| 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 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]
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]
- ^ "Boundary Bookstore helps locals quench their thirst for knowledge about Hong Kong history and culture". South China Morning Post. 16 July 2022. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
She chose to open the independent bookstore on January 26, paying homage to Hong Kong Foundation Day, which marks the day the city was colonised by Britain and established as a free port 181 years ago.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:4was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "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.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:11was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ a b "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 ONWARDS「香港節」：壹佰捌拾
- ^ a b "History in Pictures - The Establishment of Free Port". www.grs.gov.hk. Archived from the original on 19 October 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
- ^ a b Lau, 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 goal of making the colony of Hong Kong a facilitating centre for China trade, the colonial government quickly proclaimed Hong Kong Island as a free trade port shortly after the establishment of the colony in January 1841.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:8was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b 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.
- ^ 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.
Following Hong Kong's opening up in 1841, Shanghai was declared a free port and formally opened to foreign trade in 1843.
- ^ "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。
- ^ "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 major trading port of China since ancient times, is regarded as the southern gateway to China. In 1757, Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty ordered the closure of all ports to foreign trade with the exception of Canton.
- ^ "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 1757 to 1841, Guangzhou even served as the only port dealing with foreign trade...The British occupation of Hong Kong Island in 1841 was followed by the implementation of a free-trade policy, which attracted a roomful of foreign hongs to shift their headquarters to Hong Kong.
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