Hong Kong’s Watershed: The 1967 Riots

by Gary Ka-wai Cheung

Hong Kong’s Watershed The 1967 Riots is the first English book that provides an account and critical analysis of the disturbances based on declassified files from the British government and recollection by key players during the events. The interviews with the participants, including Jack Cater, Liang Shangyuan, George Walden, Tsang Tak-sing, Tsang Yok-sing, and Hong Kong government officials, left irreplaceable records of oral history on the political upheaval. The book analyses the causes and repercussions of the 1967 riots which are widely seen as a watershed of postwar history of Hong Kong. It depicts the prelude to the 1967 riots, including the Star Ferry riots in 1966, the leftist-instigated riots in Macau in 1966, and the major events leading to the disturbances, including the labour dispute at a plastic flower factory, the border conflict in Sha Tau Kok, bomb attacks and arson attacks on the office of British charge d’affaires in Beijing.

Genres: History, China, Nonfiction

268 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2009

Reviews

[smallwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

幫香港抗爭補個脈落

左派主導的抗爭太矯揉造作和免洗，而港英在67年後也慢慢施行一些改革和穩固資本家歸屬感
（難怪會有左膠的用語產生）

『馴化』過的香港人民即使同情雨傘革命後任何抗爭，還是不認同大規模罷工來癱瘓社會運作，這也能從書的介紹找到解釋

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

A day-to-day and week-to-week retelling of the events leading up to and during the 1967 riots, drawing heavily on declassified colonial government documents, newspaper articles, and interviews with officials and union leaders. Ultimately argues that the '67 "watershed" prompted the creation of a state-backed welfare system in Hong Kong under MacLehose as well as the emergence of a "local" sense of identity. Sufficiently entertaining if you have prior interest in Hong Kong during this time period specifically, some notable parallels can also be drawn to recent events.

[John Defrog: global citizen, local gadfly · Rating 3 out of 5]

According to the intro, very little has been written in the history books about the 1967 Hong Kong riots that led to greater social reform by the colonial government. This book aims to correct that – which it does, though not necessarily very well. Cheung is an experienced journalist, but not an experienced book writer, judging from this book. He tends to shoehorn in as many facts as he can, whenever he can, which results in a lot of tangential information getting in the way of the story. It also relies a little too much on the inflated political rhetoric and “he said/she said” testimony from both sides to tell the story instead of trying to cut through it and get to the truth. So it gets jumbled and repetitive at times. Which is too bad because Cheung has some great sources – he did lots of interviews with key players and gained access to previously classified government documents. So there’s a lot of good information here if yr willing to wade through it. And I did come away with a good idea of what generally happened and why. For anyone looking to build on the topic and produce something more definitive, this is a good place to start.

[Samsara · Rating 5 out of 5]

History repeat itself. 2019 has nothing to compare with 1967 of course. But we are supposed to have progress, isn't it? And this time feel much more long lasting, because we are under the thumb of Communist.

I don't mean the British-HK governmet was much better in 1967. They brutally cracked down any opposition. Ignore any human rights in the sense that an emergency law was passed that the government can contain any person without any reason for up to 1 year. FUCK! And they could raid any building without any warrant. Even Communist-HK police has not gone this far... yet.

But it is crazy to learnt that those nutjob could wave 'red Mao book' or even recite them without blushing or throwing off. And it is obvious to me now that this is the extension of the stupid Cultural revolution into HK. Those Leftist stupidly think PRC could take back HK right the way.

The UK-HK government was shamefully brutal in the crackdown. Tsang King-Shing, a 18-year old student was sent into prison for 2 years just because he gave out flyers!!! This is a SHAME!

[Jetty Cheung · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's an important history of Hong Kong but mostly not included in normal history book. To understand Hong Kong culture and history, this is a very good piece of work. I also read the Chinese edition, it also very nice.