Hong Kong People

Hong Kong - The Culture

Hong Kong is a meeting point for the Eastern and Western worlds.  Though each generation of local Chinese appears to be more westernized than the one before, a few eastern values remain heavily rooted in Hong Kong life and culture.

Two of the more significant traditional ideas include saving face and the awareness of hierarchy, both in the family and society.  A person saves or gains face when respected, given a complement, or having an increase in self-esteem.  Face is lost through being humiliated, insulted, or contradicted.

The second value worth mentioning, and one important for Hong Kong expats to be aware of, comes from the Confucian teaching that emphasizes an individual’s position in society and how people should behave according to certain relationships.  Respect for age and seniority are traits that have never died; and although it is not apparent in casual behavior, the youth of Hong Kong show great care for their seniors.

Photographs by mikeleeorg and lesquare at www.Flickr.com