The book explores hong kong as a place with a unique identity, yet also as a crossroads where chinese history, british colonial history, and world history. Theres one rather showy descriptor on some labels that may seem a bit mysterious at first. The former british colony was returned to chinese sovereignty in 1997, and was guaranteed 50 years of. It is more than a city actually, being an archipelago of.
The arrival of immigrants in large numbers helped launch a new role for hong kong as a major manufacturing hub. Before the mid1960s, but especially before wwii ended, the british acted like masters towards colonial subjects. In the turbulent years of the early 20 th century, the citys population was bolstered by refugees, mostly from china. His round was confined to an area barely a hundredth of a square mile in size. The book covers the entire history of hong kong from the colonial period to the post1997 hong kong handover to china. British hong kong was a colony and british dependent territory of the united kingdom from 1841 to 1997, apart from a brief period under japanese occupation from 1941 to 1945. List of books and articles about hong kong history online. Hong kong was formally declared a free port to serve as an entrepot for the british empire. Beyond 1997 217 chronology of key events 239 bibliography and further reading.
Decolonization, recolonization, or something elseeach of the ten chapters in this timely. A brief history of protest in posthandover hong kong. The strange saga of kowloon walled city atlas obscura. How an englishman helped govern hong kong in its last decades as a british colony by. Seven decades later, the same questions are being asked again, but in hong kong. Community and social unrest in the british colony, 184219. John carroll is professor of history and associate dean in the faculty of arts at the university of hong kong and author of edge of empires. The smaller area shaded fully in red on the map shows territory ceded to britain by the chinese government under the convention of peking in 1860, after the end of the second opium war. Jan morris, hong kong 1997 in its last days under british rule, jan morris explores hong kongs complex past, present and future. Hong kong protesters march over abducted booksellers read more. The story began in 1842 with the founding of the crown colony after the first anglochinese war the original opium war. And the whole industry is wondering if hardhitting books on chinese politics still have a future in the former british colony. Hong kong was the last significant and economically viable colony to leave the british empire. Frank welsh has written a magnificent history of hong kong.
In 1997, the british handed hong kong back to china, the end of a 99yearlong lease and an. Colony of hong kong article about colony of hong kong by. A stinging critique of hong kong and its british elite in the dying days of colonial rule, kowloon. The book explores hong kong as a place with a unique identity, yet also a crossroads where chinese history, british colonial history, and world history intersect. Considered the most comprehensive hong kong history book, welsh recounts the countrys origins from a barren land from the british occupation in 1859 until its handover to china in 1997. Hong kong hong kong, mandarin xianggang, special administrative region of china, formerly a british crown colony 2015 est. Rather apologetic on the british side, but if youve read plenty of other books condemning the opium wars, this is an impressive, thorough history that provides a bit of balance but read with a pinch of salt. Hong kong ceded to the british during the first opium war, china cedes the island of hong kong to the british with the signing of the chuenpi convention, an agreement seeking an end to the first. The island was ceded by qing dynasty in the aftermath of the war in 1842 and established as a crown colony in 1843.
Colony of hong kong definition of colony of hong kong by. Hong kong in western literature used to be a portrait of colonialism. But there was a lot going on in the region before that wintry morning in 1841 when a contingent of british marines clambered ashore and planted the union flag on the western part of hong kong island, claiming it for the british crown. A concise history of hong kong critical issues in world and international history. By the last quarter of the 19th century, hong kong had developed as a british crown colony. Colony of hong kong synonyms, colony of hong kong pronunciation, colony of hong kong translation, english dictionary definition of colony of hong kong. One of the most common breakfasts was congee with fish and barley.
Due to this simple operation territory of hong kong increased in a one time in couple of times. A brief history of protest in posthandover hong kong time. The east portion of colonial hong kong was mostly dedicated to the british. Hong kong august 1997 library of congress information. A concise history of hong kong hong kong university press. The region of hong kong has been inhabited since the old stone age, later becoming part of the chinese empire with its loose incorporation into the qin dynasty 221206 bc. The hong kong tea culture began in this period and evolved into yum cha. Worldrenowned travel writer jan morris offers the most insightful and comprehensive study of the enigma of hong kong thus far. A modern history of hong kong my perception is that there arent many good indepth histories of hk in english.
How 156 years of british rule shaped hong kong youtube. History in the very long scale of history, hong kong as we know it today has existed for a mere blink of an eye. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. A city and administrative region of southeast china on the coast southeast of guangzhou, including hong kong island and adjacent areas. His account of nearly two centuries of british rule is comprehensive, spirited, fair and funny. This influx of talent was a huge boon to hong kongs film scene, and an astonishing number of cinema houses were built in the colony around. Pictures capture daily life of hong kong as british colony. I read this a couple of years ago and thought it was pretty good. December 25, 1941 battle for hong kong finished because of lose of britain and canadian forces. This part discusses the history of hong kong up to the point when hong kong island was taken. Farewell, my colony is a realtime journal of the end of an era by an objective observer. The 1880s and 1890s were the heyday of colonialism in asia, and colonial society in hong kong reflected the temper of the times. Blurbs with the issue or nonissue of hong kong independence becoming the subject of increasingly acrimonious debate, from a british to a chinese colony.
Welsh obviously enjoyed writing this book, and his energy and enthusiasm are contagious. And as the panorama of its unique history unfolds, the image of hong kong, with its rare. When you read these words made in the british crown colony of hong kong you may wonder where that is. Over the decades, thousands of chinese migrants fleeing. From a littleknown fishing community at the periphery of china, hong kong developed into one of the worlds most spectacular and cosmopolitan metropoles after a century and a half of british imperial rule. American journalist todd crowell captures a unique moment in history as britain stoically soldiers through the last months of its 156 years of colonial rule, china waits restlessly to resume its sovereignty, and hong kong buzzes with endless speculation. A sweeping history of hong kong, britains last colony, documents court intrigues. From its earliest days as a british colony, hong kong served as a centre of international trade. At that point in time, the british colony was embracing a. Even though britain gave hong kong back to china 21 years ago, today when you walk around the city you can see british fingerprints everywhere.
Its the colonial years of hong kong, from the time when the brits landed on possession point, up to the midnight when elizabeth ii returned hong kong, the last colony of the british empire, to chinese rule. The author, coates offers a wholehearted and honest retelling of his attempts to understand the colonys largely cantonese citizens and his effort to administer british justice on a completely foreign culture. Although there are still small dependent colonies scattered about the globe to this day, the imperial adventure effectively ceased in 1997 with the return of hong kong to china. This major history of hong kong tells the remarkable story of how a cluster of remote fishing villages grew into an icon of capitalism. Publishers weekly dec 1, 1988 overlooking one of the worlds finest natural harbors, the crowded, glittering, hilly british crown colony of hong kong is a major banking, commercial, industrial and transportation center.
The author puts much emphasis on the statesociety relations and interactions and the geopolitcal importance of hong kong to uk and china. Classics of hong kong culture and history christopher munn 4. Five books that explain the hong kong protests financial. Chinese people and british rule in hong kong, 18411880 echoes. History of hong kong lonely planet travel information. Vigil hong kong on the brink on the frontlines of the battle for democracy in china. I think there is definitely room for more scholarship and writi. The region comprises hong kong island, ceded by china in 1842. Hong kong, a former british colony which was handed back to china in 1997, is considered one of. Considered one of the classic books about the city, myself a mandarin is an autobiographical account of a british magistrate in 1950s hong kong. Columbia global reports vigil columbia global reports. Carroll concludes by exploring the legacies of colonial rule, the consequences of hong kongs reintegration with china, and significant developments and challenges since 1997. They also took over kowlon to preempt another western power posing a threat to the british colony. The rise of hong kong is the story of a miraculous postwar boom, when chinese refugees flocked to a small british colony, and, in less than fifty years, transformed it into one of the great financial centers of the world.
History of hong kongcolonial days wikibooks, open books. Shanghais film industry suffered because of the war, and as a result shanghais filmmakers began to move to hong kong, then a british colony. Starting out as a farming fishing village and salt production site, it became an important free port and eventually a major international financial centre the qing dynasty ceded hong kong to the british empire in 1842. This history of hong kong from its occupation by the british in 1841 to its return to chinese sovereignty in 1997 includes the foundation of modern hong kong. Hong kong harbor, taken sometime between 1900 and 1923, during british control of the island. The more you poke around vintage clothing shops, the more you notice the labels. The most densely populated city on earth had only one postman. During wwii, many british along with many highlevel chinese were penned up in japanese detention centers around hks islands. It ends with a critical but dispassionate examination of hong kongs transition from a british crown colony to a chinese special administrative. What are the best books about hong kong history and. Hms chatham steamed into the history books on monday, becoming the last british warship to dock in hong kong before its return to mainland china. The west portion was filled with chinese shops, crowded markets and tea houses. Le carres honourable schoolboy is jerry westerby, a british.
The colonial period began with the occupation of hong kong island in 1841 during the first opium war. In the pearl river deltas most cosmopolitan city, the people asking the questions today might have pondered leaving in 1984, when beijing and london made the deal that would change a british colony into a part of the peoples republic of china prc. The political, economic and social conditions of hong kong society are well narrated. Todays hong kong, a bustling home to over seven million people, is very different from how it was in the 1950s and 1960s.
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