Amazing footage of 1930s Hong Kong

Dec 4, 2008

Category: Hong Kong Tags:

A great travel video of Hong Kong from the 1930s. Amazing images.

Notable aspects: Large number of sedan chairs; Chinese-style clothing that has now been replaced by western dress; old HSBC building is the tallest in town (it would now be dwarfed); they refer to WWI as “the World War”; use of the word “oriental”

Anything else strike you?

Greg‘s favorite at 1:50 : “Under tolerant and wise british rule, with willing oriental assistance…”

Discussion

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View Comments for “Amazing footage of 1930s Hong Kong”

Matt

There's a guy at 5.40 smoking a huge bong. It reminds me of a guy downstairs from our office on Wing Lok St in Sheung Wan, who still smokes one of these. I'll try and grab a photo and post it - it's classic. Some things don't change. Great video posting.
Carrie

Thank you for posting the video. Amazing footage! Being born in HK and educated overseas, I have never seen anything like it.

We have come a long way! Things have changed so much.

I really enjoyed watching the video - thanks again! :)
Sue D

Hmmm...lots of running from the cameras by the locals..fear??
Very cool video!
RPMC

Wow, amazing, I was a child in the sixties and it did not change that much compared to the thirties, I went back in the ninties, and it changed alot. Have not been back since but I am thinking of moving back to HK. Everybody thought HK will go to hell in a hand basket when the British leave, but China actually did a fairly good job.
Jean-François

Thanks a lot for that video !

Agree with PP, almost no any single building are still there (Wondering why..war ?) !
Pieter-Paul

Amazing how much has changed, I think there is actually no single building in that video that is still there...
chanthomas

The old Supreme Court Building is still here.
Paul Woodward

It's amazing how much of that commentary could come right out of a HKTDC promotional video today! They'd probably skip the "tolerant and wise British rule" bit....mind you, what is so funny about that? There must be some wisdom in wearing long shorts and pith helmets so outrageous that the local populace are unable to stir themselves to rebel because their sides ache so much from the laughing.
cs

great evidence of why HSBC's capital ratio still allows it to self fund even today. also liked "Che Wing Gum"
gd

that was at 1:50, btw...
gd

"Under tolerant and wise british rule, with willing oriental assistance..."

!!