It is understandable to most why a Chinese may be offended by being addressed as Japanese or Korean, in a similar way that they may if one had said all Chinese look the same. Yet indeed a person, whether from Hong Kong or China, is Chinese. So with the handover of Hong Kong back to China's rule in 1997, why may some Hong Kong-ese be offended by being recognised as being from China?
The issue for some, including myself, often surrounds the issue of identity:
1) Individual Country Identity
- Many of those in Hong Kong enjoyed the freedom of the 100 years British rule. It gave and allowed the people to build their individual Hong Kong identity. Whilst the return of Hong Kong to China does indeed mean Hong Kong is now a part of China, Hong Kong-ese still have a separate identity. Officially, this is recognised by the S.A.R that now stands behind 'Hong Kong', representing Hong Kong as a Special Administrative Region, and China's 'one country, two systems' ruling. Unofficially, this independence and separate identity may therefore be held by individuals, knowingly or unknowingly, and who may find it offensive when being recognised as being from China.
2) Different Chinese Identity
Whilst those from Hong Kong and those often recognised by the Hong Kong-ese as the 'mainland' Chinese from parts of China other than Hong Kong are all united as Chinese, difference exist between the mainland Chinese and the Hong Kong-ese.
- While Chinese people do look similar, mainland Chinese and Hong Kong-ese in fact can look different in terms of the physical/facial features.
- While China is made up of many different regions ranging from urban areas to the small town rural areas with cultures of pavement squatting and spitting, Hong Kong is generally quite urban with a city culture and people that generally do not take fancy to the ignorance of some such cultural displays in a culture revolving around respect
- While China has not always been at the technological forefront, Hong Kong has always been consistently modern in terms of technological advancement
- While China has a huge population of Chinese with Western knowledge sometimes ranging from almost none in some rural areas, Hong Kong has been, for a while, an international capital generally with Western knowledge, influences, English speakers, earlier than what has now increased in mainland China
- While the mainland Chinese typically speak Mandarin, Hong Kong people speak Cantonese, is form of Chinese that is separate to Mandarin, a fact often innocently disregarded those from places other than China and Hong Kong
Thus the recognition of Hong Kong-ese as being from China, with no recognition of the separate identity can be offensive to some.
3) Human survival instinct
With the return of Hong Kong China, some can also be offended as being recognised as being from China and recognised as one of the mainland Chinese for several reasons that the handover was associated brought with it:
- Hong Kong, as some may know is a hugely populated city with over 7 million people living in an 1,100 km-squared area. Looking from only the 4th story of the building, you would already be able to see those city minglers like ants moving around and for those who have visited London, it can often be the equivalent of London rush hour times by 5. So with the freedom of the mainland Chinese to go to Hong Kong post return of Hong Kong to China, there were increased mainland Chinese in the already populated area of the Hong Kong-ese
- The increased number of mainland Chinese looking for jobs in the International Capital meant there were fewer for the Hong Kong-ese already living there
- The increased number of mainland Chinese visitors who did not have the Western knowledge, respectful culture and speak the English language was embarrassing for some living in Hong Kong, for example with the undesirable displays of squatting and spitting on highly modernised transport
Do you have experiences with others where conflicts and disagreements arise for no clear apparent reasons?
Are you ever clouded by your own reactions and emotions or do you always step into the shoes of others to understand what the situation really is about so you can overcome difficulties?
Do you always consider how everyone holds a different model of the world?
The issue for some, including myself, often surrounds the issue of identity:
1) Individual Country Identity
- Many of those in Hong Kong enjoyed the freedom of the 100 years British rule. It gave and allowed the people to build their individual Hong Kong identity. Whilst the return of Hong Kong to China does indeed mean Hong Kong is now a part of China, Hong Kong-ese still have a separate identity. Officially, this is recognised by the S.A.R that now stands behind 'Hong Kong', representing Hong Kong as a Special Administrative Region, and China's 'one country, two systems' ruling. Unofficially, this independence and separate identity may therefore be held by individuals, knowingly or unknowingly, and who may find it offensive when being recognised as being from China.
2) Different Chinese Identity
Whilst those from Hong Kong and those often recognised by the Hong Kong-ese as the 'mainland' Chinese from parts of China other than Hong Kong are all united as Chinese, difference exist between the mainland Chinese and the Hong Kong-ese.
- While Chinese people do look similar, mainland Chinese and Hong Kong-ese in fact can look different in terms of the physical/facial features.
- While China is made up of many different regions ranging from urban areas to the small town rural areas with cultures of pavement squatting and spitting, Hong Kong is generally quite urban with a city culture and people that generally do not take fancy to the ignorance of some such cultural displays in a culture revolving around respect
- While China has not always been at the technological forefront, Hong Kong has always been consistently modern in terms of technological advancement
- While China has a huge population of Chinese with Western knowledge sometimes ranging from almost none in some rural areas, Hong Kong has been, for a while, an international capital generally with Western knowledge, influences, English speakers, earlier than what has now increased in mainland China
- While the mainland Chinese typically speak Mandarin, Hong Kong people speak Cantonese, is form of Chinese that is separate to Mandarin, a fact often innocently disregarded those from places other than China and Hong Kong
Thus the recognition of Hong Kong-ese as being from China, with no recognition of the separate identity can be offensive to some.
3) Human survival instinct
With the return of Hong Kong China, some can also be offended as being recognised as being from China and recognised as one of the mainland Chinese for several reasons that the handover was associated brought with it:
- Hong Kong, as some may know is a hugely populated city with over 7 million people living in an 1,100 km-squared area. Looking from only the 4th story of the building, you would already be able to see those city minglers like ants moving around and for those who have visited London, it can often be the equivalent of London rush hour times by 5. So with the freedom of the mainland Chinese to go to Hong Kong post return of Hong Kong to China, there were increased mainland Chinese in the already populated area of the Hong Kong-ese
- The increased number of mainland Chinese looking for jobs in the International Capital meant there were fewer for the Hong Kong-ese already living there
- The increased number of mainland Chinese visitors who did not have the Western knowledge, respectful culture and speak the English language was embarrassing for some living in Hong Kong, for example with the undesirable displays of squatting and spitting on highly modernised transport
Do you have experiences with others where conflicts and disagreements arise for no clear apparent reasons?
Are you ever clouded by your own reactions and emotions or do you always step into the shoes of others to understand what the situation really is about so you can overcome difficulties?
Do you always consider how everyone holds a different model of the world?
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