Hong Kong Foundation Day[1][2][3][4] (Chinese: 香港開埠日),[5][6] also known as Hong Kong Day (香港日) and Festival of Hong Kong (香港節),[7] is the anniversary of the founding of Hong Kong as a free port[8][9] when Britain formally colonised it on 26 January 1841 [note 1] after entering into a provisional treaty, known as the Chuenpi Convention, with an official of the Qing government.[10] The British Colonial Government did not make it an official public holiday, nor does the SAR Government.[11] Yet, some members of the public do organise various history talks or exhibitions on or near 26 January each year.[7]
| Foundation Day | |
|---|---|
 Early painting of Hong Kong Island | |
| Also called | Hong Kong Founding Day, Hong Kong Day, Festival of Hong Kong, Hong Kong's birthday |
| Observed by | Hong Kong |
| Type | Unofficial |
| Significance | Beginning of British rule in 1841 until 1997 |
| Observances | History talks and exhibitions |
| Date | 26 January |
| Next time | 26 January 2025 |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Related to | Norfolk Island Foundation Day, Western Australia Day, Founding of modern Singapore |
| Hong Kong Foundation Day | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese | 香港開埠日 | ||||||||
| |||||||||
Hong Kongers, most being native speakers of Cantonese, call this day 開埠日 or hōi fauh yaht,[11] which means “the day of pier opening”, reflecting the original intention of the British acquisition of Hong Kong was for opening it up[12] and turning it into a port of free trade.[8][9] The name also signifies that international commerce became legally permitted in Hong Kong upon British administration[13] whereas Hong Kong had not been allowed to conduct foreign trade under the Canton System policy of the Qing government.[14][15]
Background
editIn January 1841, after a series of negotiations, a provisional treaty seeking to end the First Opium War between Britain and the Qing Dynasty, known as the Convention of Chuenpi, was struck by representatives from the two sides, namely, Plenipotentiary Charles Elliot and Imperial Commissioner Qishan.[16][10] With the instruction given to him to take possession of some islands for trade in the previous year, Elliot demanded and secured the cession of Hong Kong Island as one of the terms of the Convention even though Zhoushan Island had been preferred by his boss Lord Palmerston.[17] While in Macau, Elliot announced the details of the Convention by publishing a circular on the 20th.[18]
Four days after the announcement, Captain Edward Belcher, aboard HMS Sulphur, surveyed Hong Kong Island and landed the next morning on the 25th at 8:15 o'clock, but he did not proceed to take formal possession of it. Yet, he did claim themselves being the bona fide first possessors, and they drank to the Queen's health with three cheers.[19]
A formal possession ceremony was held on 26 January by Commodore Gordon Bremer at Possession Point. He was accompanied by other officers of the squadron. The Royal Marines fired a feu de joie, and the war ships performed a Royal Salute. The Union Jack was hoisted, symbolising the beginning of British rule.[19]
Activities
edit
Today, news media often have history quizzes ready for their audiences on Foundation Day,[20][21] and non-governmental organisations arrange history talks and exhibitions for the general public to participate.[7]
But celebrations are not limited to Hong Kong. Events have been held in overseas metropolises with significant numbers of diaspora Hong Kongers, such as London[22] and Melbourne.[23] Hong Kong street food stalls, mini-concerts featuring Hong Kong music, and other cultural activities can also be found in these overseas events in addition to history-focused exhibitions and talks.[24][23]
Human rights groups and pro-democracy activists may also take the opportunity on Foundation Day to raise awareness of various issues about Hong Kong.[25][26]
50th Anniversary (Golden Jubilee)
edit
The Hong Kong Post Office released the very first commemorative stamp in Hong Kong's history to celebrate the golden jubilee of the foundation of Hong Kong.[27] Because the government did not have enough time to have a specially designed commemorative stamp ready for the occasion, they instead decided to overprint the existing two-cent definitive stamp with the phrase "1841 Hong Kong JUBILEE 1891".[28][29] The commemorative overprint became an instant hit. With long queues and only a total of 50,000 prints, collectors got desperate and violent. Many got injured in the ensuing chaos as they tried to get hold of these stamps. In the end, three people died, with a Dutch sailor getting stabbed and two Portuguese customers getting crushed to death.[29][30]
In addition to the issuance of the golden jubilee stamp, there was a whole range of other celebrations across Hong Kong.[31] Warships in Victoria Harbour fired a royal salute. A troop review was conducted at Happy Valley. The Anglican and Catholic cathedrals conducted special services. Hong Kong City Hall held a public ball. A concert was performed at the Club Germania. Sport games, including cricket and shooting contests, were arranged. Ship owners strung decorative lights on their boats.
100th Anniversary (Centenary)
edit
1941 saw the centenary of Hong Kong's founding, but celebrations were not as extensive and vibrant as for the Golden Jubilee in 1891 when Europe had already been engulfed in WWII and the prospect of Japan invading Hong Kong was looming on the horizon.[31]
To mark the occasion, the Hong Kong Post Office issued a set of six commemorative stamps.[32][33] This set of stamps features various local sights and scenes to showcase the developments of Hong Kong as a British colony over the previous 100 years. The stamps were originally intended to be released in October 1940 but ultimately got published on 26 February 1941, exactly one month after the anniversary.[32][33]
The renowned British sculptor Gilbert Ledward created a bronze statue of King George VI to commemorate the centenary of Hong Kong's foundation.[34] The statue is located in the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens.
The Legislative Council also unanimously passed a resolution, titled Loyalty to the Throne, to celebrate the centenary of the foundation of Hong Kong.[4] In particular, Sir Man-kam Lo, a Eurasian lawyer, offered support for the resolution on behalf of all other ethnically Chinese members of the Council.[4]
180th Anniversary
editThe year 2021 was the 180th anniversary of Foundation Day. A group of British parliamentarians from the House of Commons, led by Andrew Rosindell MP, tabled the non-binding Early Day Motion 1382 for the occasion in which, among other things, they welcomed those Hong Kongers who were moving to the UK from Hong Kong “to escape the iron heel of Chinese Communist tyranny”.[2]
| Signatories of Early Day Motion 1382[2] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Parliamentarian | Political Party | Sponsorship | Date Signed |
| Andrew Rosindell | Conservative | Sponsor (Primary) | 20 January 2021 |
| Layla Moran | Liberal Democrat | Sponsor | 21 January 2021 |
| Sir Mike Penning | Conservative | Sponsor | 21 January 2021 |
| Paul Girvan | Democratic Unionist | Sponsor | 21 January 2021 |
| Sir David Amess | Conservative | Sponsor | 21 January 2021 |
| Caroline Lucas | Green | Sponsor | 25 January 2021 |
| Sammy Wilson | Democratic Unionist | Non-Sponsor | 26 January 2021 |
| Craig Whittaker | Conservative | Non-Sponsor | 12 February 2021 |
| External videos | |
|---|---|
 180th Anniversary | |
 Part 1: Messages from British parliamentarians | |
| Part 2: Messages from British parliamentarians and activists |
There was another group of British parliamentarians and activists who partnered with Stand with Hong Kong to create commemorative YouTube videos for the occasion in which they commemorated the 180th anniversary and took the opportunity to express their solidarity with Hong Kongers regarding the democratic and human rights issues they had to endure.[35][36]
| Participants of Commemorative Videos [35][36] | |
|---|---|
| Individual | Organisation/Political Party |
| Lord Patten of Barnes | Conservative |
| Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP | Conservative |
| Sir Roger Gale MP | Conservative |
| Virendra Sharma MP | Labour |
| Sir David Amess MP | Conservative |
| Baroness Cox | Crossbench |
| Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle | Green |
| Afzal Khan MP | Labour |
| Nickie Aiken MP | Conservative |
| Christine Jardine MP | Liberal Democrat |
| Ian Paisley MP | Democratic Unionist |
| Benedict Rogers | Hong Kong Watch |
| The Whitehouse Consultancy | The Whitehouse Consultancy |
Debate
editQuite a few in Hong Kong see Foundation Day as the birthday of Hong Kong,[37][20][11] but not everyone agrees.
Though not always, those who regard Foundation Day as Hong Kong’s birthday often attribute the success of modern Hong Kong to the British rule,[38] which began on Foundation Day.
Opponents view 26 January 1841 as a humiliating moment in Chinese history and sometimes label those who think Foundation Day is worthy of celebration as anti-China or even separatists.[39] Similarly, some criticise it as colonial nostalgia.[40]
Merchandise
editEven though the founding of Hong Kong occurred in the distant past in 1841, this episode of history still provides inspiration to some creators and designers in the cultural and creative industries today.[41][42] The history related to Foundation Day has inspired the creation of different local merchandise from time to time, such as handbags, clothes, perfume, calendars etc.[42][41]
Notes
edit- ^
Regnal Year Year Victoria Fourth Daoguang Twenty-First Corresponding Date of Lunar Calendar on 26 Jan 1841 of Gregorian Calendar Heavenly Stem Earthly Branch Zodiac Month Day Chinese 辛 丑 牛 正月 初四 English Xin Chou Ox First Fourth
References
editShe chose to
open the independent bookstore
on January 26, paying homage to
Hong Kong Foundation Day, whic
h marks the day the city was co
lonised by Britain and establis
hed as a free port 181 years ag
o.(二)^ abcUK Parliament, House of Commons. "180th anniversary of the founding of modern Hong Kong". Early Day Motion (EDM 1382). Archived from the original on 3 September 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
Motion text: That t
his House notes that the 26th o
f January 2021 marks the 180th
anniversary of the modern found
ing of Hong Kong(三)^ "Hong Kong Foundation Day Anniversary | bc magazine". www.bcmagazine.net. 26 January 2018. Archived from the original on 12 February 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021. (四)^ abc"Loyalty to the Throne" (PDF). Hansard 16th January, 1941. Hong Kong Legislative Council: 2. 16 January 1941. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 October 2004.
That the Legislativ
e Council of this Colony, on th
e occasion of the hundredth ann
iversary of the Colony's founda
tion, humbly renews the express
ion of its loyalty to the Thron
e, and its devotion to the Empi
re's cause.(五)^ "1841年1月26日 香港正式開埠". Radio Free Asia (in Chinese). 26 January 2024. Archived from the original on 26 January 2024. (六)^ "今天香港開埠176年紀念日 究竟﹁開埠﹂點解？". Hong Kong Economic Times Holdings (in Chinese). 26 January 2017. Archived from the original on 1 January 2023. (七)^ abc"Home | 180th Hong Kong Day proudly presented by the Blue Culture Club". 180th Hong Kong Day. Archived from the original on 13 February 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
FESTIVAL OF
HONG KONG: 180 YEARS AND ONWARD
S﹁香港節﹂‥壹佰捌拾(八)^ ab"History in Pictures - The Establishment of Free Port". www.grs.gov.hk. Archived from the original on 19 October 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2021. (九)^ abLau, Chi-pang. "The early development of colonial launches and maintenance facilities of the colonial launches from 1841 to the 1920s". Marine Department. Archived from the original on 25 October 2018. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
To fulfill the go
al of making the colony of Hong
Kong a facilitating centre for
China trade, the colonial gove
rnment quickly proclaimed Hong
Kong Island as a free trade por
t shortly after the establishme
nt of the colony in January 184
1.(十)^ ab2003 Hong Kong Yearbook, Hong Kong 2003 - History. "A Place From Which to Trade". www.yearbook.gov.hk. Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Archived from the original on 25 October 2018. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
Under the
Convention of Chuenpi (Chuanbi)
signed on January 20, 1841, Ho
ng Kong Island was ceded to Bri
tain.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
(11)^ abc周雪君 (26 January 2016). "﹁香港﹂生日快樂 175年前今日開埠英軍佔領". The News Lens 關鍵評論網 (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 12 February 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
(12)^ Press Release (27 November 2007). "Exhibition opens on banking history in Shanghai and Hong Kong (with photos)". Hong Kong SAR Government. Archived from the original on 2 September 2019. Retrieved 24 March 2021. Fol
lowing Hong Kong's opening up i
n 1841, Shanghai was declared a
free port and formally opened
to foreign trade in 1843.(13)^ "香港開埠180周年 重臨變革的關頭". HK01 (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 10 July 2021.
1月26日，一個
大部份香港人都如常生活的日子，背後卻承載着重要的歷史。1841
年1月25日，英國海軍軍官卑路乍作先頭部隊，於上午8時15分登陸今
上環水坑口。翌日英國遠東艦隊分支抵達，並於該處揚起英國國旗，正
式接管香港，又在海面鳴炮示意，標誌着香港從此正式開埠通商。(14)^ "Thirteen Hongs of Canton: selected pictures and documents exhibition". Hong Kong Public Libraries. Archived from the original on 2 January 2023.
Canton
(known today as Guangzhou), a m
ajor trading port of China sinc
e ancient times, is regarded as
the southern gateway to China.
In 1757, Emperor Qianlong of t
he Qing Dynasty ordered the clo
sure of all ports to foreign tr
ade with the exception of Canto
n.(15)^ "East Meets West: Cultural Relics from the Pearl River Delta Region". Hong Kong Museum of History. Archived from the original on 14 August 2022.
From 175
7 to 1841, Guangzhou even serve
d as the only port dealing with
foreign trade...The British oc
cupation of Hong Kong Island in
1841 was followed by the imple
mentation of a free-trade polic
y, which attracted a roomful of
foreign hongs to shift their h
eadquarters to Hong Kong.(16)^ "Hong Kong ceded to the British". HISTORY. Archived from the original on 13 February 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021. (17)^ Morse, Hosea Ballou (1917). International relations of the Chinese empire. Harold B. Lee Library. New York: New York, distributed by Paragon Book Gallery. p. 628.
The British Government
is entitled to demand full rep
aration of the affront offered
to the British Crown by the ind
ignities put upon Her Majesty's
Superintendent, and by the out
rageous proceedings adopted tow
ards Her Majesty's other Subjec
ts in China. The British Govern
ment is willing to accept as fu
ll satisfaction for these proce
edings, and as security against
their recurrence, the cession
of one or more Islands on the C
oast, to be fixed upon by the N
aval Commander and the Superint
endent, as eligible to be occup
ied as Stations at which Her Ma
jesty's subjects trading to Chi
na might reside in safety, unde
r the protection of British aut
hority; and from whence they mi
ght securely carry on their com
mercial intercourse with the pr
incipal Ports of the Coast of C
hina.(18)^ The Chinese Repository. Vol. 10. proprietors. 1841. p. 63. (19)^ abThe Chinese Repository. Vol. 12. Elijah Coleman Bridgman, Samuel Wells Williams proprietors. 1843. p. 492. Archived from the original on 15 February 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
On the return of the commodore
on the 24th, we were directed t
o proceed to Hongkong, and comm
ence its survey. We landed on M
onday the 25th, 1841, at fiftee
n minutes past eight A.M., and
being the bondafide first posse
ssors, Her Majesty's health was
drank with three cheers on Pos
session Mount. On the 26th, the
squadron arrived; the marines
were landed, the union hoisted
on our post, and formal possess
ion taken of the island, by com
modore sir J. J. G. Bremer, acc
ompanied by the other officers
of the squadron, under a fue-de
-joie from the marines, and a r
oyal salute from the ships of w
ar.(20)^ ab"香港開埠180周年 ﹁開埠以嚟﹂歷史問答知識＋". hk.news.yahoo.com (in Chinese). 25 January 2021. Archived from the original on 14 February 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021. (21)^ "香港開埠180周年｜真香港人常識問答比賽 香港有全球首條載人吊車、鼠疫期間有艘海上隔離船？ ｜ 蘋果日報". Apple Daily 蘋果日報 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Archived from the original on 26 January 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021. (22)^ "適逢香港開埠181年 首於倫敦辦﹁香港節﹂為港慶生 移英港人李志烺‥梳理港人起源，傳承身份文化". 同文Commons (in Chinese). 25 January 2022. Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. (23)^ ab"有港人團體辦澳洲國慶日活動 冀連結在澳港人". Special Broadcasting Service Chinese (in Chinese). 25 January 2022. Archived from the original on 20 December 2022.
活動主辨人之一的Si
mon Ho向︽SBS中文︾表示，是次活動具有雙種意義，202
2年1月26日除了是澳洲國慶日外，亦是香港開埠181周年紀念，屆
時在會場會有展板介紹澳洲的核心價值，認識澳洲的多元文化外，亦會
有介紹香港歷史的部份，當中亦會展示香港反送中運動的內容，及介紹
澳洲政府為港人特設的﹁避風港﹂政策內容。(24)^ "香港迎開埠181年 港人倫敦辦﹁香港節﹂". 香城公民媒體 (in Chinese). 30 January 2022. Archived from the original on 5 September 2022. (25)^ "UK rights group calls for sanctions on modern Hong Kong's 180th 'birthday'". Hong Kong Free Press. 26 January 2021. Retrieved 5 January 2023. (26)^ "Ai Weiwei warns China is 'greatest challenge the West has ever faced'". Irish Independent. 26 January 2021. Archived from the original on 20 February 2021.
The Chinese artist, who is
now based in the UK, spoke duri
ng a parliamentary event to mar
k the 180th anniversary of the
founding of modern Hong Kong.(27)^ "History". Hongkong Post. Archived from the original on 27 August 2021.
The First Commemora
tive Stamp: Hong Kong celebrate
d its 50th Anniversary as a Bri
tish colony in 1891. To mark th
e occasion, the Post Office iss
ued a commemorative stamp, a li
mited edition of the two-cent c
armine Queen's head, overprinte
d with "1841 Hong Kong Jubilee
1891".(28)^ "Commemorative Stamps from Pre-war Hong Kong". Hong Kong Memory. Archived from the original on 28 August 2021.
In the hund
red years from 1841 to 1941, Ho
ng Kong only issued four sets o
f commemorative stamps. The fir
st was printed in 1891 to celeb
rate the 50th anniversary of Ho
ng Kong's opening as a free por
t. In view of the tight schedul
e, the Hong Kong government had
not applied in time for permis
sion from the Colonial Office f
or a special design. As a resul
t, the 2-cent definitive stamp
had to be overprinted, making i
t the world's first overprinted
commemorative stamp. The 50,00
0 stamps sold out in three days.(29)^ ab"郵票中的百年香港史". Hong Kong Commercial Daily (香港商報) (in Chinese). 12 June 2016. Archived from the original on 27 August 2021.
1891年1月22日香港發行了第一套紀念郵票猁猁香港開埠50周年紀
念郵票，這套郵票曾由當時香港署理港督催促英國理藩院盡快審批發行，
後來由於時間不夠充裕，來不及設計一款新圖案郵票，最後圖案選用了
1883年的維多利亞女王頭像通用郵票，在上加蓋﹁1841-香港
金禧紀念-1891﹂字樣，作為全球首套以加蓋形式發行的紀念郵票。
﹁郵票發行首日非常轟動，早上7時開始發售，郵政總局擠滿了不同國
籍的集郵人士，一度引起搶購熱潮，由於人群擁擠，秩序大亂，結果兩
名葡萄牙人在混亂的人群中被夾死，1名荷蘭籍海員被刺斃，另外還有
多人受傷。﹂(30)^ Gilbert, Adam Richard (July 2018). "Post-Imperialism: The Postage Stamps and Postal History of Hong Kong, 1842-1997" (PDF). p. 52. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 December 2022.
So popular were these stamps th
at an initial limit of twenty-f
ive per person was quickly redu
ced to twenty as queues rapidly
grew. As collectors became inc
reasingly desperate to acquire
these issues, things began to t
urn violent. Two Portuguese cus
tomers were crushed to death, a
Dutch sailor was stabbed, and
many others were injured in the
'unruly scenes'.(31)^ abCarroll, John (2005). "Chapter 7 - Transforming the Barren Island: The 1941 Centenary". Edge of Empires: Chinese Elites and British Colonials in Hong Kong. United States: Harvard University Press. p. 159. ISBN 9780674017016.
In 1941, Hong Kong
observed its centenary as a Bri
tish colony. But this was hardl
y a year for celebrating. The J
apanese occupied the key cities
of China; Britain and Germany
were engaged in a bitter confli
ct; and war between Britain and
Japan loomed on the horizon…Co
mpared with the 1891 jubilee co
mmemorating Hong Kong's fifty y
ears as a British colony, the 1
941 celebration was subdued and
almost nonexistent. The 1891 c
elebration had all the signs of
a proper jubilee: ships decora
ted with lights, church service
s at the Anglican and Catholic
cathedrals, a royal salute fire
d from ships in the harbor, a r
eview of military forces at Hap
py Valley, an athletics contest,
a public ball at City Hall, a
cricket match and shooting cont
est, topped off with a concert
at the Club Germania.(32)^ ab郵票中的香港史 (PDF) (in Chinese). Hong Kong: 中華書局. 2013. pp. 6–8. ISBN 9789888236954. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 January 2022.
同年2月26日，香港郵政發行﹁香港開埠百
年紀念﹂郵票。這套郵票再度由鍾惠霖︵Wiliam E. Jon
es︶設計，一套六張，分別是面額兩仙的﹁中環閣麟街街景﹂︵圖1.
2a︶、四仙的﹁皇后號郵輪與中國民船﹂︵圖1.2b︶、五仙的﹁
香港大學﹂︵圖1.2c︶、一角五仙的﹁海港﹂︵圖1.2d︶、兩
角五仙的﹁中環匯豐大廈﹂︵圖1.2e︶和一元的﹁中國飛剪船和水
上飛機﹂︵圖1.2f︶。(33)^ ab"1941 Centenary Stamps". Gwulo: Old Hong Kong. Archived from the original on 16 January 2023.
The centenary stamps were
designed locally and intended f
or release in October 1940. But
due to delays, the stamps were
finally issued in February 194
1.(34)^ "Bronze Statue of King George VI". Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens. Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Archived from the original on 15 October 2019. Retrieved 30 August 2021. (35)^ ab"Hong Kong 180th Anniversary - Part 1: Messages from British parliamentarians". YouTube. Stand with Hong Kong. 26 January 2021. (36)^ ab"Hong Kong 180th Anniversary - Part 2: Messages from British parliamentarians and activists". YouTube. Stand with Hong Kong. 26 January 2021. (37)^ "HKFP History: 'Happy Birthday' to modern Hong Kong – 178 years old today". Hong Kong Free Press. 26 January 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2023. (38)^ "狂舔前殖民者！"港獨"藝人抹黑香港回歸為"淪陷"". 香港新聞網 (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 3 February 2022. (39)^ "﹁獨﹂人﹁慶港開埠﹂ 教界批妄想兼可笑". Wen Wei Po (in Chinese). 29 January 2018. Archived from the original on 1 January 2023. (40)^ "科大組織戀殖上腦 借慶祝開埠宣抗中港獨 無恥！". HKG報 (in Chinese). 28 January 2018. Archived from the original on 1 January 2023. (41)^ ab"本土小確幸 SOUL SWEET". U Lifestyle (in Chinese). 22 April 2015. Archived from the original on 30 April 2023.
另一款是SOUL SWEET
的熱賣款－HONGKONGER，設計靈感來自牛津英語大字典去年
收錄的英文新字"Hongkonger"，Gravy以此為原素，
而Since 1841仿傚品牌突出成立年份，這一年也是香港開埠
之年，參考了英國Keep Calm and Carry On的
二戰海報，SOUL SWEET加上以勇氣和挑戰高峰為口號的﹁B
e Brave Carry On﹂。(42)^ ab"︻眾籌︼小店製作本土歷史主題月曆 冀用一年重喚港人金魚記憶". HK01 (in Chinese). 21 October 2016. Archived from the original on 6 August 2021. (43)^ "佛學規範資料庫: 中、韓、日、西曆對換". authority.dila.edu.tw. Archived from the original on 18 February 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
