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Hong Kong Country & Its People
 Hundreds of years ago, the first migrants to Hong Kong arrived seeking work at the docks, settling along the areas closest to the harbor: the north shore of Hong Kong Island and southern tip of Kowloon. As population density increased, mountains were leveled and the harbor was filled with earth. This process of land reclamation has been repeated at various times in Hong Kong's short-recorded history in order to give people room to move and breath. The energetic work ethic of the southern Chinese has been put on display as an example to the world. Today, stock exchanges and international financial institutions remain open around the clock; this is truly a city that never sleeps.
Rock carvings from Neolithic times can be found at various sites scattered throughout the Hong Kong islands. The sheltered harbor and fresh water made it an ideal place to stop on the long journeys along the pacific coast. In the middle of the 8th century, seafaring Arab traders burned and looted Hong Kong and Canton in brutal successive attacks. In the beginning of the 12th century, pressure from the Mongols forced a number of important Cantonese families (known as the "Five Great Clans") deeper south and into the New Territories. In 1405, the Chinese imperial court commandeered over 60 ships from the Hong Kong harbor with expeditions reaching as far as Mecca. Evidence of Hong Kong's early period can be found today in its small villages, many of which are still protected by defensive walls, moats and gatehouses.
 The name Hong Kong is the literal interpretation of the Cantonese Heung Gong , meaning Fragrant Harbor. It is argued the character for "fragrant" came from the opium-laden ships that frequented her harbor or perhaps from the incense (joss sticks) production centers along her shorelines. Hong Kong grew rapidly as a trading port and soon became the most important intermediary point between China and the West. The Opium Wars (1840) mark a period of intense trade and British opium export to China culminating in war when China sought to ban the evil drug. Tremendous increases in population in the early 1900's forced Hong Kong to retool her workforce evolving into one of the busiest manufacturing centers in the world. In more recent times, however, the financial services industry-surpassing that of manufacturing-has snowballed into one of the largest banking centers in the world.
The Hong Kong Chinese have faith in the ancient religions of Buddhism and Taoism as well as the moral codes of Confucianism. It was not until after the death of Christ that Buddhist monks arrived with the teachings of the Siddhartha Gautama. With over 600 temples in Hong Kong, it is impossible to avoid the smoky rituals and the fantastic images of the deities. By far the most popular game in Hong Kong and every Chinatown in other capital cities is Mah Jong. You will hear the clicking of tiles all around you.
 There are many impressive restaurants, spectacular shopping centers and exclusive hotels that line the waterfront on both sides of the harbor. There is an excellent choice of venues and an enormous selection of tasty food available. Hong Kong is the best place in the world to enjoy the subtle flavors of Cantonese dishes: from tiny, inexpensive noodle shops and casual family establishments to elegant dining rooms and Western buffets. Dishes from all over Asia are prepared by her finest chefs…from Shanghai noodles and Malaysian curries to suprisingly tasty Buddhist vegetarian fare; the adventurous will not be able to pass up the delicious snake dishes and exotic "hairy" crabs.
The recent transition to China means little for Hong Kong as a tourist destination retaining its autonomy, a separate currency pegged to the US dollar and where English is still the official language. This unique arrangement is often referred to as "One Country, Two Systems" maintaining a high degree of autonomy for at least 50 years after 1997. | 
