New Peace County: A Chinese Gazetteer of the Hong Kong Region

PREFACE

PREFACE This book i s adapted fro m th e thesis, entitled The 1819 Edition of the Hsin-an Hsien-chih: A Critical Examination with Translation and Notes (subtitle d Hon g Kong, Kowloon and the New Territories, 1644-1842), whic h I submitted t o th e University o f Hon g Kon g fo r m y M.A . degre e i n 1961 . To m y surpris e an d pleasure, a large number of scholars have consulted the thesis and referred to it in their writings, and successive publishers of the Hong Kong University Press beginning with Mr Henri Vetch hav e expressed interest i n publishing it . Why the n hav e twenty year s elapsed fro m it s original writing to it s present publication? The reason lies in my own assessment that in order for publication to b e viable , furthe r researc h an d rewritin g mus t b e done . Persona l cir cumstances , however, such as my decision to leave academic life, my residence in Canad a fro m 196 7 t o 1979 , an d th e demand s o f busines s lif e i n Nort h America, hav e prevented m e from undertakin g suc h a project . The turning-point came when during a visit to London in 19791 discussed my thesis with Dr Hugh Baker, who innocently agree d to lend his time and expertise to the task of revising and editing it for publication. The resulting exercise has proved even more extensive than we at first intended . Not only has Hugh carried out further researc h an d updated th e thesis in the light of the scholar ship that has been published in the intervening years, but he has also reorganized th e materia l an d provide d additiona l translatio n an d commentar y wher e coverage has been inadequate . My grea t deb t i s therefore du e to Hug h fo r hi s friendship an d cheerfu l col laboration , withou t which my thesis would still sit on the shelves of the Hong Kong Universit y Librar y unpublished . I a m als o indebte d t o th e variou s publishers o f the Hong Kon g University Pres s for thei r endurin g interes t an d unfailing support. I should record my gratitude to my professor, Brian Harrison, to th e lat e Professo r L o Hsiang-lin , an d t o M r G.W . Bonsall, the n Deput y Librarian o f the University of Hong Kong, for their assistanc e in my research, and to Mr T.C. Lai and Dr B. Mellor for their friendship an d encouragement. I am also grateful to Mr Lau Shung of the Neutral Post for supplying a copy of the 1979 reprint of the 1819 edition of the Xin'an xianzhi, to Miss Pat Weaver for her thoughtful an d skilful preparation of the typescripts, and to Dr K.P.K. Whitaker Preface฀ (Lai Po-kan ) fo r he r assistanc e wit h translatio n problems . M y wif e Julia, m y children Juliana, Luciana , Pete r an d And y hav e al l contributed i n thei r ow n way to the evolution o f this book, an d shoul d no t go unmentioned . Although publication has been delayed for two decades, from a certain angle the presen t timin g i s excellent. A s we draw neare r t o 199 7 when th e leas e of New Kowloo n an d th e Ne w Territories come s to a n end , th e futur e o f Hon g Kong loom s in importanc e a s an issu e for discussion , speculation , an d world wide attention. But in order to come to grips with the future, i t is necessary t o understand the past. This book is filled with examples of how events and conditions before 184 2 have helped to shape and influence life in Hong Kong even to this day . Jus t a s contemporar y Hon g Kon g canno t escap e fro m it s pre-184 2 history, Hong Kong after 199 7 will not be able to escape from wha t has taken place before then , whether w e like it or not, an...