How 156 years of British rule shaped Hong Kong

Summary

This script explores the British influence on Hong Kong, from its colonial past to its cultural blend today. It delves into the city's transformation under British rule, highlighting cricket, trams, and tea as symbols of this era. The narrative also touches on the historical opium trade, leading to the Opium Wars and Hong Kong's eventual cession to Britain. The script poignantly captures the handover of Hong Kong back to China in 1997, reflecting on the complex cultural identity and the challenges of this transition. It sets the stage for discussing the ongoing cultural and political tensions between Hong Kong and Mainland China.

Takeaways

• 🇬🇧 Hong Kong was a British colony with a strong British influence, including cricket, trams, and double-decker buses.
• 🌆 The city's infrastructure and some of its traditions, like the ferry service and road names, were established by the British.
• 🍵 Tea was a significant factor in British-China relations, leading to the Opium Wars and Hong Kong becoming a British colony.
• 🚢 The British government faced a crisis due to a shortage of silver for tea trade, which they resolved by smuggling opium into China.
• 🏰 The British introduced their own way of living and administration, evident in the homes on Victoria Peak.
• 🍃 The British and Chinese had distinct tea-drinking customs, reflecting their cultural differences.
• 🔄 Over time, British and Chinese cultures in Hong Kong began to blend, creating a unique fusion.
• 📜 The 99-year lease of Hong Kong to Britain was seen as 'forever' by the British, but the handover to China was inevitable.
• 🎉 The handover ceremony marked the end of British rule and the beginning of a new chapter for Hong Kong.
• 😔 There was a sense of betrayal and loss of identity among some Hong Kong citizens as British rule ended.
• 🔍 The script hints at future discussions on China's attempts to erase the cultural and political border between Hong Kong and Mainland China.

Q & A

What is the significance of the cricket grounds in Hong Kong's downtown area?

The cricket grounds in downtown Hong Kong are significant because they have been the venue for cricket games since 1880, reflecting the British influence and culture that has been a part of Hong Kong's history.

How did Hong Kong's transportation system reflect British influence?

The transportation system in Hong Kong was influenced by the British through the establishment of the ferry service in 1888 and the introduction of trams in the early 1900s, which are reminiscent of those found in London.

What is the origin of the double-decker buses in Hong Kong?

The double-decker buses in Hong Kong were brought over by the British and are similar in appearance to those found in London, reflecting the British cultural impact on the city.

Why were many street names in Hong Kong British?

Many street names in Hong Kong are British because of the city's history as a British colony, which has left a lasting impact on the naming conventions and urban landscape.

What is the Happy Valley racetrack known for?

The Happy Valley racetrack is known for being reputedly the most beautiful in the east and is another example of British influence in Hong Kong.

Why did Britain start trading with China around the late 1600s and early 1700s?

Britain started trading with China around the late 1600s and early 1700s because China had valuable goods such as porcelain and silk that the West wanted, but most importantly, Britain was in high demand for tea.

What was the British government's problem with the tea trade?

The British government's problem with the tea trade was that the Chinese emperor would only accept pure silver bullion in exchange for tea, which eventually led to a depletion of Britain's silver reserves.

What unethical solution did Britain resort to when their silver reserves ran low?

Britain resorted to smuggling opium, a highly addictive narcotic that was illegal in China, to exchange for Chinese silver, which they then used to buy tea.

What was the outcome of China's crackdown on the opium trade by Britain?

The outcome of China's crackdown on the opium trade was the seizure and destruction of opium, which led to Britain's military retaliation in the form of the Opium Wars.

What was the result of the peace deals negotiated after the Opium Wars?

As part of the peace deals, China agreed to give the rocky island of Hong Kong to Britain for 99 years, which the British diplomat considered 'as good as forever', indicating no intention of returning it.

How did the British and Chinese tea cultures differ in Hong Kong?

The British tea culture in Hong Kong involved drinking tea with milk and accompaniments like crumpets and scones, while the Chinese preferred their tea without milk, often enjoyed with dim sum.

What was the significance of the handover ceremony for Hong Kong?

The handover ceremony marked the end of British rule and the return of Hong Kong to China.

Outlines

00:00

🇬🇧 British Influence on Hong Kong

This paragraph discusses the deep-rooted British influence in Hong Kong, which was under British rule until 1997. It highlights the establishment of a modern western city within an eastern setting, with cricket being played since 1880, and the introduction of British institutions such as the ferry service, trams, and double-decker buses. The script also touches on the British's preference for tea and the historical events leading to the Opium Wars, which resulted in Britain acquiring Hong Kong as a colony. The paragraph concludes with the British administration's impact on Hong Kong's living standards and the cultural blend that has occurred over time.

05:06

🍵 The Tea Culture and Handover of Hong Kong

The second paragraph explores the cultural differences and eventual fusion between British and Chinese tea traditions in Hong Kong. It describes the British preference for milk in tea and the Chinese tradition of drinking tea without milk, often accompanied by dim sum. The narrative then shifts to the handover of Hong Kong from British to Chinese sovereignty, marked by a ceremony symbolizing the end of British rule. Emotions of betrayal and a loss of identity are expressed by some Hong Kong citizens, reflecting the complex cultural and political transition. The paragraph ends with a preview of the challenges that arise as China attempts to erase the cultural and political boundaries between Hong Kong and Mainland China.

Keywords

💡British rule

British rule refers to the period when Hong Kong was under the control of the British Empire. This concept is central to the video's theme as it sets the historical context for the cultural and social developments in Hong Kong. The script mentions that Hong Kong 'grew a modern western city in an eastern setting' under British rule, highlighting the influence of British culture on the city's infrastructure and lifestyle.

💡Cricket

Cricket is a sport that has deep historical roots in Britain and is used in the script to illustrate the British cultural influence in Hong Kong. The video mentions that cricket has been played on the grounds in Hong Kong since 1880, showing how British pastimes were integrated into the local culture and became part of the city's identity.

💡Ferry

The ferry mentioned in the script symbolizes the transportation infrastructure established by the British in Hong Kong. It was set up in 1888 and continues to operate, serving as a vital part of the city's core harbor transportation. The ferry's existence and operation underscore the British contribution to the city's development and the lasting impact on its daily life.

💡Trams

Trams, brought over by the British in the early 1900s, are another example of British influence on Hong Kong's urban landscape. The script points out the similarity between the trams in Hong Kong and those in London, indicating a direct cultural and technological transfer from Britain to the colony.

💡Road names

Road names are highlighted in the script as a visible remnant of British rule. Many street names in Hong Kong are of British origin, which is a direct reflection of the colonial history and the extent to which British culture permeated the city's public spaces.

💡Happy Valley racetrack

Happy Valley racetrack is mentioned as a symbol of British influence and the high society lifestyle that was introduced to Hong Kong. The racetrack is described as 'the most beautiful in the east,' indicating how British leisure activities and social events became part of the local culture.

💡Bowls

Bowls is an old British sport that the script uses to illustrate the depth of British cultural influence in Hong Kong. The discovery of a 'legit bowling green' in the city shows how even niche British pastimes were adopted and maintained, further emphasizing the integration of British culture into Hong Kong's identity.

💡Victoria Peak

Victoria Peak represents the upper class and the gracious way of living introduced by the British. The script describes homes and apartments on Victoria Peak as typifying the British administration's impact on the city's social structure and the lifestyle of its inhabitants.

💡Opium Wars

The Opium Wars were a series of conflicts between Britain and China over trade and opium smuggling. The script recounts how Britain's desire for tea and the need for silver to pay for it led to the Opium Wars, which in turn resulted in Britain acquiring Hong Kong as a colony. This historical event is crucial to understanding the origins of British rule in Hong Kong.

💡Tea

Tea is a recurring theme in the script, symbolizing both the cultural exchange and the conflict between Britain and China. The British love for tea led to the establishment of trade with China and eventually to the Opium Wars. The script also contrasts the British and Chinese ways of enjoying tea, highlighting the cultural differences and their eventual blending.

💡Handover ceremony

The handover ceremony marks the end of British rule and the return of Hong Kong to China. The script describes the emotional impact of this event on the people of Hong Kong, reflecting on the loss of British influence and the beginning of a new chapter for the city. This ceremony is a pivotal moment in the video's narrative, symbolizing the transition and the complex feelings of identity and belonging.

Highlights

Hong Kong's British influence is evident through its modern western city characteristics within an eastern setting.

Cricket has been played in Hong Kong since 1880, showcasing British cultural integration.

The British Cricket Club grounds are centrally located in downtown Hong Kong.

Hong Kong was a British colony until 1997, leaving a lasting impact on its culture.

The 1888 ferry service and early 1900s trams reflect British infrastructure in Hong Kong.

Street names and driving on the left side are British customs retained in Hong Kong.

Happy Valley racetrack is a symbol of British influence in Hong Kong.

Bowling greens in Hong Kong represent an old British sport.

British administration and lifestyle are typified by homes on Victoria Peak.

Trade between Britain and China in the 1600s and 1700s was driven by British desire for Chinese tea.

Britain's silver shortage led to the unethical opium trade with China.

The Opium Wars resulted from China's crackdown on Britain's illegal opium trade.

Hong Kong was ceded to Britain for 99 years as part of peace deals post-Opium Wars.

Hong Kong's handover to China marked the end of British rule and the beginning of a new chapter.

British and Chinese tea cultures have merged into a unique fusion in Hong Kong.

The handover ceremony symbolizes the end of British sovereignty and the rise of Chinese rule.

Hong Kong's identity crisis post-handover reflects the complexity of its cultural heritage.

The documentary explores the ongoing struggle between Hong Kong's British legacy and Chinese identity.

Transcripts

I'm in China, but it certainly feels like I'm in Great Britain.

Hong Kong, under British rule, has grown a modern western city in an eastern setting.

And right in the center of downtown Hong Kong are the British Cricket Club grounds.

Cricket has been played on these grounds since 1880.

Hong Kong is a peculiar place.

It's a British colony until just 1997 and

because of that the British culture here is so visible.

This ferry was set up by

the British in 1888.

Day and night the 5 star ferry comes and goes,

providing core harbor transportation.

These trams, brought over by the British in the early 1900s.

If you go to London you'll see double-decker buses that actually look exactly like the buses here.

Do you notice what side of the road they're driving on?

So many of the street names, road names, are British.

The famous Happy Valley racetrack, reputedly the most beautiful in the east.

Rolling through this park and I stumbled upon a legit bowling green,

a place where they play bowls.

Old, old, old, British sport.

That is just right

here in the middle of Hong Kong.

The British brought good administration and

a gracious way of living.

Typified by these homes and apartments on Victoria Peak.

Around the late 1600s, early 1700s, Britain started trading with China.

China had all sorts of stuff that the West wanted; porcelain, silk.

But there was one thing that Britain loved more than anything else: the herb called tea.

China was really the only place on earth that was producing tea on a massive

scale and the people back in Britain became totally hooked on it.

But there was one snag for the British government when it came to the tea trade, which is that

the Chinese emperor would only take pure silver bullion, basically coins and like

bars of silver, in exchange for tea. That was the deal and the British were fine

with that, they were like whatever man, we'll pay for this, it's such a valuable thing.

Eventually britain's treasury ran really low on silver and it became a national

crisis so Britain came up with a horribly unethical solution to their tea

silver problem.

They started smuggling in opium, the

highly addictive narcotic that was illegal in China.

Britain would sell

this opium in exchange for Chinese silver, which they then used to buy tea

and this was the solution to their problem: an illegal drug trade, which is

just mind-blowing to me.

Eventually, the Chinese government caught on to this illegal drug trade and

they cracked down.

They seized all the opium and threw twenty thousand chests

of opium into the sea.

Britain wasn't happy about China

seizing all of its opium, so it showed up with its big gunboats

and started a war, the Opium Wars.

They eventually negotiated a series of peace

deals and a part of those deals was that China was going to give this rocky

island that didn't really have many people living on it, to Britain.

In the text of the treaty they put that the British will have Hong Kong for 99 years,

but the diplomat who negotiated the treaty said later that in his mind

ninety-nine years was quote "as good as forever."

Meaning no intention of ever giving it back.

So Britain's thirst for tea

brought them into a war with China that eventually gave them a new colony: Hong Kong, here in Asia.

Hong Kong a British colony, a tourist paradise for duty-free

shoppers.

China, communist China, lies only a few miles away just across the border.

Just walked into the grocery store to meet Billy, who's a historian here and we're

just looking at a bunch of maps, which is like my kind of activity.

So one of the things the British did as soon as they got here, is they started

drawing their own borders in the city to divide them from the local Chinese.

Now let's talk about tea again.

It remains a symbol as to the different

cultures that exist here in Hong Kong. British influence versus the Chinese influence.

The British prefer milk in their tea with crumpets and scones and little cakes.

Whereas the Chinese will tell you they do not pervert their tea with milk

and they drink tea with dim sum, little buns and cakes.

A British tea situation looks very different.

These two traditions played

out side-by-side in the city for many years.

in a divided way with the Chinese

down in their crowded slums drinking their tea in their tea houses and the

British up on the hills in their aristocratic homes

sipping their milk tea, but eventually over time those boundaries dissolved and

the two cultures started to blend and fuse together.

To where today, the tea

culture has cropped up that is a perfect fusion of the two.

But I hate to break it to you Britain, 99 years is not forever like the British

diplomat thought it was going to be.

The actual handover ceremony is about to start.

British role officially comes to an end

with a handover ceremony just before midnight.

A five star flag of China, soon

to be sovereign over Hong Kong again.

I should like on behalf of Her Majesty

the Queen and of the entire British people to express our thanks, admiration,

affection, and good wishes to all the people of Hong Kong.

The stroke of midnight, the red star flag of China will go up.

For me, it was pure betrayal.

We're, like, being abandoned by the Brits.

There was pride in this mix of like the Chinese values

and I guess are the western values.

An identity of a citizen is not, like,

determined by your passport something.

It's something that you treasure,

the culture we are living in.

We feel lost in our identity.

Our generation has very complicated identities.

Britain giving Hong Kong back to China is the beginning of a new chapter for

the city and so next week I'm going to explain what happens when China tries to

erase this border between Hong Kong and Mainland China and how the people here

are resisting.