History of Hong Kong

The history of Hong Kong dates back to 5000 years of the Neolithic Age. After the Great Unification of Emperor Shihuang in the Qin dynasty, he ordered to set up three prefectures in South Qin Empire, namely, Nanhai Prefecture, Guilin Prefecture and Xiangjun Prefecture, and Hong Kong was affiliated with Panyu County of Nanhai Prefecture then.

Hong Kong in the Qing Dynasty

Although China experienced several dynastic changes during its development, Hong Kong has remained under the jurisdiction of the central government of China until the Qing dynasty. Hong Kong was administered by Boluo County of Nanhai Prefecture in the Han dynasty, Baoan County of Dongguan Prefecture in the Eastern Jin dynasty and Baoan County of Nanhai Prefecture in the Sui dynasty respectively. Baoan County was renamed Dongguan County in the 2nd year of Zhide Period of the Tang dynasty, when Hong Kong still remained under the jurisdiction of Dongguan County. With a number of people immigrating to Hong Kong from hinterland during the Song and the Yuan dynasties, Hong Kong made great strides forward both in economy and culture. A piece of land, the precursor of present Hong Kong, was marked out from Dongguan County for administrative purposes during Wanli period of the Ming dynasty, which was an integral part of China until 21st year of Daoguang Period during the Qing dynasty.

Hong Kong in 1980s

Hong Kong is a natural deepwater harbor, on which the British colonists have had their eyes for a long time, so they launched the Opium War to seize it for their furthermost marine business in Far East, enabling Hong Kong to remain an affiliated British colony. Hong Kong is composed of three parts, namely, Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and New Territories, each of which gets its name owing to an unequal treaty. Hong Kong Island was ceded to Great Britain owing to Treaty of Nanking signed by decadent government of Qing dynasty in 1842, followed by Kowloon Peninsula due to Perking Treaty signed in 1860 and New Territories due to an extension of Hong Kong territory, the New Territories signed in 1898.

Hong Kong of China

After the Second World War, the rapid progress in Hong Kong has been made both in economy and society, and Hong Kong becomes one of the “Four little Dragons in Asia” and one of the “Three Global Financial Centers”, boasting the most prosperous city in China.

Modern Hong Kong

As an important financial, shipping and service center in Asia, Hong Kong has transformed from a small fish village to a prosperous metropolis, which is noted all over the world for its corruption-free governments, perfect rule of law, good public security environment and free economic system, and it returned to China on 1st of July in 1997, titled “the Featured Chinese Charm City” in 2012.

Author: Yang Qingwei