Hong Kong Culture: Hong Kong History
History of Hong Kong
Early History
Pre-historic remains of stone tools have been discovered by archaeologists in the New Territories, showing that the area of present-day Hong Kong has been inhabited for over 30,000 years.
Imperial China Period c200 BCE-1800
The territory of what is now Hong Kong became part of Imperial China in the Qin Dynasty around 200 BCE. The area was known for its pearl industry, salt production, fishing and as a trading port.
During the Mongol invasions of the late 13th century, the court of the Southern Song Dynasty fled to the area near Kowloon. It was during this period of war and uncertainty that Hong Kong's walled villages were first constructed.
The first Europeans to arrive in the area of the Pearl River Delta were the Portuguese in the sixteenth century. In 1557 the Ming imperial court gave its permission for an official Portuguese trading port at A-Ma Gau (Bay of A-Ma) now known as Macau in return for an annual rent.
British Period 1800's-1997
The large trade in tea which had begun between Imperial China and Britain by the early 1800's lead to considerable deficits on the British side. In an attempt to rectify this trade imbalance, the British began selling opium, cultivated in India, at Canton (Guangzhou).
The Qing court's attempt to end this illegal drug trade lead to the British navy blockading China's ports and the start of the Opium Wars. In 1842, the island of Hong Hong was ceded in perpetuity to the victorious British at the Treaty of Nangking, and the economic development and rising prosperity of the colony began under the first governor of Hong Kong, Sir Henry Pottinger.
After further conflict and bombardments of the Chinese coast in the 1850's, Kowloon was ceded to the British at the Convention of Peking in 1860, and the New Territories were later leased from China in 1898 for a period of 99 years.
Westernization in this period included the establishment of ferries, hospitals, newspapers and schools. The Star Ferry was begun at this time, the Peak Tram in 1888 and the trams on Hong Kong Island in 1904. The South China Morning Post newspaper began life in 1903 and the colony's first bank, the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation even earlier in 1865. The population of the territory continued to grow, reaching over 700,000 inhabitants in the 1920's and swelling to 1.6 million people before World War II.
Japanese Occupation 1941-1945
Hong Kong was occupied by Japanese forces during World War II after two weeks of bitter fighting. The Hong Kong Museum of History details the harsh life of Hong Kongers during the 3 years and 8 months of Japanese rule.
1950's & 1960's
After the war, Hong Kong enjoyed unprecedented growth in the 1950's and 1960's as companies relocated from mainland China and Shanghai in particular. Manufacturing increased in thousands of small workshops producing plastics, textiles and toys, swelled by an influx of cheap, migrant labor from the mainland. The 1950's and 1960's saw the construction of many new high rise apartment blocks to house the growing population.
1970-present
Economic growth continued apace throughout the 1970's and 80's as production moved from cheaper to more high end products. In 1984 the Sino-British Joint Declaration was signed between China and Britain, guaranteeing the continuation of Hong Kong's free market system for a period of 50 years under the "One country, two systems" policy. The policies were included in the Hong Kong Basic Law agreed to by both parties. On July 1 1997, the last British Governor Chris Patten handed over sovereignty to the PRC.
Post 1997
Hong Kong continues to flourish as both a financial and trading powerhouse and a tourist destination. The opening of Hong Kong's Airport in 1998 confirmed the territory's status as one of Asia's major transport hubs. Much of the manufacturing sector has relocated to nearby Shenzhen. The population of Hong Kong presently stands at around 7 million people.
Book Hotel Accommodation in Hong Kong China
Book Hotels in Hong Kong - Booking.com
Hotels in Hong Kong - Agoda
Find Hotels in Kowloon - Booking.com
Peninsula Hotel Hong Kong
Search Hotels in Macau - Booking.com
Venetian Macau Resort Hotel
Budget Hotels in Hong Kong - Booking.com