The Celebration

What is Hong Kong Day?

​​何謂香港開埠日?

Did you know which day Hong Kong was officially born? In late January 1841, during the Sino-British Trade War, the Royal Navy landed on an Island in the South China Coast.  Later the 1st Administrator of Hong Kong, Charles Elliot, declared the island as a British territory and named it "Hong Kong".  So, Hong Kong Day is not only a day to mark the establishment of Hong Kong on the 26th January, but also a day worthy of celebration.

​

香港究竟係幾時正式出現? 1841年1月下旬、正值英清貿易戰爭期間，英軍登陸華南沿岸一處無名小島，首任香港行政官義律隨即於1月26號宣佈小島為英國屬土並命名為「香港」。因此，香港開埠日即為紀念1841年1月26號、香港誕生日。

The Meaning of Hong Kong Day

​​香港開埠日意義

Whilst It is true that Hong Kong was established as primarily a port of commerce, the establishment also meant liberation for the aboriginal islanders who were long treated as "undesirables" under the Chinese Confucianism society.  Hong Kong also became a bastion of values such as the rule of law within East Asia, which in turns has influenced the Japanese Meiji Restoration and the Chinese revolution (against the Manchus Empire).

​

雖然香港開埠主因乃係商貿，但開埠同時卻解放香港島原住民、使其擺脫中華社會制度強加之「賤民」身份，從而得享人身自由。香港開埠後，亦成為宣傳如法治等現代價值之基地，東亞地區如日本明治維新及中國 (反清) 革命皆有受香港影響。

The Host

主辦

We are The Blue Society of Cultural and Heritage Studies, a society with a focus on the study of history and culture of Hong Kong and Macau.  It was formed in 2010 and we have started to run "Hong Kong Day" celebration since 2014. We are also likely to be the first non-governmental association to organise Hong Kong Day celebration.

​

主辦方 The Blue 文史研究學會於2010年草創，係一個研究港澳文化及歷史學會。學會於2014年起每年舉辦「香港開埠日」紀念活動，亦可能係本埠最早紀念開埠之民間學會。

This Year's Celebration

是年慶典

The theme of this year's celebration are music and cuisine.  We would like to introduce the origins of Hong Kong’s culture to you; on the formation of a colonial culture with both eastern and western characteristics.  From Custard tart to Egg-tart, Britpop to HKpop; From Britain to Hong Kong.

​

是年開埠慶典主題，將以音樂與飲食帶出港式文化起源，一個東西文化混合而成之殖民地文化結晶如何誕生，由蛋撻講到英倫搖滾，由英國講到香港。

​

Past Celebrations

​​昔日慶典

Our celebration of Hong Kong Day has come to the 6th time in 2019.  In the past, we have arranged parties on an antique bus (2014); in Tamar Park (2015); on a tram (2016); in an Edwardian heritage building (2017); in a "Bing sutt" (literally: ice room) theme party-room (2018). All of these are symbolic of different part and stages of Hong Kong’s history and culture.

​

是年 (2019) 將係第六次舉辦香港開埠日慶典，過往亦曾於不同具香港特色地方舉行，例如古董巴士 (2014)、添馬公園 (2015)、電車 (2016)、愛德華建築風格古跡 (2017) 及冰室主題房 (2018)。