52.
Authentic history of Hongkong really begins about 1278, A.D. after Kublai Khan, the Mongol, had over-thrown the Sung Dynasty, and his forces were hounding down the boy Emperor, Ti Ping. This boy coasted along from Foochow till his fleet entered the waters of Hong Kong. In this vicinity, for a few months the Imperial Court rested.
There is a tradition among local Chinese that Sung Ti Ping (to give him his full name) rested for one night under a huge rock on a hill near Kowloon City. The rock is still there and is often visited by the Chinese.
South of this rock, on a hill at the back of the old city, embankments and trenches, crowned by immense blocks of rock, still exist. On the largest of these rocks may be seen three Chinese characters "Sung Wong-toi" (Hall of a King of the Sung.) The Chinese regard this as a genuine inscription. In 1807 the characters were renewed by order of the Viceroy of Canton.
It is worthy of note that when this territory was ceded to Great Britain, the Chinese Government specially stipulated that the rock, inscription and entire hill should remain untouched.
For centuries after the death of the unfortunate Sung Ti Ping, Hongkong found no place in Chinese history. But for the fact that the navigation routes of the south-west coast of China lay, of necessity, from Foochow, Amoy and Swatow through Lyeemoon Pass and Hongkong Harbour by way of Gapahulmoon to Canton, we should probably know nothing more till the British occupation.
Steady tradition avers that Hongkong was a great bane to the coast trade. It was a pirate haunt dreaded by peaceful traders, and all but independent of Imperial control.
Shaukiwan and Aberdeen were the chief settlements of these plunderers, ostensibly fishermen, whose race is by no means extinct yet.
From about 1640 to 1650, these gentry were content to levy a small toll on trading craft. With the decay of Manchu vigour, however, the piratical rapacity of these "fishermen" increased.
It was during this period that the actual settlement of the island took place. Kowloon Peninsula first, then later Hongkong, were peopled by peaceful rustics from the adjoining Tungkoon district.
Kowloon City, as we now know it, was inhabited by Cantonese settlers. These took up all the available arable land, and when neighbouring villagers were not on the warpath, lived in peace.
The first settlement of the land by honest, industrious folk was barely an established fact, when the Hakkas appeared. These people came from the hills in north-east Kwangtung and spoke a dialect different from the Cantonese or Punti settlers. They were charcoal burners, grass cutters, quarrymen or blacksmiths, as opportunity offered; a hardy good-natured honest race who lived and thrived on the hillsides.
Page 433
52.
Authentic history of Hongkong really begins about 1278, A.D. after Kublai Khan, the Mongol, had over- thrown the Sung Dynasty, and his forces were hounding down the boy Emperor, Ti Ping. This boy coasted along from Foochow till his fleet entered the waters of Hong Kong. In this vicinity, for a few months the Imperial Court rested.
There is a tradition among local Chinese that Sung Ti Ping (to give him his full name) rested for one night under a huge rock on a hill near Kowloon City. The rock is still there and is often visited by the Chinese.
South of this rock, on a hill at the back of the old city, embankments and trenches, crowned by immense blocks of rock, still exist. On the largest of these rocks may be seen three Chinese characters "Sung Wong- toi" (Hall of a King of the Sung.) The Chinese regard this as a genuine inscription. In 1807 the characters were renewed by order of the Viceroy of Canton.
It is worthy of note that when this territory was ceded to Great Britain, the Chinese Government specially stipulated that the rock, inscription and entire hill should remain untouched.
For centuries after the death of the unfortunate Sung Ti Ping, Hongkong found no place in Chinese history. But for the fact that the navigation routes of the south- west coast of China lay, of necessity, from Foochow, Amoy and Swatow through Lyeemoon Pass a nd Hongkong Harbour by way of Gapahulmoon to Canton, we should probably know nothing more till the British occupation.
#
Steady tradition avers that Hongkong was a great bane to the coast trade. It was a pirate haunt dreaded by peaceful traders, and all but independent of Imperial control.
Shaukiwan and Aberdeen were the chief settlemeris of these of these plunderers, ostensibly fishermen, whose race is by no means extinct yet.
From about 1640 to 1650, these gentry were content to levy a small toll on trading craft. With the decay of Manchu vigour, however, the piratical rapacity of these "fishermen" increased.
It was during this period that the actual settlement of the island took place. Kowloon Peninsula first, then later Hongkong, were peopled by peaceful rustics from the adjoining Tungkoon district.
Kowloon City, as we now know it, was inhabited by Cantonese settlers. These took up all the available arable land, and- when neighbouring villagers were not on the warpath, lived in peace.⠀
1
433
The first settlement of the land by honest, industrious folk was barely an established fact, when the Hakkas appeared. These people came from the hills in north-east Kwangtung and spoke a dialect different from the Cantom se or Punti settlers. They were charcoal burners, grass cutters, quarrymen or blacksmiths, as opportunity offered; a hardy good-natured honest race who lived and thrived on the hillsides
¡
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.