In this article, we’re going to explore Hong Kong, which will definitely make you want to travel there!Through the course of modern history, world powers have repeatedly disputed over this strategically valuable land. Its name is defined as ‘fragrant harbor’ in Chinese, but alternately it could also mean ‘City of Change.‘The first wave of people to arrive in large numbers had fled Genghis Khan and his brutal Mongol hordes. They chose Hong Kong because of its favorable geography.One hundred and fifty million years ago, volcanic eruptions formed a deep but narrow harbor with an island on the other side. This orientation protected ships from storms and allowed vessels to come and go quickly from either side.With an estimated 230 islands, the area was an excellent hangout for pirates. Madame Ching, alongside her husband, commanded 80,000 buccaneers and a fleet of 800 ships.In the early 1800s, British merchants found Hong Kong the perfect port to unload the opium they had brought from India. With addiction rampant, the Chinese government cracked down. British-controlled warehouses at Canton were raided, 20,000 chests of opium were destroyed, and the entrance to the Pearl River was blocked.The British forces responded forcefully and destroyed the blockade, occupied the Hong Kong Island, and sent their fleet up the Pearl River to intimidate the Daoguang Emperor. When negotiations didn’t work, they attacked and conquered Canton.History Of Hong KongAfter a year of war across China, the British conquered Nanjing and extracted advantageous peace terms. To get them to leave, China paid a large sum, surrendered control of Hong Kong, and allowed foreign access to other harbors, including Shanghai, which is now the world’s busiest port.Hong Kong consists of Kowloon and New Territories, Hong Kong island, and various other smaller islands that span over an area of 422 sq mi (1,092 sq km), located on China’s South Coast and is encompassed by the South China Sea and Pearl River Delta.Back in the day in Hong Kong, Christian missionaries had started schools and churches to spread Christianity.But slinging religions and drugs weren’t enough for the British. They wanted to make more money.Meanwhile, back on the mainland, a man named Hong Xiuquan was having visions that he was the younger brother of Jesus.He acquired a huge following of peasants and set in motion a lengthy and bloody war against the Qing dynasty.With China busy fighting the Civil War, the British got their chance. This time they teamed up with the French to invade the mainland, sack Beijing, and burn down the emperor’s summer palace.They used this victory to negotiate control of the Kowloon Peninsula, giving the British both sides of Hong Kong’s main waterway, now called Victoria Harbour.A few years later, the British extracted a 99-year lease of the surrounding islands.As Hong Kong westernized, the differences between it and the rest of China grew.One of the widest divides was in education. While studying at Hong Kong College of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen and a group of friends plotted their successful revolution to take down the Chinese Empire.Today, Sun is considered the Father of the Republic of China.The Opium War that broke out on July 1, 1842, made Hong Kong surrender to British Rule.Fast-forward to 1941; the same morning Japan attacked the United States at Pearl Harbor, it launched an assault on Hong Kong, which the British surrendered after an 18-day battle.For three years, the Japanese violently ruled the territory under martial law.Of the 1.6 million people who lived there when the invasion took place, more than 1 million were deported or had fled by their own accord by the time the Japanese were defeated to end World War II.After Japan left, British rule was re-established. Despite the decolonization happening in the rest of their Empire, the British were determined to keep Hong Kong even if it was just a skeleton of its former self.China’s Civil War in 1949 helped turn that around. The Communist Party’s victory forced Shanghai’s capitalist class to flee to Hong Kong. This transformed it into a thriving manufacturing center.But working conditions were poor, and squatter camps grew out of control. An estimated 53,000 people were rendered homeless when a fire blazed through one of these campgrounds.The housing shortage led to the embrace of the high rises that now define the Hong Kong skyline.When war broke out in Korea in 1950, the west blocked all trade with China. With access cut off to mainland markets, Hong Kong’s economy suffered a sharp downturn that amplified social unrest.To recover, Hong Kong’s capitalists turned to high-tech electronics and finance.In the ’70s and ’80s, with Hong Kong finally thriving again, China demanded that Britain hand over the entire territory in 1997 when the 99-year lease over the New Territories was set to expire.Wary of the Chinese, but eager to avoid a breakdown in relations, Britain agreed to surrender the New Territories, the Kowloon Peninsula, and Hong Kong island itself, but only after giving them a bill of rights and forcing China to agree to a ‘One Country, Two Systems’ policy.This gave China control but allowed Hong Kong and Macau, the other special administrative region, to keep their capitalist economic and political systems for 50 years.In the two decades since the handover, Hong Kong’s economy has remained open and strong, but China has begun to assert more control.In 2014, massive demonstrations successfully blocked Beijing from implementing national education in Hong Kong’s schools, although protestors failed to pressure the central government to allow them to directly elect their own Chief Executive.Instead, Hong Kongers choose from a handful of candidates approved by Beijing.Hong Kong’s TraditionsJust like every other place, Hong Kong has its own vibrant traditions.Interesting facts about the amazing city of Hong Kong can be found in its traditions. Despite what many people think, Hong Kong’s landmass is rural.What is Hong Kong’s tradition? One of the traditions is the common practice of the mystical art of Feng Shui in Hong Kong, and it is taken very seriously with expensive construction projects hiring expert consultants, and are usually believed to break or do a business.Other spiritual concepts like the numbers three, five, and eight are considered luck-bringing and auspicious.Residents of Cheung Chau Island organize a bun festival every year between April and May with an ultimate intention to keep the hungry ghosts that reside on the island content.The Dim sum culture was established thousands of years ago to offer and serve as a place for cultural ideas in Hong Kong.Chinese New Year is normally celebrated either in January or February. It is one of the most significant events in the periodic carnivals. People greet each other by saying ‘Kung Hei fat Choi’ which, if translated in English, means ‘Happy New Year.‘This festival is unique in its own way as a sleepy fish named Cheung Chau is resurrected during its periodic bun jubilee, which occurs on Buddha’s birthday.This festival is usually celebrated from the fifth to the ninth days of the lunar month (i.e., April 27 to May 1).One of the highlights of this festival is the Piu Sik Parade which features the original academy of children on docks.The Spring Lantern Festival occurs on the first full moon of the New Lunar Year, i.e., February 15, 2022, and its ultimate goal is to bid farewell to the past time. Brightly lit and huge lanterns of distinctive shapes and sizes are kept on display for a month.Dragon Boat Festival is very famous, and it is also known as Tuen Ng Festival. It usually occurs on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar year (June 3, 2022) and is a public vacation.This day is celebrated by conducting dragon-boat races, and these races are generally organized around the megacity. Chinese National Day is celebrated to mark the foundation of the People’s Republic of China that was established in 1949.Celebration of the fest may vary, but the common and main event is that of the fireworks that are scattered in the sky over Victoria Harbour.The mid-autumn festival has been celebrated since the Tang Dynasty. This festival honors the full moon, which is considered a sign of concinnity for the Chinese people. A lantern display is held at the famous Victoria Park.As part of the Chinese New Year fests, people exchange red and golden envelopes as the colors indicate good luck. You should avoid giving white flowers or gifts as the white color symbolizes mourning.Always remember to greet the eldest or the most important member of the party/social event first and then work your way towards the young ones.In Hong Kong, business cards are very much popular, so make sure you carry a bunch of these cards with you in a social setting or meeting.While offering something, always remember to offer it with both hands. This gesture symbolizes politeness towards the other person.While eating food or dining, remember to keep a small morsel of food on your plate to indicate that you are done eating your food.It also indicates that the food serving was so generous that you were unable to finish it all.Famous Landmarks In Hong KongWith especially strong links to mainland China and the rest of the Asia-Pacific region, Hong Kong is also a major service economy. With temperatures dropping below 50 F (10 C) in winter and exceeding 88 F (31 C) in summer, the climate of Hong Kong is subtropical.The special administrative region of Hong Kong consists of Kowloon, the Hong Kong Island, New Territories, and many other small islands.One of the major tourist attractions is Victoria Peak which offers views of Central and Victoria Harbour Infrastructure.The bronze Big Buddha located on Lantau Island is a famous Hong Kong landmark. Towering over visitors at about 37 yd (34 m) high, this statue is one of the world’s largest seated Buddhas.From Mount Tai Mo, which is 3,140 ft (957 m), the highest peak in the territory is a series of ridges that extends from Lantau island till southwestward, where the terrain rises to 3,064 ft (934 m) on Lantau Peak and 2,851 ft (869 m) on Sunset Peak.The journey from famous Victoria Harbor to Tsim Sha Tsui took almost one hour. Fortunately, due to the city’s reclamation, the same journey takes just 10 minutes today.In 1888, the first rail tram in Asia, Hong Kong’s Peak Tram, started. An estimated number of 4 million people in a year or 11,000 people in a day ride on the tram. Hong Kong comprises 24 parks, reservoirs, woodlands, hills, and coastline and these beautiful places are easily accessible from the city.Bank of China Tower is one of the most famous icons of Hong Kong’s skyline. Upon opening in 1990, IM Pei’s Bank of China Tower polarized many opinions.If you want to play in an advantageous manner, then get the mandatory photo of the Hong Kong Island skyline and also visit the city’s other famous landmarks named Avenue of Stars.Chi Lin Nunnery, constructed in the style of the Tang Dynasty and rebuilt in 1998, is a large temple complex that boasts serene lotus ponds and wooden architecture.Famous Food Of Hong KongChinese cuisine is considered one of the tastiest cuisines across the world. Below are some famous foods of Hong Kong and also some places that offer such mouth-watering delicious food.What food is Hong Kong known for? A fast-food noodles shop named Dai Pai Dong is one of the common sites in Hong Kong that offers an inexpensive bowl of noodles for HKD 20 and free tea.Defined as ’touch the heart,’ Dim sum originated here in Southern China. Dim sum is a significant part of Hong Kong’s local culture.The combination of east and west also recognizes Hong Kong’s cuisine, where hot pot, Dim sum, and other fast-food restaurants coexist with haute cuisine.Fishballs, Cantonese preserved sausage, scrambled egg sandwich, Indonesian satay, stinky tofu, chicken feet, pineapple bun, Sweet tofu soup, Cha Siu baa, Hong Kong-style French toast, and miniature wife cakes are some of the most delicious foods found in Hong Kong.
In this article, we’re going to explore Hong Kong, which will definitely make you want to travel there!
