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History of Hong Kong
This is a one-volume history of Hong Kong, revised and updated in time for the handover to China in June 1997. It evokes the place and the characters of those who shaped it, from its buccaneering origins to its post-war growth.
640 pages, Paperback
First published September 6, 1993
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
May 15, 2014
Welsh takes a stab at a comprehensive history of Hong Kong, but stumbles along the way. Welsh's take is revisionist, his opening shot being that the first Anglo-Chinese War, also known as the Opium War, was not about opium but about trading rights. His read on the events is interesting, but I do not think that he is fooling anyone.
After the founding, the pattern settles down to a list of governors. As a former longtime resident of Hong Kong it is fascinating to see how many governors have streets in Wanchai named for them. The irony of this is magnificent.
But I would most fault Welsh for his handling of the negotiations between Britain and China prior to the handover. Welsh's timing creates difficulties. He is writing in 1993 when the picture is by no means clear. As well he treats the nationality issue with little detail. Yet, in these years, the devil is in the details. He might have been better to end the history early rather than attempt to bring the history straight up to the time he was writing.
The economic changes in Hong Kong from a relatively freewheeling economy to a property oligarchy are also unremarked on, although there is a fascinating comment that Li Ka-shing bought Hutchison at a grossly undervalued price. Much greater investigation is merited here as it speaks to the transformation of Hong Kong, but Welsh is looking at politics in this era and less at the economic transformation.
All in all, a frustrating book. It could have been so much more.
After the founding, the pattern settles down to a list of governors. As a former longtime resident of Hong Kong it is fascinating to see how many governors have streets in Wanchai named for them. The irony of this is magnificent.
But I would most fault Welsh for his handling of the negotiations between Britain and China prior to the handover. Welsh's timing creates difficulties. He is writing in 1993 when the picture is by no means clear. As well he treats the nationality issue with little detail. Yet, in these years, the devil is in the details. He might have been better to end the history early rather than attempt to bring the history straight up to the time he was writing.
The economic changes in Hong Kong from a relatively freewheeling economy to a property oligarchy are also unremarked on, although there is a fascinating comment that Li Ka-shing bought Hutchison at a grossly undervalued price. Much greater investigation is merited here as it speaks to the transformation of Hong Kong, but Welsh is looking at politics in this era and less at the economic transformation.
All in all, a frustrating book. It could have been so much more.
August 8, 2020
Hong Kong's colonial history isn't just worth learning about for those interested in the city. Conceptions and misconceptions about colonial Hong Kong continue to directly shape both Hong Kong and China's attitude to the West. Moreover, British Hong Kong provides an effective backdrop to study broader political questions, such as how democracy develops, the relationship between colonizer and colonized, and diplomacy between nations. Anyone interested in these themes would gain a lot from studying the city's colonial history.
I read this book concurrently with the other HK colonial history book people often recommend, A Modern History of Hong Kong by Steve Tsang. I reviewed both, and hope that comparing them can help point readers to where to start if they want to start learning about this city's fascinating and ever so relevant history.
The major critique people have of Welsh's A History of Hong Kong is its Anglocentrism, which is undeniably present. This is unsurprising, given that Welsh is himself a Brit and wrote this book as part of a series of histories on Britain's former colonies. However, when properly contextualized this shouldn't detract from the book's value. Not only does Welsh explicitly acknowledge the limitations of his perspective in the introduction (ultimately the best we can expect from any historian), but I would argue that a careful understanding of British interests is crucial for understanding what unfolded in Hong Kong and China from 1842-1997. The fact that this influential perspective is often ignored or oversimplified in most modern mainstream discussions of Hong Kong's history make it all the more valuable.
While Welsh's lengthy accounts of British political sentiments, parliamentary power transfers, and the personal histories of every influential Governor, parliamentarian, or civil service member can at times be monotonous and borderline obsessive, a patient reader will be rewarded with a clear understanding of the political and personal factors that guided Britain's rule over HK. Especially enlightening are the detailed descriptions of Governors' personalities, management styles, and familiarity with China that help explain the successes and failures of their time in office, as well as how different Tory/Whig/Liberal governments in London had different goals for the city. It's a shame that he doesn't extend the same level of detail to more recent Hong Kong history as Tsang does, including the Sino-British Handover negotiations and Patten's last governorship, but this limitation is understandable given the book's publication date (1993 and 1997 editions).
The balancing act between the constantly changing interests of the local expatriate community, local Chinese community, neighboring Chinese authorities, the British government in London, and the individual men "on-the-spot" running Hong Kong is a recurring theme when describing the colonial government's actions. For example, we see how British imperial strategy, Hongkongers' early distrust of Western practices, the transient nature of the Chinese community, and political necessity to remain financially independent from London created the "non-interventionist" government culture in Hong Kong that remains influential today. We also see how democratic institutions and culture arose slowly, with limited representation through LegCo, ExCo, the civil service, and the Tung Wah Hospital Board gradually developing as the need for democratic legitimacy grew, but careful of the risks democracy could pose to a colonial power (especially as Nationalism and Communism swept China).
The book really stands out for its wide range of primary sources, which sets it apart from Steve Tsang's book. While this makes the book much lengthier and less efficient at communicating ideas, it also makes some of Welsh's less mainstream ideas more thought-provoking. The best example of this is when discussing the Anglo-Chinese Wars, a term that both Welsh and Tsang prefer to "Opium Wars" due to their perspective that opium was in fact not a major cause of the conflict. While Tsang seems content to relegate the evidence for this to the footnotes, Welsh (perhaps acknowledging his outsider's perspective) supplies almost exhaustively wide-ranging quotations from British politicians, negotiators, merchants, corporate balance sheets, and influential public figures to demonstrate that opium was not a major concern when the war was started or peace negotiated. Opium is found to account for a tiny fraction of the China trade, private correspondence between London and negotiators reveals a readiness to support China's opium ban and reasonable efforts to punish smugglers, and tea, silk, and legal protections for expatriate merchants seem to be far greater concerns to Britain than opium. I'm not a historian so can't speak to the comprehensiveness of Welsh's evidence or the evidence that may exist for the other side, but there's no question that these primary sources give the reader a significantly more nuanced historical perspective than that parroted by the Nationalist and Communist political agenda.
Although Welsh's detailed approach made the book dry at times and difficult to commit to at the start, over time I was struck by how compelling Welsh's narrative style eventually became. Ultimately some interest in Hong Kong is needed to make it an enjoyable read (even though its still an enlightening read for people with broader interests), but Welsh's use of primary evidence and vivid descriptions of key characters' lives do bring his narrative to life. The choice to make the book broadly chronological–whereas Tsang's is organized somewhat chronologically but in themed chapters–also adds a certain narrative suspense. Although Tsang communicates his ideas much more efficiently and to-the-point (his book is maybe a third the length of Welsh, despite covering an even wider timeframe), his book reads more like a textbook while Welsh's reads like the precise, academic writing of a historian actively at work. At the end of the day, Welsh is probably better for those who are patient enough for a more detailed history, prefer copious directly cited primary evidence to summaries, and are especially interested in the colonial government.
I read this book concurrently with the other HK colonial history book people often recommend, A Modern History of Hong Kong by Steve Tsang. I reviewed both, and hope that comparing them can help point readers to where to start if they want to start learning about this city's fascinating and ever so relevant history.
The major critique people have of Welsh's A History of Hong Kong is its Anglocentrism, which is undeniably present. This is unsurprising, given that Welsh is himself a Brit and wrote this book as part of a series of histories on Britain's former colonies. However, when properly contextualized this shouldn't detract from the book's value. Not only does Welsh explicitly acknowledge the limitations of his perspective in the introduction (ultimately the best we can expect from any historian), but I would argue that a careful understanding of British interests is crucial for understanding what unfolded in Hong Kong and China from 1842-1997. The fact that this influential perspective is often ignored or oversimplified in most modern mainstream discussions of Hong Kong's history make it all the more valuable.
While Welsh's lengthy accounts of British political sentiments, parliamentary power transfers, and the personal histories of every influential Governor, parliamentarian, or civil service member can at times be monotonous and borderline obsessive, a patient reader will be rewarded with a clear understanding of the political and personal factors that guided Britain's rule over HK. Especially enlightening are the detailed descriptions of Governors' personalities, management styles, and familiarity with China that help explain the successes and failures of their time in office, as well as how different Tory/Whig/Liberal governments in London had different goals for the city. It's a shame that he doesn't extend the same level of detail to more recent Hong Kong history as Tsang does, including the Sino-British Handover negotiations and Patten's last governorship, but this limitation is understandable given the book's publication date (1993 and 1997 editions).
The balancing act between the constantly changing interests of the local expatriate community, local Chinese community, neighboring Chinese authorities, the British government in London, and the individual men "on-the-spot" running Hong Kong is a recurring theme when describing the colonial government's actions. For example, we see how British imperial strategy, Hongkongers' early distrust of Western practices, the transient nature of the Chinese community, and political necessity to remain financially independent from London created the "non-interventionist" government culture in Hong Kong that remains influential today. We also see how democratic institutions and culture arose slowly, with limited representation through LegCo, ExCo, the civil service, and the Tung Wah Hospital Board gradually developing as the need for democratic legitimacy grew, but careful of the risks democracy could pose to a colonial power (especially as Nationalism and Communism swept China).
The book really stands out for its wide range of primary sources, which sets it apart from Steve Tsang's book. While this makes the book much lengthier and less efficient at communicating ideas, it also makes some of Welsh's less mainstream ideas more thought-provoking. The best example of this is when discussing the Anglo-Chinese Wars, a term that both Welsh and Tsang prefer to "Opium Wars" due to their perspective that opium was in fact not a major cause of the conflict. While Tsang seems content to relegate the evidence for this to the footnotes, Welsh (perhaps acknowledging his outsider's perspective) supplies almost exhaustively wide-ranging quotations from British politicians, negotiators, merchants, corporate balance sheets, and influential public figures to demonstrate that opium was not a major concern when the war was started or peace negotiated. Opium is found to account for a tiny fraction of the China trade, private correspondence between London and negotiators reveals a readiness to support China's opium ban and reasonable efforts to punish smugglers, and tea, silk, and legal protections for expatriate merchants seem to be far greater concerns to Britain than opium. I'm not a historian so can't speak to the comprehensiveness of Welsh's evidence or the evidence that may exist for the other side, but there's no question that these primary sources give the reader a significantly more nuanced historical perspective than that parroted by the Nationalist and Communist political agenda.
Although Welsh's detailed approach made the book dry at times and difficult to commit to at the start, over time I was struck by how compelling Welsh's narrative style eventually became. Ultimately some interest in Hong Kong is needed to make it an enjoyable read (even though its still an enlightening read for people with broader interests), but Welsh's use of primary evidence and vivid descriptions of key characters' lives do bring his narrative to life. The choice to make the book broadly chronological–whereas Tsang's is organized somewhat chronologically but in themed chapters–also adds a certain narrative suspense. Although Tsang communicates his ideas much more efficiently and to-the-point (his book is maybe a third the length of Welsh, despite covering an even wider timeframe), his book reads more like a textbook while Welsh's reads like the precise, academic writing of a historian actively at work. At the end of the day, Welsh is probably better for those who are patient enough for a more detailed history, prefer copious directly cited primary evidence to summaries, and are especially interested in the colonial government.
July 4, 2007
Not so much a history of Hong Kong but a tireless and exhaustive rambling chronology of the various decrees, letter, and general faffing about of the bloated, drink-soaked old toads who sat in power for 101 years. The only notable section included a dig at the seal of Hong Kong, which was described as though it were "created by an oilman at Wapping." Turns out the artist was actually from Wapping. OHHH, BURNED!!!!
May 29, 2020
600+ pages and three months later, I have finally finished this hefty book on the history of Hong Kong. Frank Welsh wrote such a sublime and extensive book on Hong Kong and her history from the Opium Wars and takes a look at the Qing Empire and how Hong Kong eventually came to be as one of the powerhouses/financial hubs intertwined as a crossover of both the West and the East. As a history major, I found that this non-fiction book definitely covered many things ranging from the humble beginnings of the Crown Colony to the Second World War and the rise of Communist China and the development of Hong Kong in itself as a metropolitan city that we know today. I really enjoyed it and the last two chapters: "Golden Years" and "Recessional" were the most significant in my opinion as it ties in with the current situation that Hong Kong finds itself in. Highly recommend this novel as it takes an extensive look at the colonialism and imperialism associated with Hong Kong.
May 28, 2021
The opium wars part is pretty interesting. A heavily detailed book, perhaps too much to my taste. If you like a book that seemingly knows every small detail including the seemingly unimportant people, this book has it. I wouldn’t recommend it to be honest, it feels like a big read for very little reward.
August 15, 2024
Rather dry, which is to be expected for a banker turned historian, and a bit of a slog through the minute details of the early years. But once it gets into early 20th century, dang, Hong Kong is interesting.
I imagine there's probably a more exciting read out there on the topic, but this was reasonable.
I imagine there's probably a more exciting read out there on the topic, but this was reasonable.
May 27, 2018
The most comprehensive history of the territory. Anyone with even the faintest interest in the past of the former colony should read this narrative. The style is a little thick at times but with the materials as they are the rhythm rarely drops.
June 1, 2020
DRY!! Informative and at times fun, but lots of detail and coverage of specific English appointees and diplomats. Also ends pre-handover. But it covers everything. Lots of stops and starts with this one, but finally complete 10+ years after moving here!
August 20, 2020
“彭定康的這項魯莽的計畫前途未蔔。1997年的最後時刻日益臨近，此時此刻—1993年—英中兩國政府都面對尚未確定的未來。到1997年，英國將舉行全國大選，中國的接班人問題也將水落石出。對於英國政府而言，香港的利害關係依然是次要的，這一點與過去毫無二致。對於北京來說香港的未來重要的多，但香港人民將不快地意識到，他們現有的自由，將在很大程度上取決於中國其他地區的時局而不是任何憲政安排。”十三年再後回看，現在發生的事情並不是毫無端倪。
August 1, 2017
資料算是翔實，可惜始終是一本沒有香港人的香港史。
彩蛋：內有國族主義研究大師 Benedict Anderson 父母的小故事。
彩蛋：內有國族主義研究大師 Benedict Anderson 父母的小故事。
March 14, 2019
Historians who can distil hundreds of years of a country's story into something much shorter are to be admired. This deeply researched book about the UK's last colony is a testament to this skill.
March 13, 2022
A comprehensive account of the history of Hong Kong in terms of its relationship with Britain. Focuses more on the leadership than the actual people.
September 7, 2023
Solid history of Hong Kong, somewhat challenging the conventional beliefs of the cause of the Opium War. Back part of the book gets to be a little dry in describing the 20th century history.
October 10, 2009
Historical regurgitation tends to leave a bad aftertaste but this one is an exception. It's a tad dry in writing nonetheless very moist in information content. It's truly a book for Asian history aficionada.
October 2, 2007
This is a very thorough and well written history of Hong Kong. If your interested in Hong Kong's story then I would recommend it highly, if your not interested, well, this is probably not for you.
December 9, 2015
Dull, dull, dull.
July 14, 2014
Meticulous account of the history of Hong Kong. Perhaps too meticulous? I found myself skipping over some of the more (to me) boring sections, but found much of it fascinating.
August 24, 2015
A fairly dry but incredible rich compendium of Hong Kong's colonial past.'
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews