Let's Explore the Stories of Hong Kong!
Hello, young explorers! Welcome to our amazing journey through the Stories of Hong Kong. Have you ever wondered how our city got its name, what life was like long ago, or what makes Hong Kong so special today? In these notes, we'll become history detectives and uncover the incredible stories of our home. It’s a super interesting story, and learning it helps us understand and love the city we live in! Let's begin!
Part 1: A Look Back in Time
Let's travel way back in time, even before your grandparents were born, to see what Hong Kong was like!
The Name: "Fragrant Harbour"
First, where did the name Hong Kong come from? In Cantonese, it sounds like "Heung Gong" (香港), which means "Fragrant Harbour". A long, long time ago, people grew special sweet-smelling incense trees here. This incense was loaded onto ships in our harbour to be sold to faraway places. So, our harbour was famous for its "fragrant" smell!
Did you know?
The name "Fragrant Harbour" reminds us that Hong Kong has been an important place for trading for hundreds of years!
Treasures from the Past
Archaeologists, who are like treasure hunters for history, have found amazing things in Hong Kong that tell us stories from ancient times.
Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb: Imagine finding a secret 2,000-year-old underground house! That's what happened in 1955. This tomb, from the Han Dynasty, was a burial place for a family. It's like a time capsule that shows us how people lived in Hong Kong so long ago. It tells us that Chinese culture has been here for a very, very long time.
Sung Wong Toi (Song Wong Toi): This is a famous big rock in Kowloon City. The story says that two young boy emperors from the Song Dynasty (about 800 years ago!) hid in this area. The rock was carved to remember their visit. It’s a special reminder of a royal story right here in Hong Kong!
How People Lived Long Ago
Before the tall skyscrapers, Hong Kong was a land of villages. People had different jobs to live.
Farming: They grew rice and vegetables in the fields.
Fishing: They went out to sea to catch fish. Some were even pearl fishers, diving for precious pearls inside oysters!
Making Salt: They would let seawater dry up in big, flat fields called salt fields (or salt pans) to collect the salt left behind.
Many of these people lived in Walled Villages. They built strong walls around their homes to protect themselves from pirates! It was like a little castle for the whole community.
Key Takeaway for Part 1
Hong Kong has a very long history! From its name "Fragrant Harbour" to ancient tombs and stories of emperors, we can see that people have lived and worked here for thousands of years, living as farmers, fishers, and building walled villages for safety.
Part 2: A City of Many Cultures
One of the most wonderful things about Hong Kong is the people! People have come from all over the world to live and work here. This makes Hong Kong a multi-cultural city.
What Does Multi-cultural Mean?
Multi-cultural (multi means many) means that our city is a mix of people from many different backgrounds and countries. This mix makes Hong Kong a vibrant and exciting place!
Food: We can eat delicious food from China, India, Italy, Japan, and many other places!
Festivals: We celebrate Chinese New Year and the Mid-Autumn Festival, but we also celebrate Christmas and Easter.
Languages: We hear people speaking Cantonese, English, Mandarin, and many other languages every day.
Over the years, people from different cultures have worked together to build Hong Kong into the amazing city it is today. It's very important to show respect for everyone's traditions and customs, no matter where they are from. We are all part of the Hong Kong family!
Key Takeaway for Part 2
Hong Kong is a big, friendly mix of people from all over the world. This multi-cultural background makes our food, festivals, and daily life rich and exciting. We should always respect each other's cultures.
Part 3: Hong Kong Today - A Special Part of China
Now, let's zoom forward to modern times. Hong Kong has a very special and unique identity today.
Welcome to the HKSAR!
On 1st July 1997, Hong Kong returned to China. Since that day, our official name is the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People's Republic of China. Wow, that's a long name! Let's break it down:
Special: This means Hong Kong has its own way of doing some things.
Administrative Region: This means it's a special area that is part of our country, China.
One Country, Two Systems
This sounds tricky, but it's easy with an analogy! Think of China as a big family ("One Country"). Most of the family follows the main family rules. But Hong Kong gets to have some of its own special house rules for 50 years ("Two Systems"). But remember, everyone is still part of the same big family!
Because of "One Country, Two Systems," Hong Kong can:
Use its own money (the Hong Kong Dollar).
Have its own customs border.
Have its own sports teams in some events.
The Basic Law: Our Special Rulebook
How do we make sure "One Country, Two Systems" works? We have a special rulebook called the Basic Law. The Basic Law is the most important law in Hong Kong. It protects our way of life and our rights, like freedom of speech. It is the rulebook that makes our city run smoothly and protects everyone who lives here.
Following the law, like the Basic Law and other city rules, is part of being a good citizen. When everyone observes the law and order, our city is a safe and happy place to live.
Key Takeaway for Part 3
Hong Kong is a special part of China called the HKSAR. The idea of "One Country, Two Systems" allows us to have our own special ways of doing things, and this is all protected by our important rulebook, the Basic Law.
Part 4: The Symbols of Hong Kong
Just like countries have flags, Hong Kong has its own special symbols that represent our city.
The Hong Kong Flag
You've seen it everywhere! The flag of the HKSAR is a beautiful red flag with a white flower in the middle. Each part has a special meaning:
Red Background: The red colour is the same as the flag of China. It shows that Hong Kong is part of our motherland, China.
White Flower: This is the Bauhinia flower, which is the special flower of Hong Kong.
Five Red Stars: Look closely at the flower petals! Each one has a little red star. These stars match the ones on China's national flag, showing the close connection between Hong Kong and our country.
The Hong Kong Emblem
The emblem is the official "badge" of Hong Kong. It looks a lot like the flag but is in a circle. You might see it on official government buildings or documents. It has the same meaning as the flag and represents the HKSAR.
Quick Review!
Flag = Red background + White Bauhinia flower with 5 stars
This shows that Hong Kong is a special part of China. Raising the flag is a way to show our respect for our city and our country.
Key Takeaway for Part 4
The Hong Kong flag and emblem are our city's important symbols. Their red colour and stars connect us to our country, China, while the Bauhinia flower represents the uniqueness of Hong Kong.