ENG-1979 — Page 290

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History

SINCE its founding in 1841, Hong Kong's history has been characterised by periodic influxes of people. The year, 1979, will be remembered for its inflow of boat refugees from Vietnam and illegal immigrants from China. The optimism prevailing in 1978 as new programmes forged ahead to improve Hong Kong's prosperity and its quality of life was tempered as some resources were diverted to face new challenges.

But Hong Kong has met similar challenges before when great numbers of people have entered the territory. Both the 19th and 20th centuries have witnessed waves of migration because of outside political forces and the opportunities provided by Hong Kong's free market economy. Entrepreneurial Hong Kong has been able to turn these sporadic influxes to its advantage, becoming a leading manufacturing and commercial centre.

Hong Kong Island was ceded to Britain by China under the Convention of Chuanbi (Chuenpi) in January, 1841. Until then, it had been an uninviting prospect for settlement, being mountainous and short of fertile land and water. But it possessed one outstanding asset its harbour which was largely the reason for the British presence. Within a few years ships from all over the world were using Victoria Harbour as they engaged in the China trade.

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Hong Kong's second asset its people - then began to appear. Chinese began to move to the new settlement and provide the services and infrastructure that allowed the territory to develop.

In the 138 years since the founding of Hong Kong, many changes have taken place but these two assets remain. The harbour, supplemented by a modern, international airport, has become one of the busiest in the world, and an enterprising and industrious population continues to build economic and social success.

Archaeological Background

Archaeological studies in Hong Kong, which began in the 1920s, have uncovered Stone Age artefacts at numerous sites scattered along the winding shoreline, testifying to events stretching back over several thousand years. More recently, extensive excavations at Sham Wan on Lamma Island and Chung Hom Wan on Hong Kong Island have revealed two main neolithic cultural traditions lying in stratified sequence. At lower levels there is coarse, cord-marked pottery together with finer decorated pottery, and chipped and polished stone tools. Cultural comparisons supported by several scientific datings indicate that the begin- ning of this culture in the area may have been around 3,000 BC. The evidence from the pottery shapes and decorations suggests that they may have been the result of contacts with the northern Chinese Stone Age cultures of Longshan (Lung-shan).

At the higher level, a cultural change is noticed when the pottery, soft and hard, is decorated with stamped geometric designs. This geometric tradition, of which the best