Hong Kong during Imperial China
Encyclopedia
The History of Hong Kong in Imperial China began in 214 BC under the Qin Dynasty
. The territory remain largely unoccupied until the end of the Qing Dynasty
when Imperial China lost the region to the British Colony in the 19th century.
, southern China was populated by a large family of non-Chinese
tribes known as the Yue people . Little is concretely known about the Yue peoples other than information from ancient Chinese records and modern archaeological excavations. Their language is believed to have been an Austro-Asiatic language, though no clear consensus has yet been reached on its more specific aspects.
Shortly after consolidating his rule over China in 221 BC
, the First Emperor Qin Shi Huang
sent a 500,000-man army to conquer the Baiyue tribes and bring what is now southern China under Chinese control. In 214 BC
, Chinese armies defeated the Yue tribes, and the area was annexed into Chinese territory. The Qin Dynasty organized its territory into "Commanderies" - roughly equivalent to province
s - and the territory of what is now Guangdong
and Hong Kong became part of the Nanhai Commandery.
The First Emperor's death in 210 BC
precipitated a number of revolts and insurrections throughout China. Zhao Tuo
, a Han Chinese general who had marched south with the Qin army, declared the founding of a kingdom called Nanyue
, with himself as king, with a capital at Panyu
(modern Guangzhou
). Nanyue was a successful kingdom that had a mostly Han Chinese ruling elite with a large number of native Yue inhabitants as lesser leaders and officials. Artifacts from the period have been found throughout the larger Guangzhou area, but none have yet been found in Hong Kong.
Nanyue
was conquered by the Han Dynasty
around 112 BC. In the 1950s, the tomb at Lei Cheng Uk
, a tomb dating from the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25 – 220), was discovered and excavated. Artifacts found in the tomb caused some archaeologists to believe that salt production flourished in the area during the time period, though conclusive evidence has not yet been found. The first Han Chinese
settlement of the Hong Kong area likely dates to this period.
, the Guangdong region flourished as an international trading center. The Tuen Mun
region in what is now Hong Kong's New Territories
served as a port, naval base, salt production centre and later, base for the exploitation of pearls. Lantau Island
was also the salt
production centre where the salt smugglers riots broke out against the government.
) on the southern tip of a peninsula in Joss House Bay
, east of Tseung Kwan O
. It refers to the construction of a stone pagoda on adjacent Tung Lung Island
in the fifth year of the reign of the Emperor Chen Chung
, of the Northern Sung, in 1012 AD. The engraving itself is dated to the Jiashu year of Xianchun's reign in the Southern Song Dynasty (i.e. 1274 AD), making it the oldest historical relic with a definite date in Hong Kong and Kowloon.
During the Northern Song Dynasty, village schools like Li Ying College
were established around 1075 in the New Territories to provide Imperial Chinese education.
In 1276, during the Mongol invasion, the Southern Song Dynasty court moved to Fujian
, then to Lantau Island
and later to today's Kowloon City
, but the child emperor, Zhao Bing, after being defeated in the Battle of Yamen
, committed suicide by drowning with his officials. Tung Chung
valley, named after a hero who gave up his life for the emperor,
is believed to have been a base for the court. Hau Wong
, an official of the emperor is still worshipped in Hong Kong today. By the end of the Song Dynasty, the first major clan to arrive was the Tang
's (Deng, 鄧). They mostly settled in the valleys and plains of the New Territories area.
(Deng, 鄧), Hau
(Hou, 候), Pang
(Peng, 彭) and Liu
(Liao, 廖) and Man
(Wen, 文) were claimed to be among the earliest recorded familial settlers of Hong Kong. While they are recognised by family surnames, they arrived first mostly in the form of clans. Despite the immigration and light development of agriculture, the area was still relatively barren and had to rely on salt, pearl and the fishery trades to produce income.
In the early 16th century during the Ming Dynasty
, Hong Kong's earliest recorded non-Asian visitor came from the Portuguese
mariner
Jorge Álvares
who arrived in 1513. After his settlement, Portuguese merchants began trading in Southern China. At the same time, they invaded and built up military fortifications in Tuen Mun
. Military clashes between China and Portugal ensued and the Portuguese were expelled. In the mid-16th century, the Maritime Prohibition
came into effect. Designed to prevent contact with foreigners, it also restricted local sea activity. Villagers in Hong Kong coastal areas were ordered to move to mainland China
. To further reduce the population of an estimated 16,000 in the territory, the transition from Ming to Qing Dynasty led to the flushing out of Ming rebels. Qing officials forced many Hong Kong villagers back to the mainland with destruction of villages, crops and famine
.
, ordered by Kangxi Emperor, which required the evacuation of the coastal areas of Guangdong. It is recorded that about 16,000 persons from Xin'an County
were driven inland and 1,648 of those who left are said to have returned when the evacuation was rescinded in 1669. What is now the territory of Hong Kong became largely wasteland during the ban. In 1685 Kangxi became the first emperor to open limited trade on a regular basis starting with Canton
territory. He imposed tough terms for trades such as requiring non-Asian traders to live in restricted areas. They could only stay during the trading seasons. They could not bring in firearms, warships or women. Trading was to be done in silver.
The British East India Company
made the first sea venture to China in 1699, and Hong Kong's trade with British merchants grew rapidly thereafter. In 1711, the Company established a trading post in Canton
. Hong Kong was governed under Xin'an County
(新安縣) and became one of the foremost military outposts for Imperial China. By 1773 the British reached a landmark 1,000 chests
of opium in Canton with China's consuming 2,000 chests yearly by 1799.
The Hakkas
became the dominant group to occupy the territory, and were referred to as the "gypsies of China". They made an art of salting and preserving ingredients. While their Hakka cuisine
today is recognised as serving offal
s such as deep fried intestine
s (炸大腸), salt baked chicken (鹽焗雞) and poon choy
(盆菜). It may be difficult to prove these were the actual diets of the old Hakka custom, giving any insight to the first generation of cuisines. Henry Pottinger would be on his way to Asia, eventually becoming the first governor of Hong Kong
.
Qin Dynasty
The Qin Dynasty was the first imperial dynasty of China, lasting from 221 to 207 BC. The Qin state derived its name from its heartland of Qin, in modern-day Shaanxi. The strength of the Qin state was greatly increased by the legalist reforms of Shang Yang in the 4th century BC, during the Warring...
. The territory remain largely unoccupied until the end of the Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
when Imperial China lost the region to the British Colony in the 19th century.
Prehistory to Han Dynasty (before AD 200)
Prior to the Qin DynastyQin Dynasty
The Qin Dynasty was the first imperial dynasty of China, lasting from 221 to 207 BC. The Qin state derived its name from its heartland of Qin, in modern-day Shaanxi. The strength of the Qin state was greatly increased by the legalist reforms of Shang Yang in the 4th century BC, during the Warring...
, southern China was populated by a large family of non-Chinese
Han Chinese
Han Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the...
tribes known as the Yue people . Little is concretely known about the Yue peoples other than information from ancient Chinese records and modern archaeological excavations. Their language is believed to have been an Austro-Asiatic language, though no clear consensus has yet been reached on its more specific aspects.
Shortly after consolidating his rule over China in 221 BC
221 BC
Year 221 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Asina and Rufus/Lepidus...
, the First Emperor Qin Shi Huang
Qin Shi Huang
Qin Shi Huang , personal name Ying Zheng , was king of the Chinese State of Qin from 246 BC to 221 BC during the Warring States Period. He became the first emperor of a unified China in 221 BC...
sent a 500,000-man army to conquer the Baiyue tribes and bring what is now southern China under Chinese control. In 214 BC
214 BC
Year 214 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Verrucosus and Marcellus...
, Chinese armies defeated the Yue tribes, and the area was annexed into Chinese territory. The Qin Dynasty organized its territory into "Commanderies" - roughly equivalent to province
Province
A province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.-Etymology:The English word "province" is attested since about 1330 and derives from the 13th-century Old French "province," which itself comes from the Latin word "provincia," which referred to...
s - and the territory of what is now Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
and Hong Kong became part of the Nanhai Commandery.
The First Emperor's death in 210 BC
210 BC
Year 210 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Marcellus and Laevinus...
precipitated a number of revolts and insurrections throughout China. Zhao Tuo
Zhao Tuo
Zhao Tuo , was the founder of the kingdom of Nanyue |Zhao]]. The state of Zhao was defeated and absorbed by the state of Qin in 222 BC, whereupon Zhao Tuo became a citizen of the state of Qin. He later served in a Qin expeditionary force that was sent south...
, a Han Chinese general who had marched south with the Qin army, declared the founding of a kingdom called Nanyue
Nanyue
Nanyue was an ancient kingdom that consisted of parts of the modern Chinese provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, and Yunnan and northern Vietnam. Nanyue was established in 204 BC at the final collapse of the Qin Dynasty by Zhao Tuo, who was the military commander of Nanhai Commandery at the time, and...
, with himself as king, with a capital at Panyu
Panyu
Panyu District or Pun Yue District is a district in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. It used to be a county-level city before it was incorporated in the administration of Guangzhou. The name of Panyu dates back to the completion of the conquest of Guangdong by Qin Shi Huang. It was the old name of...
(modern Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
). Nanyue was a successful kingdom that had a mostly Han Chinese ruling elite with a large number of native Yue inhabitants as lesser leaders and officials. Artifacts from the period have been found throughout the larger Guangzhou area, but none have yet been found in Hong Kong.
Nanyue
Nanyue
Nanyue was an ancient kingdom that consisted of parts of the modern Chinese provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, and Yunnan and northern Vietnam. Nanyue was established in 204 BC at the final collapse of the Qin Dynasty by Zhao Tuo, who was the military commander of Nanhai Commandery at the time, and...
was conquered by the Han Dynasty
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
around 112 BC. In the 1950s, the tomb at Lei Cheng Uk
Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb Museum
The Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb Museum is composed of an ancient brick tomb and of an exhibition hall adjacent to it. It is located at 41 Tonkin Street, in Cheung Sha Wan, Sham Shui Po District, in the northwestern part of the Kowloon Peninsula of Hong Kong.-The tomb:According to the structure,...
, a tomb dating from the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25 – 220), was discovered and excavated. Artifacts found in the tomb caused some archaeologists to believe that salt production flourished in the area during the time period, though conclusive evidence has not yet been found. The first Han Chinese
Han Chinese
Han Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the...
settlement of the Hong Kong area likely dates to this period.
Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD)
During the Tang DynastyTang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
, the Guangdong region flourished as an international trading center. The Tuen Mun
Tuen Mun
Tuen Mun is a town near the mouth of Tuen Mun River and Castle Peak Bay in the New Territories, Hong Kong. It was one of the earliest settlements in Hong Kong which can be dated back to the Neolithic period. In the more recent past, it was home to many Tanka fishermen who gathered at the Castle...
region in what is now Hong Kong's New Territories
New Territories
New Territories is one of the three main regions of Hong Kong, alongside Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula. It makes up 86.2% of Hong Kong's territory. Historically, it is the region described in The Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory...
served as a port, naval base, salt production centre and later, base for the exploitation of pearls. Lantau Island
Lantau Island
Lantau Island , based on the old local name of Lantau Peak , is the largest island in Hong Kong, located at the mouth of the Pearl River. Administratively, most of Lantau Island is part of the Islands District of Hong Kong...
was also the salt
Salt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
production centre where the salt smugglers riots broke out against the government.
Song Dynasty (960-1279)
The earliest known written reference to an event in Hong Kong is part of a 108-character stone inscription (now a declared monument of Hong KongDeclared monuments of Hong Kong
Declared monuments of Hong Kong are places, structures or buildings legally declared to be "protected". In Hong Kong, declaring a monument requires consulting the Antiquities Advisory Board, the approval of the Chief Executive as well as the publication of the notice in government gazette.As of 12...
) on the southern tip of a peninsula in Joss House Bay
Joss House Bay
Joss House Bay, also known as Tai Miu Wan indigenously, is near the south end of Clear Water Bay Peninsula in Hong Kong....
, east of Tseung Kwan O
Tseung Kwan O
Tseung Kwan O is a bay in Sai Kung District, New Territories, Hong Kong. In the northern tip of the bay lies the Tseung Kwan O Village....
. It refers to the construction of a stone pagoda on adjacent Tung Lung Island
Tung Lung Chau
Tung Lung Chau , also known as Nam Tong Island is an island located off the tip of the Clear Water Bay Peninsula in the New Territories of Hong Kong. It is also referred by Hong Kong people as Tung Lung To or Tung Lung Island .The island is largely uninhabited...
in the fifth year of the reign of the Emperor Chen Chung
Emperor Zhenzong of Song
Emperor Zhenzong was the third emperor of the Song Dynasty of China. He reigned from 997 to 1022. Zhenzong was the third son of Emperor Taizong. His personal name was Zhao Heng and his temple name Zhenzong means "True Ancestor".Zhenzong's reign was noted for the consolidation of power and the...
, of the Northern Sung, in 1012 AD. The engraving itself is dated to the Jiashu year of Xianchun's reign in the Southern Song Dynasty (i.e. 1274 AD), making it the oldest historical relic with a definite date in Hong Kong and Kowloon.
During the Northern Song Dynasty, village schools like Li Ying College
Li Ying College
Li-Ying College was one of the first schools established in Imperial Hong Kong. It was founded circa 1075 AD during the Song Dynasty. -History:...
were established around 1075 in the New Territories to provide Imperial Chinese education.
In 1276, during the Mongol invasion, the Southern Song Dynasty court moved to Fujian
Fujian
' , formerly romanised as Fukien or Huguing or Foukien, is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait...
, then to Lantau Island
Lantau Island
Lantau Island , based on the old local name of Lantau Peak , is the largest island in Hong Kong, located at the mouth of the Pearl River. Administratively, most of Lantau Island is part of the Islands District of Hong Kong...
and later to today's Kowloon City
Sung Wong Toi
Sung Wong Toi is an important historic relic in Kowloon, Hong Kong. While its remaining portion is currently located in the Sung Wong Toi Garden in Ma Tau Wai, it was originally a 45 m tall boulder standing on the top of Sacred Hill in Ma Tau Chung above Kowloon Bay.-Literally Meaning:The name...
, but the child emperor, Zhao Bing, after being defeated in the Battle of Yamen
Battle of Yamen
The naval Battle of Yamen took place on 19 March 1279 and is considered to be the last stand of the Song Dynasty against the invading Mongol-controlled Yuan Dynasty...
, committed suicide by drowning with his officials. Tung Chung
Tung Chung
Tung Chung, meaning 'eastern stream', is an area situated on the north-western coast of Lantau Island in Hong Kong. Tung Chung, currently one of the latest generation of new towns, was formerly a rural village around Tung Chung Wan, and along the delta and lower courses of Tung Chung River and Ma...
valley, named after a hero who gave up his life for the emperor,
is believed to have been a base for the court. Hau Wong
Hau Wong
Hau Wong or Hou Wang is a title that can be translated as "Prince Marquis" or "Holy Marquis". It is not any one person's name. Hau Wong refers usually to Yeung Leung-jit , a loyal and courageous general...
, an official of the emperor is still worshipped in Hong Kong today. By the end of the Song Dynasty, the first major clan to arrive was the Tang
Deng
Deng refers to:*The Chinese surname Deng**Deng Xiaoping, de facto leader of China from 1979 or 1980 until his death in 1997* Dèng Lìjūn, an Asian singer, from Taipei, Taiwan**Deng Yingchao, Chinese communist leader and wife of Zhou Enlai...
's (Deng, 鄧). They mostly settled in the valleys and plains of the New Territories area.
Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368)
However, during the Mongol period, Hong Kong saw its first population boom as Chinese refugees entered the area. Five families of TangDeng
Deng refers to:*The Chinese surname Deng**Deng Xiaoping, de facto leader of China from 1979 or 1980 until his death in 1997* Dèng Lìjūn, an Asian singer, from Taipei, Taiwan**Deng Yingchao, Chinese communist leader and wife of Zhou Enlai...
(Deng, 鄧), Hau
Hou
Hou or HOU may be*-hou, a Norman suffix for "small island"*Hō, an album by Maximum the Hormone*Houston, Texas*William P. Hobby Airport's IATA code*Hou , a rank of Chinese nobility and a Chinese surname...
(Hou, 候), Pang
Peng (surname)
Peng is a common Chinese family name, ranking 35th most common in 2006. Alternate Romanizations include Pang , Phang and Bành ....
(Peng, 彭) and Liu
Liao
Liao can mean:* Liao Dynasty , a former dynasty in northern China founded by the Khitan people**Northern Liao , state founded by the Khitans in northern China...
(Liao, 廖) and Man
Wen
Wen, wen, or WEN may refer to:* WEN, New York Stock Exchange symbol for Wendy's/Arby's Group* WEN, station code for Columbia Station * Wen , pinyin romanization of several Chinese surnames** Wen Jiabao Wen, wen, or WEN may refer to:* WEN, New York Stock Exchange symbol for Wendy's/Arby's Group*...
(Wen, 文) were claimed to be among the earliest recorded familial settlers of Hong Kong. While they are recognised by family surnames, they arrived first mostly in the form of clans. Despite the immigration and light development of agriculture, the area was still relatively barren and had to rely on salt, pearl and the fishery trades to produce income.
Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)
In the early 16th century during the Ming Dynasty
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
, Hong Kong's earliest recorded non-Asian visitor came from the Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
mariner
Sailor
A sailor, mariner, or seaman is a person who navigates water-borne vessels or assists in their operation, maintenance, or service. The term can apply to professional mariners, military personnel, and recreational sailors as well as a plethora of other uses...
Jorge Álvares
Jorge Álvares
Jorge Álvares is credited as the first Portuguese explorer to have reached China and Hong Kong. The Fundação Jorge Álvares , founded by Vasco Joaquim Rocha Vieira prior to the handover of Macau, got its name from him also having reached there.-Exploration:In May 1513 Álvares sailed under the...
who arrived in 1513. After his settlement, Portuguese merchants began trading in Southern China. At the same time, they invaded and built up military fortifications in Tuen Mun
Tuen Mun
Tuen Mun is a town near the mouth of Tuen Mun River and Castle Peak Bay in the New Territories, Hong Kong. It was one of the earliest settlements in Hong Kong which can be dated back to the Neolithic period. In the more recent past, it was home to many Tanka fishermen who gathered at the Castle...
. Military clashes between China and Portugal ensued and the Portuguese were expelled. In the mid-16th century, the Maritime Prohibition
Hai jin
The Hǎi Jìn order was a ban on maritime activities imposed during China's Ming Dynasty and again at the time of the Qing Dynasty. Intended to curb piracy, the ban proved ineffective for that purpose...
came into effect. Designed to prevent contact with foreigners, it also restricted local sea activity. Villagers in Hong Kong coastal areas were ordered to move to mainland China
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
. To further reduce the population of an estimated 16,000 in the territory, the transition from Ming to Qing Dynasty led to the flushing out of Ming rebels. Qing officials forced many Hong Kong villagers back to the mainland with destruction of villages, crops and famine
Famine
A famine is a widespread scarcity of food, caused by several factors including crop failure, overpopulation, or government policies. This phenomenon is usually accompanied or followed by regional malnutrition, starvation, epidemic, and increased mortality. Every continent in the world has...
.
Qing Dynasty (1644-1912)
From 1661 to 1669, the territory was affected by the Great ClearanceGreat Clearance
The Great Clearance or Great Evacuation was ordered in southern China by imperial edicts of the Qing Emperor Kangxi , then under the regency of Oboi, in 1661 and 1662. It required the evacuation of the coastal areas of Guangdong in order to fight the anti-Qing movement, begun by Ming Dynasty...
, ordered by Kangxi Emperor, which required the evacuation of the coastal areas of Guangdong. It is recorded that about 16,000 persons from Xin'an County
Xin'an County (Bao'an)
Bao'an County , formerly named Xin'an County is a historical region of South China. It is the predecessor of the modern city of Shenzhen and the territory of Hong Kong....
were driven inland and 1,648 of those who left are said to have returned when the evacuation was rescinded in 1669. What is now the territory of Hong Kong became largely wasteland during the ban. In 1685 Kangxi became the first emperor to open limited trade on a regular basis starting with Canton
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
territory. He imposed tough terms for trades such as requiring non-Asian traders to live in restricted areas. They could only stay during the trading seasons. They could not bring in firearms, warships or women. Trading was to be done in silver.
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
made the first sea venture to China in 1699, and Hong Kong's trade with British merchants grew rapidly thereafter. In 1711, the Company established a trading post in Canton
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
. Hong Kong was governed under Xin'an County
Xin'an County (Bao'an)
Bao'an County , formerly named Xin'an County is a historical region of South China. It is the predecessor of the modern city of Shenzhen and the territory of Hong Kong....
(新安縣) and became one of the foremost military outposts for Imperial China. By 1773 the British reached a landmark 1,000 chests
Chest (furniture)
A chest is one of the oldest forms of furniture. It is typically a rectangular structure with four walls and a liftable lid, for storage. The interior space may be subdivided...
of opium in Canton with China's consuming 2,000 chests yearly by 1799.
The Hakkas
Hakka people
The Hakka , sometimes Hakka Han, are Han Chinese who speak the Hakka language and have links to the provincial areas of Guangdong, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hunan and Fujian in China....
became the dominant group to occupy the territory, and were referred to as the "gypsies of China". They made an art of salting and preserving ingredients. While their Hakka cuisine
Hakka cuisine
Hakka cuisine is the cooking style of the Hakka people, who are primarily found in southeastern China , but also may be found in many other parts of China, as well as in the Chinese diaspora...
today is recognised as serving offal
Offal
Offal , also called, especially in the United States, variety meats or organ meats, refers to the internal organs and entrails of a butchered animal. The word does not refer to a particular list of edible organs, which varies by culture and region, but includes most internal organs other than...
s such as deep fried intestine
Intestine
In human anatomy, the intestine is the segment of the alimentary canal extending from the pyloric sphincter of the stomach to the anus and, in humans and other mammals, consists of two segments, the small intestine and the large intestine...
s (炸大腸), salt baked chicken (鹽焗雞) and poon choy
Poon choi
Poon Choi , also known as pun choi or Big Bowl Feast, is a traditional type of dish originating from Hong Kong village cuisine. It may also be found in different parts of Hong Kong. It is served in wooden, porcelain or metal basins.-Origin:...
(盆菜). It may be difficult to prove these were the actual diets of the old Hakka custom, giving any insight to the first generation of cuisines. Henry Pottinger would be on his way to Asia, eventually becoming the first governor of Hong Kong
Governor of Hong Kong
The Governor of Hong Kong was the head of the government of Hong Kong during British rule from 1843 to 1997. The governor's roles were defined in the Hong Kong Letters Patent and Royal Instructions...
.