A Brief History of Hong Kong (1840–1997)

Hong Kong lies in southern China, on the eastern side of the Pearl River estuary, facing the South China Sea. It is part of the Lingnan region. Before 1840, Hong Kong was a small fishing village. From 1842 to 1997, it was a British colony. After the Second World War, Hong Kong’s economy and society developed rapidly. It became one of Asia’s Four Little Dragons, as well as one of the world’s wealthiest and most economically developed regions, with one of the highest standards of living. On July 1, 1997, the People’s Republic of China formally resumed the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong.

Based on Hong Kong Through a Century of Vicissitudes, first published in December 1995 as part of the Lingnan Library, this book has been expanded and revised, and is now titled A Brief History of Hong Kong (1840–1997). It briefly introduces Hong Kong’s ancient history and culture, then traces its development in chronological order from the First Opium War through 1997, concluding with Hong Kong’s return to China. Included in the Lingnan Library, this volume is part of the series’ reprint collection. The original edition was first published in December 1995 under the title Hong Kong Through a Century of Vicissitudes. This revised reprint has been given a new title: A Brief History of Hong Kong (1840–1997). The book contains 250,000 Chinese characters.