This book puts together historical documents that illustrate the lives and concerns of Hong Kong people through a century and a half of colonial rule. It describes not only the ideals of the elite, but also the harsh realities of life faced by the majority, who until recent years lived under considerable poverty. It documents changes in standards of living, housing conditions, family life, communal organization and political aspirations. This vivid account of Hong Kong’s social history as Hong Kong people lived it summarizes the predicaments of people who chose to live in Hong Kong.

Dr David Faure, the editor, is University Lecturer in Modern Chinese History at the University of Oxford. He has written extensively on Chinese social history and Hong Kong history, and is currently interested in the history of the identity of Chinese people.