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People, Boats and Money
Where land meets water you'll usually find liquid assets. So it is with
"Hong Kong," or the "fragrant harbor." Even the name of this soon to be relinquished British treaty port, refers to the lucrative trade in
incense that flourished here as early as the Ming dynasty. In 1842, when China
ceded Hong Kong to the British, a handful of fishing and farming villages were
literally "trading" seafood for produce. In 1996, after more than a century as the world's most perfect example of free trade, Hong Kong has the second highest living standard in Asia. Today, Candide explores Hong Kong, its island neighbors and the relationship between people, boats and money.
The Venice of Hong Kong
It's hard to believe that Hong Kong Island, with its futuristic sky scrapers and
sardine-like living conditions, began as a collection of tiny fishing villages.
Candide visited Tai O fishing village on the outlying island of Lantau to get an
idea of what life might have been like before the British.
The Opium War
Even when trade is free, it isn't always equal. Two centuries before GATT,
Britain ran up a huge deficit with China and decided to balance things out by
peddling drugs. The result: an epidemic of addiction, two wars, and the birth
of Hong Kong as a center of international trade.
In Search of the Floating Palace
Whether they carry fish, oil or treasure, boats mean money. But when Candide heard rumors of a boat that could haul
in the clams without leaving pier-side, we were hooked!
The Fisherman's Friend
Before whisking off to Hong Kong in our own 47-knot ferry, we paid a visit
to the Temple of Tin Hou. A goddess long honored by fishermen for her ability to protect them
from storms and bring happiness to the people.
This feature includes a Quick Time VR Movie.
Made in China
