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A Borrowed Place: The History of Hong Kong | 
 enlarge | Author: Frank Welsh
Publisher: Kodansha Amer Inc
Category: Book
Buy New: $17.48
New (4) Used (10) Collectible (1) from $3.12
Rating:  7 reviews
Sales Rank: 473504
Media: Paperback
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.7
Dimensions (in): 9 x 5.8 x 1.8
ISBN: 1568361343
Dewey Decimal Number: 973
EAN: 9781568361345
ASIN: 1568361343
Publication Date: July 1996
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: 1996 softcover, light shelfwear, Sk-4, box-08
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Product Description
A sweeping history of Hong Kong, Britain's last colony, documents court intrigues of London and Peking, the heyday of the British Empire, economic development, its role as a refuge from mainland Chinese communism, and the 1997 return to Chinese sovereignty.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 2 more reviews...
 Great Read but Traditional Outlook March 24, 2006
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This book provides a good source for the origins of Hong Kong and tells a fascinating story. It is especially good in detail in pre 1945 history with more than 2/3 of the book dedicated to that time period.
What bothered me about this book was the readiness of the author of accepting Nationalist assumptions of the origin of states. Writing about the time after 1962, Welsh says: "China had regained what could be regarded as her historic boundaries, with major exceptions of Taiwan and Hong Kong, and was willing to allow negotiations for the restoration of these to take their course without more pressure" (p. 444) The assumption of historic borders, though, is problematic. Tibet and Xinjiang have been rather recent additions to what is today the People's Republic of China. Taiwan only became a province under the Qing dynasty. During World War II, Mao Zedong even considered independence for Taiwan. It was Chiang Kai-shek's brutal conquest of the island that changed the equation. In the end, Welsh should be aware that countries are a mere creation of humans and are bound to change over time.
 One with Nineveh and Tyre Redux August 15, 2004
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
One is old enough to remember the British Empire during the period between 1945 and the devaluation of sterling in 1967, as a young, inquisitive, American, and when I visited London in 1973, I was duly impressed, as was Henry James in 1880, by the sooty *gravitas* of that great city as if it was still dreaming of Hong Kong, and palm and pine.
But much water has passed under London bridge since then. The past year or so, my commercial affairs have taken me to two dying embers of the British Empire, Suva in Fiji and Hong Kong, now a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. Welshs book is invaluable on Hong Kong.
Dying? Dead. Suva is today a province in fact if not in law of Australia and Frank Welsh's book makes it very clear that Hong Kong never was British. It's always been a Chinese city with a vast Chinese majority.
The British overlordship was curiously meaningless, and, if I read Welsh's book alright, it has serious lessons for any American still so foolish as to support Bush's idiotic attempt at reconquista in Iraq.
For in weak piping times of peace, there is, it seems, and at least in the UK and in America, dominated as they are, and rightfully so, by formidable females, no shortage of men who come upon a mad desire for military folly nel mezzo de camin, as a midlife crisis.
Precisely when the generation that had actually braved shot and shell at Waterloo was beginning to succumb to age and strong drink, ambitious and unscrupulous politicians, it is clear from Welsh, decided it was time, in Marx's sense, to resolve a few contradictions with gun-powder.
The Opium wars resulted even as today the Iraq wars have been the folly of choice.
Like the Iraq wars, the Opium wars had a curious two-phase structure. The first war was limited by what the impossible French would call considerations of humanity on both sides. British commanders set specific limited goals and the Chinese mandarins actually expressed, more than once, concern for the welfare of white colonies in Guangdong factories and in Macau.
In the 1840s, neither side in other words quite fit the demonizing caricature and one is reminded of the fact that Tariq Azis, now in American clink, is an Iraqi Christian (a damnably inconvenient fact well-concealed by the idiot American news media) who endeavored to limit the first war for nothing more, and nothing less, than considerations of humanity (for let us not speak falsely now the hour is much too late)even as Bush the elder (and a genuine coalition) could not stomach a drive on Baghdad.
Iraqi physicians and soldiers in April of 2003 protected Jessica Lynch until her rescue for nothing more, and nothing less, than considerations of humanity.
In the Guangdong region, British commanders demanded extra-territorality because the Mandarins would, they said, impose savage and un-Christian punishments on Britishers, and the British wanted to impose condign Christian punishments including the cat of nine tails, hanging, and abandonment at towns end to starve.
The second war, and the subsequent Elgin mission, were thanks to Palmerston (the evil genius of the entire affair) less informed on the Chinese side by Mencius benign philosophy, or what the unspeakable French would call considerations, de lhumanite. And as a result, by the time of Elgins violation of China, beastliness erupted on both sides: the scent of blood was in the air as it is today in Najaf.
Britain received as its prize a humid gaggle of mountainous islands, and, as soon as it was known that money was to be made, millions of Chinese swarmed in, who in fact made Hong Kong the great city it is today. Hong Kong never really benefited Britain. Any more than Iraq, so far, has been a net benefit to the sharpers and criminals who lured America into hell has been anything more than bloody and expensive folly, did Hong Kong benefit Britain. For as Welsh notes, Britains trade with little Holland has always exceeded its trade with China.
Indeed, I am reminded, reading of British trades misadventures in Hong Kong and in China, of the hapless Indian touts at Tsim Sha Shue, who attempt to interest one in a fine British tailored wool suit. This is usually in 100+ Fahrenheit when one is covered in sweat, where the very thought of worsted is the worst thing in the world. One says to the tout with a grin, nemestay, sahib, knowing that he is just trying to get by; but one wonders who signs on for fine British tailoring in the tropics other than mad dogs and Englishmen.
Welsh is most amusing on, and most unimpressed by, Thatcher who like a tropical storm visited Hong Kong and China in the 1980s, making silly noises about treating Hong Kong as Britain treated the Falklands while her generals and admirals had kittens. Britain had, of course, no real leverage.
Britain exhibited le perfide Anglais and nauseating hypocrisy. It extracted a series of promises from the Chinese leadership without being in the least able to enforce Chinas conformity to them. In the one area where Britain had leverage, the issuance of passports to Chinese inhabitants, Britain simply stonewalled: one cant have more wogs, especially hard-working wogs.
But China does keep more or less to her 1997 commitments in order perhaps to lure Taiwan into one country, two systems and Hong Kong flourishes as before with today, it seems, at least one Brooks Brothers outlet per capitaoffering wear appropriate to the noonday sun. For China, much depends on dinner and Hong Kong is a meal ticket.
Alls well, that ends well, so far. But clearly the Opium wars and the grab of Hong Kong began Britains slow decline into the tragicomic opera of today. For it was shortly after the Arrow nonsense that Germany began to beat Britain at commerce.
Perhaps Iraq is Americas paredon in the same way.
A spirited history January 23, 2004
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Frank Welsh has written a magnificent history of Hong Kong: His account of nearly two centuries of British rule is comprehensive, spirited, fair and funny. Welsh obviously enjoyed writing this book, and his energy and enthusiasm are contagious. I loved his concise, blunt and often hilarious assessments of the rogues, eccentrics, incompetents and occasional heroes who governed or otherwise played major roles in Hong Kong: Gov. John Bowring "possessed almost every gift but that of common sense.'' "It might have been possible to find a man more unsuited to be a Colonial Governor than John Pope Hennessey,'' Welsh writes, "but it would not have been easy.'' Welsh admits that he writes from an Anglo perspective, and he is sympathetic to Hong Kong's British colonial rulers. But he is not blind to their snobbish, condescending and sometimes plainly racist attitudes toward the ethnic Chinese they ruled. To this reader, Welsh's argument that the Opium War wasn't really about opium isn't convincing, but his defense of the so-called "unequal treaties" between China and Britain is. Welsh sometimes wades too far into the minutiae of diplomacy and politics, and he too readily assumes the reader's familiarity with 18th century British history and personalities. But these are quibbles; in fact, the weaknesses are the flipside of one of the book's great strengths: It strives to put events in Hong Kong in a broader historical perspective, explaining the political backdrop in Britain or mainland China. One of Welsh's recurring themes struck this reader as particularly timely: the shameful degree to which Hong Kong's business elites, be they British or Chinese, put their narrow interest in profit above the public interest. In the 19th century, Hong Kong moneymen, worried about losing tenants and facing higher costs, opposed efforts to improve public sanitation and fight disease by tearing down squalid, congested tenement buildings. Today, they argue alongside the communist leadership in Beijing against any expansion of democracy in Hong Kong - fearful no doubt that a democratically accountable government might look twice at their privileges and dodgy business practices. Overall, this is a fine book and belongs on the shelf of anyone interested in the history of Hong Kong or indeed of Great Britain.
Definitely Worth the Time August 4, 2002
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Although a little 'dry' at times, this was a thoroughly enjoyable read. Frank Welsh's analysis of the development of this incredible city, its history and culture is fantastic. What caught my attention was in the Introduction when he remarked that Hong Kong was never a British colony but a Chinese colony administered by the British. From there on, he had my attention.
Good Read September 16, 2001
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
Frank Welsch provides his audience with a clear and comprehensive interperation of the events that have shaped this great city of the world. I would, however, make a few suggestions and warnings before one purchases this book. First, one of the great aspects of this work is its relentless display of primary sources and attention to detail. It might not be the best read for one who is trying to obtain a concise and short history of hong kong. The primary sources are fascinating and makes one feel as if they are watching over the shoulders of colonial officiers and engrossing themselves in the soap opera of creating and maintaining a colony. The second warning would be to expect a majority of the work to focus on the pre-twentieth century development of the colony. Although the author does provide enough of post twentieth century to ensure a satisfied understanding of the events, one who is focusing on modern hong kong, like myself, might want to consider another read. And finally, Mr. Welsch does touch base with social and cultural history, but his main focus is on the polties of hong kong. Do not expect a great emergence into this subject.
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