鴨靈號 (Ap Ling Ho), which, in Cantonese, means “Holy Duck.” Its English name, Duk Ling, however, is not a direct translation of Ap Ling Ho but an intricate wordplay on the translation of 鴨 (duck), which was then romanized as “duk” to emphasize the phonetic pronunciation of “Holy Duck.” As for the 靈 (ling) part, it wasn’t translated but directly romanized as “ling.” Hence, Duk Ling, which phonetically sounds like “duckling,” or a baby duck.

That said, if you ever see three iconic red sails in Victoria Harbour, chances are you’ve spotted Duk Ling—or one of its purpose-built modern replicas: Aqua Luna or Aqua Luna II.