ORIENT: Hong Kong Revisited

Hong Kong Revisited
material and photos provided by the Hong Kong Tourist Association

Hong Kong is a compact, diverse, historic, yet modern territory which lies at the southeastern tip of China, adjoining the Province of Guangdong (Canton) just south of the Tropic of Cancer. It is found some 135 km from the provincial capital of Guanzhou, and about 2,000 km south of Beijing. This unique location made Hong Kong the "hub of Asia," where East meets West. A major international port, it is considered one of the world's leading financial and business centers.
It is also a territory of superlatives. Among other things, Hongkongers are claimed to drink the most cognac, gamble the most, drive the most Mercedes Benz cars, and export the most watches. It is also said that they live longer than most people, look at life through the world's largest wall of glass (3,000 sq. meters of it on the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center in Wan Chai), and dine in the world's biggest indoor and floating Chinese restaurant. It also claims to have the world's highest per capita ownership of Rolls-Royce cars, and having one of the world's lowest unemployment rates, enjoys the highest standard of living in Asia outside Japan.
Hong Kong, which in Cantonese means "Fragrant Harbour", was named after a pre-colonial fishing port near Aberdeen which was known for producing fragrant incense. This territory extends beyond Hong Kong Island into the Kowloon Peninsula, and includes the New Territories and 235 outlying islands---a British possession ruled by a Governor appointed by the Queen.
BRIEF HISTORY
In January 20, 1841, at the Convention of Chuen Pee, Hong Kong Island was ceded in perpetuity to Britain by China. Captain Charles Elliott described the area a "barren rock" when he first planted the British flag at Possession Point on Hong Kong Island in 1841. By the end of the 19th Century, nineteen years later, the tip of Kowloon Peninsula and Stonecutters Island were also ceded to Britain. Fifty-seven years later, on July 1, 1898, under the second Treaty of Peking, the 588-square kilometer area known as the New Territories was leased to Britain for 99 years. At the end of this term, on July 1, 1997, sovereignty of Hong Kong reverted to China. This agreement over the future of Hong Kong was signed by China and Britain on December 19, 1984.
With a land area of 1,078 square kilometers, Hong Kong has six million inhabitants, almost 98% of whom are Chinese. Cantonese is the most widely-spoken dialect.
FUNG SHUI IN HONG KONG
Culturally, Hong Kong is an Asian City, steeped in history and colorful traditions, with a unique blend of 20th-century commercialism and centuries-old Chinese culture. Amidst the most opulently lavish and modern high-rise blocks, housing Asia's leading trading companies and international banks, shopping malls and top class hotels, one finds 5,000 years of rich Chinese heritage, spiritual beliefs, and superstitions permeating its 20th-century modern facade.
The Hong Kong Tourist Guide offers some interesting examples. Buildings are designed only after consultation with a geomancer, or an expert on fung shui, the science of finding a balance between nature and man-made objects such as buildings and furniture. A gently-sloped hillside behind buildings and smooth-flowing water running down the hill beside or in front is the favored alignment. Doors and windows must be positioned to admit good spirits and confuse evil ones. Doors must not open directly to the outside world so that evil spirits cannot enter easily or your good luck run away. Certain big leaf indoor plants will help accumulate money. Choose plants with small leaves to gain good luck and frequent little blessings. Never neglect the plants lest bad fortune befall you.
If the building has no view of the sea, one supposedly cannot see their good fortune floating on calm seas, so bring the water indoors. Have a fish tank with the aquarium's water circulating, with the right sort of goldfish or carp in the right numbers and the appropriate colors. Bubbling aeration is supposedly good for your fung shui, and for the fish.
Outside the headquarters of the world's first US$-billion building, the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, for example, a pair of old bronze lions at the entrance is believed to provide real security to its customers and will protect the bank's entrance from water-borne dangers in the harbor. Change your foreign currency at Hang Seng Bank, and it is likely you will walk through diagonally-aligned doors that never face directly onto the street. Why? To trick the evil spirits, of course, since they are not too intelligent and can move only in straight lines. Either that, some westerners claim, or the building is designed to keep out drafts and inclement weather.
Small, eight-sided mirrors are hung on outside walls of some modern hotels to frighten off evil spirits who supposedly catch sight of themselves in the mirror and run away. The Regent Hotel's massive harbor-gazing lobby windows are meant to allow the neighborhood dragon to come down from the mountains, pass through the glass and bathe in the harbor without hindrance.
The sounds of numbers similar to luck-bringing words are often used in names of shops and restaurants---three sounds like "life," eight recalls the sound of "prosperity," nine that of "eternity," number six sounds like the Chinese word for "wealth," and two sounds like "easy." For a fee, fortune-tellers will shake bamboo sticks called chim to discover your lucky number and then have the messages interpreted.
Fung shui is deeply rooted in ancient Chinese folk culture. It is based on meticulous mathematical principles and formulas through which the laws of life forces could be divined, scholars explain. Respect for nature's forces and the principles of fung shui dominates business and private life in modern Hong Kong.

BUSINESS ON THE ISLAND
Hong Kong's economic policy of free enterprise and free trade, and its sophisticated systems of communication attributes to its success as a formidable manufacturing and top financial center. It has a capitalist economy, with a conspicuous absence of strict government controls. China has pledged to keep these policies unchanged for 50 years now that Hong Kong is turned over by the British. The territory will then become a semi-autonomous Special Administrative Region.
Although English and Cantonese are the official languages in the region, the growing trade with mainland Chinese has brought increasing use of Mandarin.
In the business districts, business cards are exchanged as part of doing business, with the name on the card printed in English on one side and a Chinese translation on the reverse. One should offer the exchange by holding the card with both hands, with the Chinese translation side up. Remember that the Chinese put their family name first, their given name next, then their middle name. Use formal greetings until requested to do otherwise. Shaking hands is appropriate.
According to the Hong Kong Tourist Association, gift-giving to business associates is not expected but, if you do offer gifts, wrap them in brightly-colored paper, such as red or gold. Avoid gray or black. The recipient will open the gift privately, not in front of the giver. Do not be too effusive in one's thanks. Do not give clocks, which in Cantonese has a homophone which means "to go to a funeral." Do not give sharp objects, like knives, because that could symbolize the cutting off of friendship. It is appropriate to give flowers to businesswomen.
Business entertaining is central to business life in Hong Kong. Chinese banquets are shared from large dishes in the center of a circular table. The host orders the dishes and serves the guests. Everyone is expected to use chopsticks. Guests are expected to utter exclamations of delight when dishes arrive, and praise the food.
With all of the world's finest cuisines represented in Hong Kong, it is possible to dine on a different country's specialties every day of the week. From Cantonese crispy duck to hearty Taiwanese Chiu Chow and Fukien-style dishes; from spicy Szechuan to authentically-spiced Thai, Malaysian, Indonesian and Singapore foods. The best of American and European fare is served in some of Hong Kong's grandest hotels. There is a wide choice of Japanese and Korean restaurants and a range of Western eating places, from Australian pubs to French bistros.
"DIM SUM" AND "YUM CHA"
When in Hong Kong, try at least one thing quintessentially Cantonese---have morning or afternoon tea. Visit one of the better-known dim sum restaurants and participate in the Cantonese tradition of yum cha, which means, literally, "drinking tea." Tea is more than a refreshment in Hong Kong---it is medicine, tonic, a social stimulant and a digestive aid. Whereas the Frenchman has his coffee and his cafe, the Briton has his beer and his pub, a Chinese has his tea and his teahouse. Teahouses are meeting places for gentlemen of leisure, who usually turn them into boisterous eating places for dim sums accompanied by tea.
The dim sum chef's artistry and ingenuity is astounding. Even the standard shrimp dumpling, har gau, is a minor culinary miracle whereby a wafer-thin rice-flour wrapping cloaks a baby shrimp and some minced meat. The skin of rice-flour is so translucent that the ingredients can be clearly seen. Soup dumplings are another marvel of culinary engineering in which a portion of soup is magically sealed inside a gossamer skin and steamed without a drop of leakage. Try some of the bean curd rolls, the chuk, or experience the firm, flavor-filled pleasures of deep-fried taro vegetable puffs, the woo kok. The amazing variety of dim sum is one proof that Cantonese cooking is an art form.

SIGHTSEEING
The sky's the limit in this dynamic city, literally. The 70-story Bank of China Tower and the world's 78-story Central Plaza rise above the other skyscrapers of Hong Kong. On the fringes of these high-rises is a bustling marina and Aberdeen, a community of boat people. You can explore the harbor by sampan and enjoy its three floating seafood restaurants. The Central District is an avenue of commercial, banking and government buildings, high-tech towers, major shopping complexes, antique and curio shops and international boutiques. The Peak Tram, a funicular cable car, climbs up Victoria Peak to give you a spectacular view of Hong Kong and a magnificent view of the South China Sea.
Beyond the Island's office complexes and towering buildings lies Kowloon, the bustling promontory across the harbor from Hong Kong Island. It is known for its shopping, restaurants and night life. Yet there is much more to see---from performing arts to ancient temples. Visit the Bird Market on Hong Lok Street, the Clock Tower on the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront, and the jade market under the Kansu Street flyover, or the Kowloon Mosque and Islamic Center. The Kowloon Park is a 14-hectare area of park land flanking Nathan Road, famous for its Sculpture Walk, its outdoor art gallery and its "Music In The Park" performances.
Some 40% of Hong Kong's land space is made up of twenty-one country parks and fourteen special areas covering 41,311 hectares of land---virtually unspoiled countryside of scenic hills, woodlands, reservoirs and coastlines.
At the New Territories, visit Amah Rock, a natural landmark resembling a woman carrying a baby on her back. According to legend, she waited in vain for her sailor husband to return. Taking pity on her vigil, the gods immortalized her in stone. The Bride's Pool Waterfalls have an interesting legend, too. It tells of a village girl being carried to her wedding in a sedan chair. When a bearer slipped, the chair was swept over the falls and the girl drowned. Her spirit is said to brush its hair here, using the falls as a mirror. There are other tourist spots to visit in New Territories but do not miss the Miu Fat Monastery---which is decorated with more than 10,000 sculptures of Buddha as well as Chinese and Thai paintings---or the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery, a temple on a hill where 12,800 statues of Buddha line the walls, each different from the other. From the Lok Ma Chau Lookout Point, you can see Mainland China and Shenzhen River, the paddy fields and duck farms, and the industrial skyline of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone.
You will find the world's largest, seated, outdoor bronze Buddha in Lantau, adjacent to the Po Lin Monastery at the "Lofty Plateau." Lantau is the largest of all the outlying islands which is twice the size of Hong Kong Island.
In 1994, nine million people made Hong Kong their exciting travel destination. Whether their purpose was for business or to spend fabulous holidays in the Crown Colony, they were drawn not merely by the fascinating sightseeing, dynamic shopping and a spectacular harbor, but also by the island's oriental mystique, its diverse cuisine, its unique customs and festivals, and its rich and colorful history. This influx of visitors has made Hong Kong's international airport at Kai Tak the fourth busiest airport in the world. As the hub of Asia, it is undoubtably one of the world's most exciting playgrounds.

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