HONGKONG
Asia's city world
History
Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China. This arrangement allows the city to enjoy a high degree of autonomy, including retaining its capitalist system, independent judiciary and rule of law, free trade and freedom of speech.
The city began as a coastal island geographically located off the southern coast of China.
Today, the former British colony is a major tourism destination for China's increasingly affluent mainland population. It is also an important hub in East Asia with global connections to many of the world's cities.
The city began as a coastal island geographically located off the southern coast of China.
Today, the former British colony is a major tourism destination for China's increasingly affluent mainland population. It is also an important hub in East Asia with global connections to many of the world's cities.
Now all of you are about to experience the spirit and Hong Kong’s story yourself by exploring the city’s rich culture and heritage.
The culture
Hong Kong's culture was born in a sophisticated fusion of East and West. It not only kept many Chinese traditions, but also experienced a baptism of western culture. This situation led to the diversity of its culture and the people there are open-minded to accept variety.
The population of Hong Kong is formed by Cantonese, Shanghainese, British, Indians and Jews mainly. Cantonese is the majority and Cantonese culture is the mainstream there. Thus, many Chinese concepts like 'family solidarity', 'family glory', 'saving face' and 'modesty' carry significant weight in Hong Kong's culture. On the other hand, many locals have adopted western ways of life.
People
Cantonese is used most widely. Since the city's reversion to China in 1997, the local government has adopted the 'biliterate and trilingual' policy. That's to say, Chinese and English are regarded as the official languages; Cantonese, Chinese mandarin and English are spoken languages.
Language
As a culinary capital of Asia, Hong Kong boasts various delicacies in the local or from overseas. The city is influenced by western countries and some of the foods there combine the flavors of Chinese cuisine and western cuisine.
Food
In Hong Kong, people celebrate the Chinese traditional holidays, such as Chinese Lunar New Year, Ching Ming Festival (Qing Ming Festival) and Mid-Autumn Festival. And also they have a holiday on Good Friday, Eastern Monday, Christmas Day and other western festivals.
holdiay
Religious freedom is one of the fundamental rights
enjoyed by Hong Kong residents. It is protected by the
Basic Law and other relevant legislation. There is a
large variety of religious groups in the Hong Kong
Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), including
Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Christianity, Islam,
Hinduism, Sikhism and Judaism. All of these groups
have a considerable number of adherents. Apart from
offering religious instructions, many major religious
bodies have established schools and provided health
and welfare facilities.
Religon
Colors of hong kong
| Colors | Meaning |
| Black | colour for young boys (who will continue the family/ ancestor lineages), delving into the depth of something, flowing, dormant, conserving, immortality, stability, knowledge, trust, adaptability etc |
| Yellow | nourishing, supporting, stabilizing, ripening, grounded, solid, reliability, sunbeam, warmth, clarity, royalty, good faith, empathy vs anxiety |
| Red | traditional bridal colour, expansive, blooming, dynamic, enthusiastic, reaching upwards, good luck, celebration, happiness, joy |
| White | mourning, contracting, withering, righteousness, pureness, confidence, intuition, strength, organisation, death |
| Blue | conserving, healing, relaxation, exploration, trust, calmness, immortality |
| Green | growing, generating, sprouting, striving, refreshing, balancing, calming, healing, self assurance, foundation, |
Social interactions
Hong Kong is very sophisticated and cosmopolitan, blending the cultures of Asia and Europe. Its people are highly educated, very motivated and westernized. Hong Kong is 98% Chinese (Cantonese), but the people view themselves as different from other Chinese. Cantonese habits and customs are dominant. An individual's actions, prestige, education, wealth and reputation reflect positively or negatively on the entire family.
The people (again)
Meeting and Greeting
| Do's | Don'ts |
| Higher-ranking persons are introduced before those of lower rank. An older person comes before a younger person, and a woman before a man. Family members are greeted in order of age, oldest first and youngest last. | Do not greet without order |
| Shake hands with everyone -- men, women and children -- upon meeting and leaving - men, women and children -- upon meeting and leaving. | Don't firmly grasp a persons hand |
| Inquire about a person's health or activities upon greeting. | Do not attempt to give anyone a high five |
Gift Giving Etiquette
| Do's | Don'ts |
| A gift should be refused 2 - 3 before it is accepted | Do not forget to bring bring good quality sweets, fruit, flowers, or imported spirits to the hostess. |
| Gold and red are lucky colours, so they make excellent gift wrapping and elaborate gift wrapping is important. | Do not give scissors, knives or other cutting utensils, as they indicate that you want to sever the relationship. |
| Eight is a particularly auspicious number, so giving eight of something bestows good fortune on the recipient | Do not wrap gifts in white, blue or black paper. |
| Always present gifts with two hands | Do not open gifts after you have revived it |
Dressing and Male&Female Interactions
Women in Hong Kong are generally more independent, monetarily autonomous, assertive, and career-focused; which makes them seem to be more prominent when comparing with women in some other Southeast Asian countries. With the increase number of women in professional and managerial positions in recent decades, the terms of "female strong person" or "superwomen" are being used to describe women in Hong Kong.
| Do's | Don'ts |
| Hong Kong residents are very style-conscious and dress well. Modesty and cleanliness are very important. | Do not go out looking unclean and unkept |
| All types of clothing are worn in Hong Kong. However, taste and fashion look more toward Japan than Britain or the United States. Clothing should be light for summer with sweaters and jackets for winter. | Do not dress to heavy and dress according to the weather |
| For business, men should wear conservative and lightweight Western-style suits and ties. Women should wear conservative dresses, suits or skirts and blouses. | Women must not show to much skin in at work |
| The Chinese tend to dress up when going out in the evening. Most European-style hotel restaurants require a coat and tie in the evening. Women should wear cocktail dresses or evening pants. | It is not advised to have pierced ears |
Business in hong kong
buisness Meetings and negotiations
Appointments are necessary and should be made between 1 and 2 months in advance if you are travelling to Hong Kong.
Avoid trying to schedule meetings during Chinese New Year (late January or early February) as many businesses close for a week during that time.
You should arrive at meetings on time.
.If you are detained, telephone and advise the person you are meeting.
There will be a period of small talk before getting down to business discussions.
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when meeting your Hong Kong business associates, allow the most senior person in your delegation to lead the group and be introduced first.
buisness Meetings and negotiations
BUSINESS NEGOTIATIONS HAPPEN AT A SLOW PACE. .AVOID LOSING YOUR TEMPER OR YOU WILL LOSE FACE AND DAMAGE YOUR RELATIONSHIP.
DO NOT USE HIGH-PRESSURE TACTICS. YOU MIGHT BE OUT-MANEUVERED. .
DECISIONS ARE USUALLY MADE AT THE TOP OF THE COMPANY. HOWEVER, THE PACE OF DECISION MAKING IS SWIFTER THAN IN OTHER ASIAN COUNTRIES.
YOUR STARTING PRICE SHOULD LEAVE ROOM FOR NEGOTIATION. NEVER OFFER YOUR BEST PRICE INITIALLY.
BUSINESS IS MORE PRICE THAN QUALITY DRIVEN.
IF YOU ARE SIGNING A CONTRACT, THE SIGNING DATE MAY BE DETERMINED BY AN ASTROLOGER OR A FENG SHUI PRACTITIONER.
Building Relationships & Communication
Although business people in Hong Kong do not require long-standing personal relationships to do business, many businesses are family- owned, so personal relationships are an integral part of the enterprise.
Once you have begun to work with a Hong Kong businessperson, it is important to maintain the relationship.
When you first meet, expect a fair amount of small talk. Your Hong Kong colleagues will want to get to know you well enough that they are comfortable working with you.
Do not be surprised if you are asked questions that might be considered extremely personal in your home country.
Hong Kong Chinese are direct communicators, although they also make use of non-verbal communication
Building Relationships & Communication
In general, businesspeople are non- confrontational and will never overtly say no, so that they do not embarrass the other person.
As in many Asian cultures, silence is a form of communication.
Resist the urge to jump into the conversation if your Hong Kong business colleague remains silent for a minute.
Face is an intangible quality that reflects a person's reputation, dignity, and prestige.
.Companies as well as individuals have face and this is often the rationale behind business transactions.
- Business Protocol
Punctuality is expected and respected; be on time for all appointments. Allow courtesy time" (30 minutes) if someone is late for an appointment with you.
Tea is served at meetings. Do not drink until your host takes the first sip. A host leaving tea untouched signals the end of the meeting.
Bring business cards printed in English on one side and Chinese on the other side. Make sure that the Chinese side uses "classical" characters, the written form of Chinese used in Hong Kong, and not "simplified" characters, which are used in the People's Republic of China. Upon introduction, present your business card with both hands and with the Chinese side up.
"Yes" may not mean agreement; it often means "I hear you." "No" is generally not said. Instead, you may hear "I will have to wait," or "This may be very difficult."
Toasting is an important part of a Chinese dinner. If you are the guest of honor and are toasted, smile, raise your glass, make eye contact, drink, raise your glass and thank the host and guests.
Employment management
All employers are required to have valid employees’ compensation insurance policies to cover their liabilities both under the ordinance and at common law.
The Occupational Safety Officers of the Labour Department promote and protect the health and safety of employees in the industrial and non-industrial sectors. To reduce accidents and guard against ill-health, efforts are focused on legislative control, safety training, education and promotion.
The Employment Ordinance provides the framework for a comprehensive code of employment. It governs the payment of wages, the termination of employment contracts and the operation of employment agencies. The law provides statutory holidays with pay, sick leave, maternity protection, rest days, paid annual leave and employment protection for employees. All employees have statutory protection against anti-union discrimination.
fun facts
Hong Kong Disneyland, which opened in 2005, is the third Disney theme park outside the US and the first in China.
It has the most skyscrapers in the world, with 8,000 buildings having more than 14 floors, almost double that of New York.
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It has historically been the world's leading city with the maximum number of Rolls-Royce luxury cars per capita. The largest single order of 14 Rolls-Royce Phantoms was by The Peninsula Hotel Hong Kong.
It has the highest IQ average at 107.
Questions
DOES HONG KONG INDUCE CULTURE SHOCK?
Because of Hong Kong’s mixed East/West history and present, culture shock is not as present an issue as many places in the East. Those who live in Hong Kong have the unique option to embrace as opulent a Western lifestyle as they like, or on the other hand adopt as much of the rich local culture on offer. You just need to know where to go.
What is the primary culture difference when doing business in Hong Kong?
Guanxi, or the development of interpersonal relationships is still very important in Hong Kong- even today. The exchange of business cards is an integral part of the business process and is seen as an exchange of gifts- especially amongst the Chinese. It may be taken as an offence if you do not provide a business card in exchange for your acquaintance’s card.
In general, as long as one holds an acceptable level of respect then there is little to be concerned about on a business level.
what does the colors black and red reoresent in Hong kong?
Black respresents colour for young boys (who will continue the family/ ancestor lineages), delving into the depth of something, flowing, dormant, conserving, immortality, stability, knowledge, trust, adapt etc ability and red represents traditional bridal colour, expansive, blooming, dynamic, enthusiastic, reaching upwards, good luck, celebration, happiness, joy
hong kong is a _______________ of china
Hong kong is a special administrative region (sar) of the people's republic of china.
What are the prominent religions in Hong Kong?
Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism and Judaism
感谢您的收听，再见
Gǎnxiè nín de shōutīng, zàijiàn
Thank you for listening and goodbye
Bibliography
(2014, 3 13). Retrieved from Discover HongKong: http://www.discoverhongkong.com/
(2014, 03 13). Retrieved from Travel China Guide: http://www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/hongkong/when-to-go.htm
(2014, 03 13). Retrieved from E-Diplomat: http://www.ediplomat.com/np/cultural_etiquette/ce_hk.htm
(2014, 03 13). Retrieved from Kwintessential: http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/hongkong-country-profile.html
(2014, 03 13). Retrieved from Nations Online: http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/Chinese_Customs/colours.htm
