"MacKiwi's Hong Kong Page" a Hong Kong Travel Page by MacKiwi

<b>Welcome to this most vibrant and exciting city which is currently our home. This is a shot of HK Island taken from Kowloon during the Chinese New Year celebrations.</b>

<center><b><font color=red>HONG KONG: WHAT'S IN A NAME?</font></b></center>

<b>Hong Kong's English name is derived from two Chinese characters, Heung and Gong ("fragrant harbour"). Originally this was only the name of a small settlement near Aberdeen, the main fishing and entry port for pre-colonial Hong Kong Island. Some historians suggest Hong Kong's Chinese name was inspired by its export of fragrant incense


The explanation for Kowloon's name is even more romantic. In Chinese, the peninsula's name is Kow Lung ("Nine Dragons"). It is believed this dates back as far as eight centuries to Emperor Ping, one of two boy-emperors of the doomed Sung Dynasty whose court fled to Hong Kong. He is said to have counted eight mountains in the area, and decided to name it "Eight Dragons" based on the belief that a dragon inhabits every mountain. His tally was corrected by a quick-witted courtier who pointed out that as emperors were also believed to be dragons, there were nine dragons - Emperor Ping being the ninth.

The origins and historical validity of the legend are still widely debated. An ancient rock inscription, which lies in a small park, in Kowloon City, by the edge of Hong Kong's former International Airport, confirms the boy-emperor's travelling palace was in Hong Kong</b>

<Center><b>For info on CHINA in general, visit <a href=http://www.virtualtourist.com/m/.148459/72/?s=A>My China Page</a> and travelogues</b></center>

<center><img src=http://hongkong.en.images.free.fr/sample.gif></center>
<center><img src=http://www.bluemax.com/animate/websitefAGIFdownloads/Flags/AllNations/G-N/hong_kong_clr.gif></center>

<center><font color=blue>All photos taken by myself are digitally marked. Please do not use them without permission</font><font color=red
© David Macleod 2002 (copyright)</font>
<center><font color=blue>For enquiries, please email: <A HREF="mailto:david@mackiwi.com">david@mackiwi.com</A></font>