In early days, the square housed many mui yan (媒人), female marriage arrangers who were intermediaries between two families in traditional times.

The crowds during special occasions such as Halloween or New Year's Eve put the place at a literal standstill with the large numbers.

On 1 January 1993, 21 people were killed and 62 injured in a large-scale human crush incident whilst celebrating the New Year's Day in Lan Kwai Fong.

The Hong Kong government appointed Court of First Instance judge Kemal Bokhary to conduct an inquest into the disaster.

[7] The stringent crowd control measures now in force at major holidays and events are a direct consequence of the inquest's recommendations.