History of Hong Kong

This article details the history of Hong Kong.

First contacts with the West and Hong Kong during the Ming and Qing dynasties

Hong Kong also features in the first contact of organized western merchants with China. When the Portuguese merchant Fernao Pires de Andrade met Chinese officials through an interpreter at Pearl River estuary in 1517 to negotiate trade with Canton (Guangzhou), the sailors landed at a so-called "Tuen Mun Island" and killed some local villagers. This "Tuen Mun island" and village has been interpreted as proof of the maritime trading decline of the aforementioned "Tuen Mun area". Kowloon first appeared in a military text of the Jiajing era. A map of Hong Kong of the Wanli era recorded names of places including Hong Kong Island, Wong Nai Chong, Stanley and Tsim Sha Tsui.

Related Topics:
Portuguese - Fernao Pires de Andrade - Pearl River - 1517 - Guangzhou - Kowloon - Jiajing - Wanli - Hong Kong Island - Wong Nai Chong - Stanley - Tsim Sha Tsui

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During the Qing Dynasty, Hong Kong was governed under Xin'an County (新安縣 pinyin xin1 an1 xian4). Forts, garrisons and outposts, including:

Related Topics:
Qing Dynasty - Xin'an County - Pinyin - Fort - Garrison - Outpost

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• Tung Lung Fort: Built from 1719-1724 on the Tung Lung Island during the Kangxi era after the defeat of the Koxinga Administration in Taiwan. It comprised of guardhouses and cannon. The fort was abandoned in 1810 when its personnel moved to another fort at the tip of the Kowloon Peninsula. Tung Ling was declared a historical site in 1977 and restored in 1988.
• Tung Chung Fort: Also known as Tung Chung Suocheng or Tung Chung Battalion, the fort was built by the Qing government in 1832. It was used as Imperial Chinese naval headquarters of the Right Battalion of Dapeng. Taken over by the British in 1898 and became a police station and Wa Ying College. It is now the Rural Committee Office and the Public Primary School of Tung Chung
• Fan Lau Fort: Built in 1729 during 7th year of Yongzheng and one of two forts on Lantau Island. The fort was abandoned in 1898 and ruins restored between 1985-1990.
• Taku Fort
• Kowloon Walled City Fortress built by the Qing government in 1847 and remained during the early British rule of Hong Kong. Parts of the Walled City used to build Kai Tak Airport during the 1940s, it was finally torn down in 1993.
• Tung Chung Battery built in 1817 and served along with Tung Chung Fort by the Chinese to defend Chinese Hong Kong prior to British control of the region.

There were conflicts, and even small scale wars, between Puntis and Hakkas as a result of the Taiping Rebellion.

Related Topics:
Wars - Punti - Hakka - Taiping Rebellion

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