Below youll find the key dates in the history of hong kong presented in a timeline. Modernday hong kong is best known for its sprawl of skyscrapers, a bustling financial hub off the southern coast of mainland china and a. History of hong kong under imperial china wikipedia. As chinas power continues to grow, some fear that the considerable autonomy hong. Instead, the story of hong kong s film industry begins back in the early 20th century. One of britains first acts of the war was to occupy hong kong, a sparsely inhabited island off the coast of southeast china.
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. From a british colony to part of beijings one country, two systems policy, hong kongs government has almost always been the. In 1841, china ceded the island to the british with the signing of the. We dive into the history of hong kong from the stone age to the beginning of the british colonial period. Postage stamps and postal history of hong kong wikipedia. History of hong kong lonely planet travel information. Hong kong first came under chinese rule during the qin dynasty in the third century b.
Hong kong cinema was born long before the stardom of bruce lee and jackie chan, or the arthouse films of wong karwai and ann hui. It was the largest protest in hong kong s history according to wikinews this law would allow mainland china to extradite people living or visiting hong kong who may be fugitives. The principal urban areas are established on hong kong island and the kowloon peninsula, where roughly half of the total population lives. 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 was a british possession for decades until it rejoined china in 1997. The postal system in the british colony of hong kong began in 1841 when the royal mail established the first general post office in the region. The colony expanded to the kowloon peninsula in 1860 after the second opium war, and was further extended when britain obtained a 99year lease of the new territories in 1898. Democracy in hong kong council on foreign relations. Public protests in hong kong date back to british colonial rule and have evolved from the bloody riots of the 1960s into the recent protests of up to two million people marching. Read on to follow the developments of the first era of hong kong cinema up until the 1970s. Over the decades, thousands of chinese migrants fleeing domestic upheavals settle in the colony. The outbreak was the third influenza pandemic to occur in the 20th century. Sir john cowperthwaite and the making of hong kong neil monnery. Part 2 will explore the more modern development of the reegion. A chronology of key events in the history of hong kong from 1842 to the present. Hong kong has never experienced a fully democratic government but that has not stopped people trying to make themselves heard. Hong kong was mostly a small fishing community before becoming the pearl of the orient.
History of hong kong from british colony to special. Unsatisfied with incomplete control of the harbour, the british forced china to cede kowloon peninsula south of what is now boundary street and stonecutters island less than 20 years later, after the second opium war 185660. In 1842 a barren island was reluctantly ceded by china to an. Great britain had acquired hong kong island from china in 1842, when the treaty of nanking was signed at the end of the first opium war 183942. 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 s housing shortage and tiny flats are notorious problems in a city that is known for the stark contrast between its extraordinary wealth and the poor living conditions of a large section of its population hong kong has asias largest wealth gap, with the 10 richest individuals owning half of the entire economy. 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. Hong kong protesters march with a figure depicting the goddess of democracy in august 2019. How hong kong came under one country, two systems rule. Its name means fragrant harbor in chinese, but it could also mean city of change. Hong kong housing problem from the 1950s to the present.
In this video, we will capture the history of hong kong hk from the last imperial dynasty of the chinese qings ceding control of the region. Impending changes in the political status of hong kong have in recent years brought about considerable interest in hong kong studies. The last jewel in the crown of the british empire, hong kong became a massive financial and trade centre. The history of hong kong hong kong was occupied by the british army and then subsequently ceded to england as a colony as a result of the opium wars in the mid19th century.
Below is a brief timeline of hong kongs history to help explain the background to the ongoing protests, with a particular focus on the past 200 years. How hong kongs complex history explains its current. Starting out as a farming fishing village and salt production site, hong kong later evolved into. Hong kong territory became mostly wasteland 1669 great clearance ban was lifted 1757 british east india company. The first of hong kongs mighty five clans, han chinese whose descendants hold political and economic clout to this day, began settling the area around the 12th century. The history of hong kong under imperial china began in 214bc during the qin dynasty. This second part of the timeline picks up at world war two through hong kong history to the modern day. The timeline starts at the areas earliest recorded mention through to world war two, taking in the major moments in hong kong history. There, most of the population is concentrated around. Starting out as a farming fishing village and salt production site, it became an important free port and eventually a major international financial centre. It is a vibrant cultural and financial center of chinese society. Island named as hong kong didnt represent anything special about itself before the moment when its became the first british possession in china.
History of hong kong from british colony to special administrative. The history of hong kong, a business port located off the southeast coast of eurasia. China for europe was closed, because first portuguese. Archaeological findings suggest that the region has been inhabited since the old stone age, and later with its incorporation into the chinese empire during the qin dynasty 221206 bc. Macau is a special administrative region sar of the peoples republic of china. If you are looking for a complete history of the colonization of hong kong with details in areas like economic development, external policy, social development, from 1841 to 1997, then this book is a must read. Exploring the foundation of hong kong, dan ventures to the pearl river delta, one of the most densely urbanised regions in the world and is an economic hub of china. A large portion of hong kongs presentday forest cover owes its origin to afforestation programs undertaken since world war ii, which have restored some of the stands of pine, eucalyptus, banyan, casuarina, and palm trees. How hong kongs complex history explains its current crisis with china. Between 1841 and 1862, no stamps were issued, and postmarks were used to certify payment of the postage instead.
The united kingdom had held hong kong as a colony since 1841, when it occupied the area during the first opium war. Previously home to a shipyard known as the cheoy lee shipyard, it took several months for the area to be filled in and made into an area suitable for building on. Hong kong time line chronological timetable of events. British merchants trade illegally smuggled opium from.
The predominantly urban settlements of hong kong are typically distributed linearly, following the irregular coastline and transportation routes. Sparked by a proposal to amend extradition laws to allow suspects to be. The territory remained largely unoccupied until the later years of the qing dynasty when imperial china ceded the region to great britain under the 1842 treaty of nanking, whereupon hong kong became a british colony. An excellent documentary about hong kong s fascinating history right before hong kong s 1997 return to chinese sovereignty. Hong kong as we know it today was born when chinas qing dynasty government was defeated in the first opium war in 1842, when it ceded hong kong island. In light of the recent kong kong protests happening in right now, this video will shed light on hong kong history from the british colonial period.
Hong kong officially the hong kong special administrative region of the peoples republic of china hksar, is a metropolitan. Despite the very active publication of academic works and general books about hong kong in the last few years, there is still a need for a good scholarly general history which takes account of overall changes in hong kong s politics. Hong kong disneyland park, history, interesting facts. D emonstrations in hong kong over the past two weeks have been recognized as likely the largest in the citys history. Yet hong kong s deep harbour provided an anchorage safe from most weather and possible attack, and the settlement quickly grew. The small island of hong kong is a backwater fishing community ruled by china. The company moved from mainland china to macau in 1902, then to hong kong 30 years later. Over the decades, thousands of chinese migrants fleeing domestic upheavals settle in the. The history of what was once the worlds busiest and wealthiest port is complicated, and its. It consists of hong kong island, originally ceded by china to great britain in 1842, the southern part of the kowloon peninsula and stonecutters ngong shuen island now joined to the mainland, ceded in 1860, and the new territories, which include the mainland area lying largely to the north, together with 230 large and small offshore islandsall of which were leased from china for 99 years from 1898 to 1997. History hong kong tourism board discover hong kong. Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of chinese and foreigners returned, and they were soon joined by economic and political refugees from china, who were fleeing the civil war between the nationalist and communist armies.
Before disneyland came to hong kong, the area in which it is currently located was known as pennys bay. The qing dynasty ceded hong kong to the british empire in 1842 through the treaty of nanjing, ending the first opium war. Hong kong became a colony of the british empire after the qing empire ceded hong kong island at the end of the first opium war in 1842. Protestors in hong kong demonstrated against a new extradition law proposed by the government of mainland china. The film was produced by elaine forsgate marden and directed by libby. Hong kong, special administrative region of china, located to the east of the pearl river estuary on the south coast of china.
Hong kong simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. While it had previously been considered part of the qing dynasty empire, it was ceded to the brits in perpetuity in 1842. Beyond 1997 217 chronology of key events 239 bibliography and further reading. A concise history of hong kong hong kong university press. History of modern hong kong started at the beginning of xix century. A brief history of protest in posthandover hong kong time.
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