An interview with Dvir Bar-Gal on August, 21, 2024
Expert for the Jewish History of Shanghai
A Chance Find Leads To Two Decades Of Heritage Commitment
“I came to Shanghai from Sri Lanka, where I used to work for Israeli television during the 1990s first as a cameraman and then as the director of short features. I moved to Shanghai to cover September 11, 2001 at which time the Israeli media did not have many journalists in China. So I worked as a freelance journalist, studied Chinese, and during the course of my study, began to take an interest in the Jewish heritage tours run by an Israeli woman at the consulate there, Georgia Noy.
Soon after I met Georgia, she brought me a story she thought would be of interest to Israeli viewers about an antique shop in Shanghai selling Jewish gravestones. At the beginning, I did not think it would be interesting for me as a TV maker – I had previously shot a story in Sofia, Bulgaria, about Jewish cemeteries in bad condition and it didn’t make the headlines in Israel. But then Georgia explained to me that Shanghai used to have four Jewish cemeteries. And later I learned that there were about 3,700 Jewish graves! This was in the late 1940’s at the time of the Chinese Communist Revolution, and none of them exist in the city today. We’re talking about four cemeteries, with close to 4000 Jewish graves all disappearing from the ground!
After China reopened to the west, I would say from the late 1990s to 2000 people started to contact Georgia and they contacted the Chabad rabbi in Shanghai looking for the burial places of their ancestors, yet nobody could tell them what had happened to them, or even what to look for. Georgia and I went to the antique shop, and from there began to explore the story. Our research took us outside Shanghai to Qingpu District, which is today part of the city, but in 2001 was a village area on the outskirts.
There, we started to find and collect Jewish gravestones. People were using them as wash boards, stepping stones and as construction material. Although it was not my intention when I first came to Shanghai, for the last 23 years I have been trying to locate as many Jewish gravestones as I can find. Then with a few grants, I developed a project to collect as many I could collect with a goal of preserving them in a memorial site in the city. 23 years later, most of these gravestones are in a storage facility far from the city and the government still hasn’t given us permission to build a memorial site. So even today, this project is on the go in the hope that one day we will be able to do something more proper with the lost Jewish gravestones that I have found.
Through the process of doing journalistic research into the lost cemeteries, I learned much more about the Jewish history of Shanghai. And then about a year and a half after we met, when Georgia left to go back to Israel, she asked me if I would like to help run her tours. That kept me busy from 2002 to Covid in 2020. Thanks to Imperial Tours and others from around 400 visitors per year that Georgia had when she left, I grew this business almost 10 times the size.
One of the reasons I have come to find the whole story fascinating is because in Israel, the story of Shanghai is completely unknown.
The First Wave Of Baghdadi Jewish Opium Traders to Shanghai (1840’s – 1890’s)
On my tours, I give a lot more information about the Opium War, but in brief, there were three major Jewish immigrations to Shanghai, and the first one was right after the Opium War in the middle of the 19th century. The Brits won over China in 1842 and took small city ports for themselves. Shanghai was one of them. Following that, a Jewish community started to develop, mostly of originally Baghdadi Jews who came via India. They lived in India already, and expanded their business from there to Shanghai. Most of it was based on opium trading. We’re talking about a very small community centred around the Sassoon family, who used to have a huge conglomerate trading between the Far East and England with trading posts from Singapore to Manila to Rangoon in Burma, Kobe, Japan and so on. After the Sassoons opened their offices across the Far East, they started to bring other people they knew from Baghdad or Bombay to work for them, and with that, a Jewish community, mostly Baghdadi in origin, established itself in Shanghai. It stayed small, but very, very rich… very wealthy.
One cannot underestimate how much they contributed to the way that Shanghai developed to be what it is today. Many of today’s landmarks, like the Fairmont Peace Hotel, which used to be called the Cathay Hotel, built by Sir Viktor Sassoon… many of these impressive landmarks are still standing today, but not just these. Even the roads and districts, the main road in Shanghai, Nanjing Road… it’s really hard to underestimate what the Baghdadi Jewish community built. And they were never more than 1000 people.
They built two synagogues. One is Ohel Raquel and one is Beta Haron, of which Ohel Rahel is still standing today. The Sassoon family built it. Beta Haron, unfortunately, was destroyed in 1997. The major names of this community will be the Sassoon’s whom I mentioned before, the Kadoorie family, who still exist with big businesses in the Far East (including the Peninsula Hotels), maybe the only Baghdadi Jewish family from this wave that still impacts the Far East. There was also the Hardoon family, the Sofer, the Ezra, the Abraham family. We’re talking about the movers and the shakers of Shanghai in the late 19th and early 20th century.
Second Wave Of Jewish Immigration Was From Russia (1890’s to 1930’s)
In the early 20th century, there were so many good reasons for Ashkenazi Russian Jews to emigrate as soon as they could. An official program of antisemitism came from the Tsar himself. He forced many of the male Jews from the age of 14 to serve in his army. Many of them, if they did not shoot themselves in the leg to avoid conscription, tried to emigrate to other countries. Soon after came the pogroms in the Vale of Settlements and in all the shtetl and so there were a lot of good reasons for Jews to leave Russia. They went all over the world, to South Africa, to England, to America, but they also came to China.
When they went to China, they did not need to take any boat. They came over the trains on Siberian railways from the west to the east, and then either directly or via the city of Harbin in Manchuria, where there was also a large Jewish community for a time, they took trains down south to Shanghai, which soon developed to be a cosmopolitan city in the early 20th century. The Russian Jewish community grew between the 1890’s to the 1930’s to almost 6000 people. That was 6 times more than the Baghdadi community. And obviously, as soon as they grew in numbers, they opened their own establishments.
They opened their own synagogue, and as happened everywhere in the world, they lived apart from the Sephardi Jewish community. They had their own life and culture, etc. Many of them moved into apartment buildings in the French Concession. The wealthy Baghdadi Jews, if they lived in the French concession, lived in big mansions, but the Russians lived in nice apartment buildings. Although some had small shops, they were less into business and more into the professions, so many of them were doctors and lawyers and teachers and writers, musicians like the head of the Philharmonic of Shanghai.
I would say that if they can claim to have helped the development of Shanghai, that this would be in these types of occupations: in education, medicine, culture and so on. Shanghai is famous for both jazz and classical music, and many of the early 20th century Chinese musicians learned their skills first from the Russian Jews and then from the third community that we will come to discuss, the musicians from Austria running away from the Holocaust.
The Third Wave – Jews Fleeing The Holocaust (1938 – 1942)
The third Jewish community was in Shanghai the shortest time, eight years on average. That’s all, but they make the story of the usefulness of Shanghai more known today. We’re talking about a big group of refugees that arrived in Shanghai just before and during the Second World War. The third wave starts from the Kristallnacht (Night of the Broken Glass – an overnight pogrom in Nazi Germany and Austria) in November 1938 until ‘42 so arriving within three or four years and staying until after the war and the communist revolution.
This third community peaks at the height of the war in Europe after the Final Solution, the extermination of the Jews, has already started. They come from Germany and Austria mostly, and later from Poland. There were also some Hungarian Jews and some Czechs, but it was mostly a German-Austrian immigration. The reason why they arrived from Europe was, obviously, that there was antisemitism there. And the second reason is that there were no other places in the world that would admit them in those days. Countries had their own waters and restrictions, and they didn’t want to accept Jewish immigration.
The Righteous Gentiles (Non-Jews Who Helped Jews Escape The Holocaust)
Chiune Sugihara
I don’t want to get into it in depth here. You have to join a tour for that, but there are some Righteous Gentiles in this history – mostly diplomats – who supported Jewish people leaving Europe, and their route brought them to Shanghai. One of them was a Japanese Consul, Sugihara, a Japanese person in Kovno, Lithuania, who issued more than 2,100 “laisser passer” – not visas – but transit papers. They permitted Polish Jews, who had run away from Poland to Lithuania, to go to Russia and take the Trans-Siberian Railway all the way to the east, a week-long journey, and to cross from there to live in Kobe in Japan.
Before Pearl Harbour, the Japanese government was not in favor that these foreigners should come to them and they actually cabled Sugihara twice to stop, but he kept doing that. The Japanese did not want these foreigners and the people helped by Sugihara had to leave Japan, and most of them, not all, but most of them arrived in Shanghai. After Pearl Harbour, more or less the last group of Jewish people who came to Shanghai were the people who came with Sugihara papers, and we are talking about a few thousand of them.
Dr Feng Shan Ho
Another Righteous Gentile was Dr Ho, a Chinese consul in Vienna, Austria. He also issued a few thousand transit papers to allow mostly Viennese Jews to leave Austria. They did not take the train to Shanghai, but went down to Italy. The vast majority of these immigrants came in 1937-38, right after the Kristallnacht, and went by train to Genoa and Trieste in Italy, and from there they embarked on ships. They went on the Mediterranean Sea, passing the Suez Canal. The ship stopped in many ports in Asia, like Manila, Singapore and Hong Kong, but the Jews were not permitted to stay in those countries. So the ships docked in the one open port, Shanghai, where everyone could come in. If you had a ticket on a boat to Shanghai, you were free to walk in. When the people in Europe realized that, although Shanghai was not the dream of any Jewish person in Europe to emigrate to, when they realized this is one place they can go to and they had no other choice, many of them started to seek a way to Shanghai. The total immigration of this third wave is about 18,000 Jewish people.
Penniless Jews Arrive In Shanghai During The War
When many of these people left Europe they were permitted to take with them only 10 Reichsmarks. They had two suitcases in their hands and 10 Reichsmarks in their pockets, which was about three and a half dollars. That was the amount of money the Germans allowed them to leave Europe with. We’re talking about people from the middle class of Europe, doctors and lawyers and engineers – the type of occupations that Ashkenazi Jews occupied in Europe in those days. They all became extremely poor the moment they touched the ground of Shanghai looking for a place to stay.
The Jewish communities and organizations already in Shanghai tried to deal with this situation. They tried to find communal housing for them, to register them properly and to give them support until they could find work and rent somewhere or until they could move them to another shelter. They had a soup kitchen and other daily support to keep them alive.
You can only imagine the chaotic Shanghai they were moving into: Chinese poor mostly, and rain, and the heat of the summer, combined with invaders from Japan at that time, soldiers and others, and with many other foreigners, from the French in the French concession, Russian immigration, all the Portuguese, Spanish and the Italians that were in the city, and now you have these people with no money at all who needed to start their life from scratch in an exotic, wild city like Shanghai. You can imagine the culture shock and the economic gap.
Japanese Herd Some Jews Into a Kind of Ghetto
A few years later, under the influence of the Nazis, the Japanese, who occupied Shanghai, published a proclamation. It came in February ‘42. This proclamation stated that all the stateless people of Shanghai who arrived after 1937 must move to live in a certain area that they called by the name of the streets. It’s called the Hongkou district today, a poor neighbourhood by the river, a neighbourhood of immigrants and poor Chinese. The Jews who came after ‘37 had to live in this neighbourhood without the ability to be in other parts of the city.
Many people immediately think that this was a ghetto, and it was a ghetto but nothing like what we know from Europe. First of all, the Japanese proclamation referred to stateless people who came to Shanghai after 1937. All the Russian Jews, the Baghdadi Jews or any of the Ashkenazi Jews who came to Shanghai before 1937 were not forced by this proclamation to live in that neighbourhood. Also, it was not a ghetto because they never built a wall around it. If you were caught without proper papers in other parts of the city you would get in trouble. That was the essence of it. There were Japanese soldiers at checkpoints all over the city where you needed to show papers, for example to cross the garden bridge into Hongkou, and if you didn’t have the right papers you shouldn’t be there.
They had to stay in the neighbourhood but within it they could keep life going which meant that if you came early you might open a barbers’ or a tailor’s shop or a bakery. It was actually called “little Vienna” in Shanghai because there were so many Viennese-style coffee houses, opened by German Austrian immigrants to cater to everyone beside Chinese, because the Chinese did not sit to drink Viennese coffee and eat strudel. They hoped that other foreigners would come to enjoy their strudel. However, their own community could not afford to eat strudel. They were really poor to the end of the war.
At the height of this period, there were 25 – 30,000 Jews in Shanghai in Shanghai in those days.
Jews Leave After The War
The Americans dropped the bombs in Hiroshima and the Japanese surrendered. For a while, after the Americans came with their ships into Shanghai, they asked the Japanese forces to keep order so that there would not be chaos in the city, but that was only for about 10 days or two weeks. Right after the Americans took control of Shanghai, they started to give jobs to anyone who could speak English. Many of the more educated refugees who could speak English were able to earn ten times what they were making before.
Soon after, China fell into a civil war and people started to realise that Mao Ze Dong and his people were taking more parts of China and so the Jews started to leave. The first to leave were the refugees who came the last, because they had never really seen Shanghai as their home. They had run to Shanghai because they had no other options, and when other options started to open, mostly America and Australia, as soon as they could get visas they would leave. The Russian Jews who had small businesses didn’t want to start somewhere else but they knew Communism from Russia and they definitely didn’t want to stay under Communism and so at about the time of the Chinese Communist Revolution the majority of the Russian and the Baghdadi Jews had left.
I would say that by the time of the Communist Revolution in 1949 about 80% of the 25,000 Jews had already gone. Then, it all dissolved in 1952. Ohel Rachel, the synagogue that the Sassoons built was active until that time, and then the Communists put a picture of Mao Ze Dong over the Jewish ark and sealed the doors because they were against religion. After that, there was almost no Jewish Community.
To be exact, there were still some people living there in 1957. When they published a small community booklet at that time, there were about 70 people. So, within about 9 years, a community of 25,000 was reduced to 70 people. The Joint Distribution Committee contributed some money to who was left. These were mixed families of Chinese and Jewish people, but by the 1960’s there were only about 3 Jewish people still in Shanghai and the community had ceased to exist.
So the Jewish story in Shanghai is short, from the Opium war in 1842 to the Communist Revolution in the 1950’s, so 110 years – that’s a brief history of the Jews in Shanghai.”
Travelers interested in an extensive walking tour, covering this history, should contact Imperial Tours.
Tomb Sweeping Festival, or Qingmingjie in Mandarin (pronounced Ching-ming-jair), is a three-day public holiday in China, making it the perfect time for a luxury China tour. Literally translating to the Pure Brightness festival, Qingmingjie is the day when people pay their respects to ancestors, traditionally by cleaning the graves and burning offerings. However, since this day usually falls on the 4th or 5th of April, the occasion is often used to mark the start of spring. Given the three day holiday, people may go on outings to enjoy the first hint of warmer weather, or even opt for domestic travel to another city, visiting the 5 Star offerings available in this fast developing luxury travel market.
Qingmingjie began over 2,500 years ago in the Zhou dynasty. Emperors and officials frequently held lavish ceremonies in honour of their ancestors, offering sacrifices and praying for a good harvest, health and prosperity. Over the years this morphed into the tradition of cleaning ancestors’ graves and burning food and paper, representing money, to bless them in the afterlife. The date of the festival, on the first day of the Qingming, or second, solar term, was fixed by Emperor Xuanzong, of the Tang dynasty, who decreed in 732AD that respect could only formally be paid at ancestors’ graves on this day. It’s a tradition since respected by officials and commoners alike.
Traditionally, Qingmingjie was the day when families would go together to the grave of their ancestors. They would spend the day digging up weeds, adding fresh soil and perhaps sticking willow branches, flowers or plastic plants on the tomb. They would also leave offerings of food and tea, or wine, as well as burning incense or artificial paper money, as it is believed that burning such things at a grave makes them available for use in the afterlife. They would also pray to their ancestors and ask them to watch over and bless the family.
If visiting friends or neighbours during this time, you’re likely to see willow branches hanging next to front doors to ward off evil spirits, which are thought to wander during Qingming. The use of willows specifically is homage to the Buddhist Goddess, Guanyin, who is usually depicted with a willow branch and a vase of sweet dew to banish demons. Guanyin also inspires the popular Hong Kong dessert, Yangzhiganlu (杨枝甘露), a feature of our popular food tour in Shanghai, as the sweetened coconut milk and sago in the dish represent the sweet dew and the willow branches.
Kite flying is also an important tradition of Qingmingjie. Young and old alike will often take to the park to fly kites with lanterns tied to the strings in the belief that this can bring good luck. Sometimes the kite strings will be cut, to allow the kite to fly free. Kites can even be seen flying into the evenings when the lanterns on the strings can appear like stars or fireflies dancing in the night sky. A fun activity for those travelling with children. Since the festival is marked by a three-day national holiday (actually just one day plus the weekends, as explained here), nowadays people often take the chance to celebrate the beginning of spring by taking a short trip out of the cities, or visiting parks and gardens to get glimpse at the emerging spring blossoms.
The most traditional food, which you’ll see everywhere in the weeks leading up to Qingmingjie, is undoubtedly the Qingtuan, literally meaniing “green ball”, and that is exactly what it looks like! A sticky, sweet, almost luminous green ball of paste wrapped in clingfilm and much tastier than the description would have you believe! The outside, green part is made of glutinous rice mixed with vegetable juice to produce the colour. Then inside is a sweetened red bean paste, which can sometimes be a bit of an acquired taste to the Western palette, but is a staple in many far eastern countries. The qingtuan is then eaten directly out of the clingfilm covering as a tasty sweet treat. Originally, Qingtuan were eaten on the “Cold Food Festival”, which was usually one day before Qingmingjie. However, over time, these festivals have merged together, and very few places now celebrate the two separately. Thus, the vast majority of people will tell you that Qingtuan are a traditional Qingmingjie snack.
Either way, if you’re visiting China in late March or early April, the Qingtuan really have to be tried! A food tour makes the perfect way to spend an evening on your luxury China tour, giving you an ideal opportunity to sample these special treats.
“I’m personally an atheist, but the concept of having a day to visit the family graveyard appears valuable to me, because I think sometimes it’s the living one that need to feel connected to a ‘root’.” -Sonia, 29
April is a wonderful time for a China tour, with the weather becoming pleasantly warm across the whole country. Many cities on your luxury travel itinerary will include the option to visit Buddhist or Taoist temples, where you can see, and even participate in, the practice of burning incense sticks. Traditionally three incense sticks are lit and held during prayer and this incense is available to buy near the entrance to most temples. The Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou is particularly special, since just outside it is a long promenade with caves containing statues of many different Buddhas carved into the rock. A rare and impressive site! It’s also joined to the luxurious Aman hotel, offering indulgent massages and spa treatments after a long day’s touring.
As you visit Shanghai, keep your eyes open in the markets of Yu Gardens too, as you may see some of the paper money to be offered as a sacrifice available to buy. An unusual and poignant souvenir for those wishing to tell stories of the cultural tradition of Qingmingjie on their return home.
Mainland China has six main holidays every year in addition to New Years on January 1st which it celebrates in tandem with the rest of the world. The majority of China’s festivals follow the Lunar calendar and are based upon the monthly cycles of the Moon’s phases. Of the six holidays, two are labeled “Golden Week” holidays because they last seven consecutive days. The others comprise of one day holiday.
In practice, a unique feature of mainland Chinese holidays that differs from other countries is that weekends are usually substituted with weekdays next to the actual holiday so as to create a longer 7-day “holiday” period when in actual fact workers only get three days off. It is therefore common for staff working in Chinese companies to work during weekends to make up for this. For example, if the 3 days holiday lands from a Monday to Wednesday, the government will give everyone Thursday and Friday off as well, which added to a weekend equals to seven consecutive days off. However, workers will need to work the weekend prior.
Below is a recap of China’s holidays, as well as advice for what which you’ll want to avoid when planning a private luxury tour with Imperial Tours. Note that Hong Kong and Macau observe slightly different holiday schedules, with some festivals inherited from their respective colonial days.
Also known as Chinese New Year, Spring Festival is one of the most festive holidays in Chinese culture when families gather in the ritual of reunification to send off the old year and greet the new one. Typically an indulgent meal is prepared on New Year’s Eve that includes staples such as dumplings, noodles and fish which are symbolic of longevity. Red clothing is worn, couplets with good wishes adorn doorways, red packets of money are distributed to children, and over the course of the holiday fire crackers are set off to ward off evil spirits (though in recent years the government has limited this due to noise pollution and safety). Spring Festival is one of two ‘Golden Weeks’ where an official “7-day” holiday encourages much of the population to return home, thereby marking the planet’s largest annual human migration with roughly 3 billion passenger journeys taking place, straining transport routes and quite literally reducing the world’s largest economy to a shuddering halt.
Is this a good time to travel? Although temperatures are cold at this time of year, as long as one packs appropriate cold-weather gear and is prepared, it’s a good time to visit China because tourist sites tend to be less crowded.
As its name indicates, this holiday commemorates and shows respect to ancestors. Relatives visit graves, offer food, tea or wine to the deceased, burning incense and offering joss paper (representing money … because one still needs cash in the afterlife). Observed by the Han Chinese, families travel to ancestral burial sites to sweep tombs, remove weeds and add fresh soil. Qing Ming Jie was not ‘officially’ celebrated as a day off in the PRC until about a decade ago. When the communist government took power in 1949, they scrapped traditional holidays from their calendar but when China’s May Holiday Golden Week was scaled back in 2007, three traditional holidays were brought back: Qing Ming Festival, Dragon Boat Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival (more on all these holidays as you read on).
Is this a good time to travel? Since this is a short holiday, it’s generally fine to travel during this holiday. We might advise that you avoid certain cities where roadways can become congested and affect touring such as in Hangzhou.
The literal translation for “Wu Yi Jie” is May 1st Holiday. Like many other countries, China celebrates May Day to commemorate its workforce. It was officially established and approved as a holiday by the Chinese government in 1949 following the formation of the Peoples Republic of China. During the Cultural Revolution, this day carried political significance and was considered one of the most important holidays in the country and lasted 7 days. At the time, nationalistic rallies and demonstrations were organized to celebrate its workers, however, today the nature of the holiday has evolved, lending to a more cheerful and casual family holiday with just one day off. As mentioned earlier, in 2007 they reduced this holiday to one day therefore freeing days to dedicate to other holidays.
Is this a good time to travel? Yes, generally a good time with ideal weather in most destinations.
This festivity takes place on the fifth day of the fifth month of the traditional Chinese calendar usually falling in June. Although legendary origins of the Dragon Boat festival vary regionally with an over-arching theme of water-related tragedies, they all carry traditions in Chinese culture such as virtue, spirit, loyalty, honor and love. Dragon Boat Racing is the highlight of this holiday with spectators swarming to watch teams competing in wooden boats shaped and decorated in the form of the dragon and manned by 30 to 60 people paddling harmoniously and swiftly to the sound of beating drums. Hong Kong and Hangzhou are where the most lively dragon boat racing spectacles can be enjoyed.
Is this a good time to travel? Yes, it’s a good time and if you are in the right city, you’ll be able to catch some Dragon Boat races.
Several varying myths surround the genesis of the Mid Autumn Festival. According to one legend, the moon goddess Chang’e overindulged on an elixir and flew to the moon with her rabbit companion. Another tale says that Chinese emperors in the Zhou dynasty (1045-221 BC) worshipped the moon to bring a bumper harvest the following year. Whatever origin one might believe, this festival is marked by not only distributing moon cakes to family members and colleagues, but also eating them, of course. The densely packed pastries often presented in gorgeous packaging traditionally come with all sorts of fillings such as salty egg yolk (perhaps an acquired taste?), lotus, red been or date paste. Now with a bit of creativity it’s rather common to find moon cakes filled with butterscotch, ice cream or chocolate!
Is this a good time to travel? Yes, very good weather at this time of year.
On October 1st 1949, in front of a crowd of 300,000 people in Tiananmen Square Chairman Mao declared the People Republic of China’s National Day. Called guoqqingjie, the ‘Golden Week’ holiday celebrates the founding of the People’s Republic of China by the Communist Party. Large-scale military displays and parades are held to mark major anniversaries; the last impressive military display took place for the seventieth anniversary of the PRC founding in 2019 resulting in road closures in cities such as Beijing and Shanghai.
Is this a good time to travel? If you can avoid it, it is advisable not to travel domestically during the week around October 1st. Since it is a popular time for domestic tourists to see the country, tourist sites are packed with local travelers.
(These are the official 2020 dates released by the China State Deparment)
– Nadia is one of Imperial Tours’ itinerary designers.
Before my husband Greg Yu started composing the original music score for a documentary on the Titanic last year, I never knew there were Chinese survivors. I had seen plenty of movies, documentaries retracing the tragic destiny of the luxury ship when it sank on 14 April 1912 but don´t remember ever hearing about Chinese among the survivors. And yet, eight Chinese men originally from Guangdong province boarded the Titanic four days earlier, in Southampton, England. Of these eight, six of them survived and made it to New York: Lee Bing, Fang Lang, Chang Chip, Ah Lam, Chung Foo and Ling Hee.
According to the documentary « The Six: the untold story of RMS Titanic’s Chinese passengers », they were professional mariners whose UK employer, following the coal strike there, had decided to send them across to North America, where they were meant to switch to the Annetta ship docked in New York; a fruits boat sailing between various ports on the American East Coast down to ports in the Caribbean. The Titanic was the only ship sailing the Atlantic those days.
Traveling in third-class, housed in windowless cabins in the bow of the ship, they would have been among the first passengers to feel the vibration of the collision with the iceberg at 11:40pm. After managing to make their way up, five of them coincidentally happened to share the same lifeboat as Joseph Bruce Ismay, the chairman of the White Star Line, who owned the Titanic. The last of the survivors, Fang Lang, did not make it to the lifeboat but was found floating on a piece of wreckage, and might well have been the last passenger rescued from Titanic. It is said that Officer Harold Lowe, who was commanding the lifeboat, was first reluctant to save Lang, stating he looked dead and if not, “there’s others better worth saving than a Jap!”. The doorframe is exhibited in the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. James Cameron, Executive producer on The Six, came across the anecdote of that Chinese survivor during his research and later admitted this became the inspiration for Rose & Jack´s story ending. He even shot the scene of his rescue that was later removed from the final version.
Irony has it that when the Carpathia, one of Titanic’s sister ships that came to rescue, reached New York, the six Chinese compatriots were not permitted to enter the United States because of the Chinese Exclusion Act. Passed in 1882, that act prohibited immigration of Chinese laborers to the States. The six men were held overnight in custody, without receiving any medical aid or psychological support and within 24 hours after reaching an immigration station on Ellis Island, their story just vanished from the history books.
When British film-maker Arthur Jones and Steven Schwankert – lead researcher and historian for The Six – started to track down the descendants of the six survivors, they found out that some were not even aware of the connection to the Titanic, and 90% of the Chinese people they asked did not know about it either. One reason the men might have refrained from sharing their story was the fear of being found out and deported. Maybe they never felt safe enough to tell their story. But a rumor has it that the men had disgraced themselves by sneaking onto a lifeboat after disguising themselves as women, which might also be why many prefer not to remember their survival story in China. Women and children had been prioritized in the rush to the lifeboats, therefore men who survived the sinking of the Titanic were often scrutinized.
In Sichuan province (one of Imperial Tours’ favorite destinations to see giant pandas and taste delicious spicy food), a full-size replica of the Titanic is under construction and should soon open as a theme park in the near future. The original idea was to introduce a high-tech simulation allowing tourists relive the moment when the ship hit the iceberg but it was eventually dropped after family members of the victims and survivors rallied against the concept. When Arthur Jones´ team contacted Romandisea, the company building the replica ship, they were initially reluctant to memorialize the six passengers, repeating the allegation about these “dishonorable men”.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 14, 2017
Contact: Jacqueline Soto, 480-430-7511, Jacqueline@slentertainment.com
Guy Rubin, +86 10 8440 7162 guy@imperialtours.net
IMPERIAL TOURS GREAT WALL PRIVATE BANQUET RECOGNIZED AMONG TOP TRAVEL EXPERIENCES
Scottsdale, AZ – An experience offered by Imperial Tours was recognized as one of the top experiential travel offerings at the inaugural CHAD CLARK CERTIFIED 25, a first-of-its-kind travel initiative that annually lists the top 25 travel experiences or products throughout the world. The winners were announced in a special interactive event at the Bellagio in Las Vegas on August 13 in front of leading travel professionals.
Chad Clark, principal and owner of Chad Clark Travel Ventures, is a travel industry expert and self-described, “experience junkie,” who has spent years seeking out top-of-the-line travel experiences and services. Now, he is providing a platform for the best in travel to share theirs.
Clark aims to set the industry standard for luxury travel with the inauguration of the CHAD CLARK CERTIFIED 25, an elite list of the world’s most prestigious, authentic and unique travel experiences or products. Great Wall Private Banquet was among the first recipients of this prestigious honor.
“We are humbled and overwhelmed by the immense number of submissions we received from travel providers across the globe,” said Clark. “It is an honor and a thrill to unveil the very best in luxury travel through the CHAD CLARK CERTIFIED 25. This initiative provides travel suppliers with an opportunity to have their premium experiences recognized and promoted in an innovative way, while simultaneously connecting travel advisors, and ultimately travelers themselves, with exclusive, thoroughly vetted travel experiences that have an industry seal of approval.”
About the Great Wall Banquet
When we hear these days of the daunting logistical and financial challenges of building a wall across the southern border of the US, it brings home the magnificent achievement of the Chinese in resolving exactly these issues many centuries before as they built successive fortifications across their northern frontier to protect their agricultural heartlands from aggressive nomadic invaders from the north. These fortifications are known to us today as the Great Wall of China. The incredible experience we are presenting is the opportunity to walk the Great Wall with the British conservationist who was instrumental in developing the law to protect it, and then to enjoy a white linen banquet in a guard tower.
What astounds visitors about the Ming dynasty Great Wall (1368-1644) is its surprising beauty. Whereas the sections closest to Beijing are the largest with the most tourists, more remote sections benefit from fewer visitors and less renovation. The centuries-old 5 meter high “wild wall” – as conservationist William Lindesay calls it – these days does not dominate its surrounding landscape so much as delineate, define and embellish it. William will introduce his thirty year association with the Great Wall, starting with being the first foreigner ever to walk its entire length, to now when he is known through China as the Guardian of the Wall. After a thorough introduction to his efforts to improve its conservation, you will be taken to a remote spot to enjoy a remarkable banquet on the Great Wall of China.
About Chad Clark Travel Ventures
A self-proclaimed “experience junkie,” Clark gave up corporate life to follow his love for food, wine, culture, destinations, a.k.a. extraordinary travel experiences, and turn it into a business that helps people make the absolute most of their most precious commodity – their time.
Whether traveling with friends, family or alone on a research trip, Clark is all about the experience – and when he finds one he is passionate about, he just has to share it with his clients and friends. He and his company have the contacts, relationships and dedication necessary to ensure his clients have the best possible experiences. Clark has dedicated his life to travel and is amassing an ever-growing “Experience Journal” that he shares online through social media. Viewers can follow Clark through Rome, Sydney, Paris and even in his own backyard golfing in Scottsdale, Arizona. Clark and his team are committed to sampling, connecting, building relationships and, in essence, helping his clients live their next big adventure.
Chad Clark Travel Ventures works with people who recognize that the types of trips they want require more than time and planning – they require knowledge, experience and connections, all of which Clark and his team can provide.
Chad Clark Travel Ventures, an independent affiliate of Camelback Odyssey Travel – a Virtuoso® Member.
For more information on CHAD CLARK CERTIFIED 25, please visit www.chadclarkcertified.com.
The Year of the Rooster
Chinese New Year, also referred to as Lunar New Year and Spring Festival, is the biggest and most important holiday in China. In terms of significance in Chinese culture the Lunar New Year is comparable to combining Thanksgiving and Christmas together. We have assembled some traditions and facts behind one of the world’s largest celebrations to provide a better understanding of this holiday. We have also put together some useful travel tips should you wish to experience this festival first hand.
The tradition of Chinese New Year is said to have started thousands of years ago when, at the end of a cold and hard winter, a mythical beast called Nian would storm into Chinese villages and devour all the men, women and children residing there. Full of fear and with no means to defend themselves the villagers would hide in the surrounding bamboo forests to wait out the night and the wrath of the beast. Until one year, tired of hiding, a brave old man decided to face the beast alone. In preparation for his fateful encounter, the old man hung up red flags and banners; he then cut fresh bamboo to light a fire. Once on fire the green bamboo created such loud cracking sounds that the monster, upon hearing the noise and seeing the many red colors, was scared away. And so as legend goes, from that day on people no longer had to fear the beast. Advancing forward thousands of years, it is now tradition that at the end of winter people across China gather together to celebrate, hang red banners and lanterns, wear red clothing and light firecrackers.
Red Lanterns in Beijing at Chinese New Year/span>
Chinese New Year is a 15-day celebration following the lunar calendar, this means that the date of the holiday changes each year. Generally, Chinese New Year falls between the end of January and the beginning of February. In 2017, January 28th was the first day of the New Year, marking the beginning of the year of the Rooster. Outside China countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore also recognize and celebrate the festival. Chinese New Year is actually the biggest migration on earth. Over the holiday there are an estimated 650 million people traveling, either throughout China or overseas to visit friends and family. Much like Christmas and Thanksgiving, in Chinese culture over the Lunar New Year it is customary for families to spend time together. For those individuals who have have moved into bigger centers, such as Beijing or Shanghai for work or study, the New Year festival is a time to travel home. For many people, this is the only time of year when they will have time to reunite with their families. Officially, this mass migration begins two weeks before New Years Eve and ends two weeks after; this transport period is referred to as Chun Yun. The Chinese New Year festival is also responsible for the largest television broadcast in the world. Since 1983, CCTV (China Central Television broadcasting company) has hosted a lavish six-hour Spring Festival Gala. The gala is called Chun Wan and is essentially a variety show featuring traditional Chinese performances showcasing China’s vast culture and history. With approximately 800 million viewers, this is the largest entertainment show broadcast globally. Since its origin, Chinese New Year has evolved to incorporate new customs and traditions, which can vary from place to place and family to family. However there are some universal traditions that the majority of those celebrating Chinese New Year recognize. We have created a list of seven common customs followed during the New Year festival.
Traditional Chinese New Year Customs
Spring-Cleaning
Several days before the Lunar New Year is set to commence it is customary to perform a spring-cleaning of your home to sweep any ill fortune away. This is also the time to stock up on snacks and food to prepare for the festivities, much like what happens in the days prior to Christmas. This preparation is important as during Chinese New Year it is believed that one should do as little work as possible. It is also considered bad luck to use a knife, light a fire or even use a broom on the first day of the New Lunar Year.
Traditional Red Clothing & Decorations
In line with tradition, at Chinese New Year it is customary to decorate your home with traditional red lanterns and red banners. Across China red banners with auspicious poems written on them are hung outside doors to bring good fortune, wealth, happiness and longevity. In ancient China, New Year was also typically the time when people bought or traded for new clothing. In present-day China, it is customary to buy and wear red clothing, even underwear during this period.
Family Gatherings
It is traditional on New Years Eve for the family to congregate at the husband’s family home, then, on the second day of the New Year, the family would go to their maternal relatives for a visit and celebration. However, during the Lunar Festival the theme is generally ‘the more the merrier’ and generally distant relatives will gather together to celebrate regardless of family ties.
Lucky Foods
Symbolism in China is of utmost importance; even the food that is served and consumed during the New Year festival holds significance. Traditionally, fish is eaten for the New Year’s meal. In Chinese the word fish (yú) sounds similar to the Chinese word for ‘surplus’. Fish is consumed to ensure that each year there will be surplus. However, the fish is never eaten completely as this again symbolizes surplus. Other ‘lucky’ foods include mandarin oranges (júzi) as their name is a homophone of the word for success in Chinese. Another popular food with homophonic meaning is Niangao or glutinous rice cake, which sounds like ‘a more prosperous year’. Additionally, spring rolls and dumplings are eaten because of their similarities to ancient Chinese silver and gold ingots.
Firework Displays
In line with the tradition to scare away the Nian, at midnight on New Years Eve, to ring in the New Year people all over China go outside to set off a barrage of firecrackers and fireworks. However, this practice is not restricted to New Years Eve alone, every night for the next two weeks fireworks are lit until the last day of the festivities when anything that is left is set off.
Temple Visits & Temple Fairs
After the festivities and fireworks the night before, on the morning of New Years Day people congregate at Buddhist temples to give their offerings to the gods. While not everyone in China practices Buddhism, many Buddhist traditions have intermixed with folk customs and it is customary to burn incense at the temples as well as make a donation to wish for a smooth and successful next year. This is often combined with a visit to a traditional temple fair.
Traditional Gifts The five days following New Year’s Day are dedicated to eating, drinking, visiting relatives and playing mahjong. During this time it is traditional for older relatives to give children gifts of red envelopes with money called Hong Bao. The values vary from family to family, but typically Hong Bao’s consist of monetary values containing lucky numbers such as 6, 8 or 9. With the advancement of technology it has now also become popular for friends and family to send each other Hong Bao’s over the messaging service Wechat.
Traveling During the Chinese New Year Festival
Because most businesses are closed for the holiday, we do no recommend traveling during the first week of Chinese New Year. However, in the second week business starts to picks up again, as people return from their holidays the hustle and bustle of modern China slowly returns. If you do wish to come during this period there are some fun and cultural experiences we recommend doing.
Attend a Temple Fair
Visiting a Chinese New Year Temple Fair, called a Miao Hui, is a great way to experience Chinese culture around the Spring Festival. These temple fairs are set up in large city parks and feature arts and crafts as well as traditional performances. Many temple fairs have evolved into bazaar-like events with parts of the park dedicated to arcades where one can try one’s luck at winning an oversized teddy bear and various other prizes. These fairs are also great for trying a multitude of traditional Chinese snacks that are often only available during Chinese New Year.
Fireworks
Over 2,000 years ago China invented fireworks, so it is no surprise that watching and lighting fireworks during the New Year festival can be quite inspirational. On every large street corner temporary shops set up selling boxes of fireworks of various types. During the festival you can expect to see firework displays every evening. In recent years the government has tried to discourage citizens from lighting fireworks in the city due to fire hazards, but this rule goes largely ignored and is often not enforced.
Chinese Zodiac Animals
|
|
Characteristics |
Years |
|
Rat |
Intelligent, adaptable, quick-witted, charming, artistic & sociable. |
2020, 2008, 1996, 1984, 1972, 1960, 1948 & 1936 |
|
Ox |
Loyal, reliable, thorough, strong, reasonable, steady & determined. |
2021, 2009, 1997, 1985, 1973, 1961, 1949 & 1937 |
|
Tiger |
Enthusiastic, courageous, ambitious, leadership, confidence & charismatic. |
2022, 2010, 1998, 1986, 1974, 1962, 1950 & 1938 |
|
Rabbit |
Trustworthy, empathic, modest, diplomatic, sincere, sociable & caretakers. |
2023, 2011, 1999, 1987, 1975, 1963, 1951 & 1939 |
|
Dragon |
Lucky, flexible, eccentric, imaginative, artistic, spiritual & charismatic. |
2024, 2012, 2000, 1988, 1976, 1964, 1952 & 1940 |
|
Snake |
Philosophical, organised, intelligent, intuitive, elegant, attentive & decisive. |
2025, 2013, 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965, 1953 & 1941 |
|
Horse |
Adaptable, loyal, courageous, ambitious, intelligent, adventurous & strong. |
2026, 2014, 2002, 1990, 1978, 1966, 1954 & 1942 |
|
Sheep |
Tasteful, crafty, warm, elegant, charming, intuitive, sensitive & calm. |
2027, 2015, 2003, 1991, 1979, 1967, 1955 & 1943 |
|
Monkey |
Quick-witted, charming, lucky, adaptable, bright, versatile, lively & smart. |
2028, 2016, 2004, 1992, 1980, 1968, 1956 & 1944 |
|
Rooster |
Honest, energetic, intelligent, flamboyant, flexible, diverse & confident. |
2029, 2017, 2005, 1993, 1981, 1969, 1957 & 1945 |
|
Dog |
Loyal, sociable, courageous, diligent, steady, lively, adaptable & smart. |
2030, 2018, 2006, 1994, 1982, 1970, 1958 & 1946 |
|
Pig |
Honorable, philanthropic, determined, optimistic, sincere &sociable. |
2031, 2019, 2007, 1995, 1983, 1971, 1959 &1947 |
Marketing China has never been more exciting, easy and profitable. As you may know Imperial Tours has partnered with Peninsula Hotels to bring you Peninsula Private Jet Tours Through China. Through this collaboration we have developed three bespoke travel experiences through China: Culture & Heritage, Family and Culinary. But what you may not know is that we have also developed a marketing plan designed to help you get the word out about these itineraries. Our Marketing Plan gives you the tools you need to promote and share Peninsula Private Jet Itineraries through multiple mediums. The idea behind sharing our marketing plan with you is to take the guesswork out of promoting these experiences. Essentially, let us do all the work for you and all you need to do is share!
These itineraries are packed full of once-in-a-lifetime experiences. If they are booked privately, itineraries can be further customized for alternative dates or embellished with different destinations, and if wished they can also be booked on commercial flights.
Our Marketing Calendar (click to download) is complete with step-by-step instructions on how to market and capitalize on each itinerary. All you have to do is follow five easy steps and let Imperial Tours do the rest.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to get content on Peninsula Private Jet Tours that you can share with your followers.
Click to download our Marketing Calendar made especially for you. This calendar provides you with a detailed, easy to follow, marketing campaign that you can print out and follow to promote these tours. Additionally, our Marketing Calendar provides you with easy to follow instructions on how to repost and share from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and E-blast.
Over the next 3 months, starting in November 2016, we will be sending out 3 e-blasts relating to a specific Peninsula Private Jet Itinerary; Culinary, Family and Culture & Heritage. Each e-blast will be created so that you can forward the information to anyone you think might be interested in one of these amazing experiences.
Each one of our 3 e-blasts will have a social share button that allows you to share each itinerary on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram. Simply click the social share button for each social icon and share!
After generating interest in each tour contact us to help you book one of these amazing journeys. Note: private tours based on these scheduled departures can fly commercial and be further customized.
Our Culinary Voyage e-blast will be sent shortly after American Thanksgiving. This one of a kind itinerary provides opportunities for your clients to try their hand at creating traditional Chinese dishes such as Peking duck, Dim Sum and even noodle throwing. China is a “must-eat” destination for all foodies; our Culinary Voyage is a 10-day tour highlighting the best eats China has to offer. Our culinary tour is ideal for groups of 8 or less. Tours are approximately USD$26,050* per person based on double occupancy. To view a detailed itinerary click here.
Our Family Tour e-blast will be sent in early December, in time for Christmas as the perfect once-in-a-life-time holiday gift for the whole family. This 11-day tour showcases the best of China in a safe and family-friendly interactive setting. This tour is ideal for small to medium sized families who are looking for a unique holiday experience and enjoyment for the whole family. Tours begin at approximately USD$102,120* per family of 4. To view a detailed itinerary click here.
Our Culture & Heritage itinerary will be sent out after the New Year and is equipped with unparalleled access to some of China’s most significant cultural artifacts as well as leading creative minds shaping China’s artistic landscape. This 10-day tour will introduce you to private collections and VIP access to China’s cultural treasures. This tour is ideal for clients who are looking for exclusive access to all that China has to offer. This tour is suitable for small groups as well as families. Pricing begins at approximately USD$25,530* per person based on double occupancy. To view a detailed itinerary click here.
*Price is subject to change based on fluctuating exchange rates.
Imagine exploring three of the worlds most dynamic and fast paced cities from the comfort and convenience of a private jet. Imperial Tours has partnered with Peninsula Hotels, renowned for flawless service and quality, to provide you with the ultimate China experience, Peninsula Hotels’ Private Jet Tours. We have crafted three themed itineraries – Culinary, Family and Culture & Heritage – each designed with immersive experiences to captivate you while introducing the rich culture, cuisine and history of China.
Experience a journey like no other on a Peninsula Private Jet Holiday
For many people, the thought of visiting China sparks a sense of wonder and excitement for the mysterious culture of the East. As one of the most populated and diverse countries in the world, China provides a cornucopia of experiences engaging all the senses. While this temptation to discover the East is an enticing lure it can also be overshadowed by fear of the unfamiliar. With Peninsula Hotels’ Private Jet Tour itineraries you will experience the reassuring comforts, anticipatory service, and soothing attention to detail of legendary hotelier, Peninsula Hotels. In this way, the exoticism and mystery of the East can be enjoyed from the reassuring platform of some of the world’s leading hotels.
Each tour provides access to one-of-a-kind bespoke experiences only available as a result of the partnership between Imperial Tours and Peninsula Hotels. For example, you will explore a seafood bazaar in Hong Kong with the Executive Chef of the Peninsula Hong Kong and learn to paint with the Peninsula Beijing’s resident artist. Alternatively, try climbing aboard Peninsula Shanghai’s private yacht for an architecture tour of its future cityscape from the Yangzi River. Each itinerary features unique hotel experiences in China born of the collaboration between Peninsula Hotels and Imperial Tours.
Private access to world renowned cultural sites is merely a starting point for our Culture & Heritage tour. Apart from meeting with some of the most influential leaders in China’s arts and culture sector, you will also view rare art collections normally closed to the public. For instance, you will tour meet and enjoy lunch with the founders of China’s leading home-grown auction house and also tour private galleries in Beijing and Shanghai with gallery owners. In Beijing, you will not only enjoy a private lunch al fresco on the Great Wall of China but also meet with the conservationist responsible for the law protecting it.
Culture & Heritage Tour, uncover the mysteries of the east from the comfort you can only experience with Peninsula Private Jet Tours
A family vacation by private jet not only eases the stresses of traveling with a family; it also provides a relaxing environment to connect and spend quality time together between destinations. Enjoy the ultimate family vacation in China with experiences ranging from a Chinese cooking lesson with a Peninsula Chef to painting lessons with the resident artist in Beijing’s Peninsula property to playing table tennis with a former Chinese Olympian. Other highlights on our Family Tour include, hand-feeding pandas and enjoying VIP access to the newly opened Shanghai Disney. We have curated only the best experiences to ensure that each member of the family is captivated and entertained, providing you with a relaxing, memorable and safe vacation abroad. Make your next family vacation one filled with unforgettable experiences sure to entertain, bring you closer together as a family and introduce your children to the magnificence of China.
Family Tour, give your family an experience they will never forget from the safety and comfort of a Peninsula Private Jet Tour
China is a “must-eat” destination for foodies everywhere and our Culinary Voyage private jet tour offers the best China has to offer. Given our destinations of Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, we focus on three main schools of cuisine; Imperial, Huaiyang and Cantonese from the perspective both of fine dining and home-style cooking. Together with Peninsula Hotels we have created a tour that provides exclusive access to Peninsula’s private kitchens as well as opportunities to learn, shop and cook with the best. For example, the Executive Chef of the Hong Kong Peninsula accompanies you on a traditional junk to his favorite island seafood bazaar. Alternatively, a TCM qualified nutritionist introduces you to China’s leading farm to table organic restaurant specializing in traditional cooking techniques. You will be introduced by experts to the art of preparing and cooking some of China’s most famous dishes from Peking duck in one of Beijing’s top duck restaurants to hand thrown noodles and dim sum. No matter your palette, our culinary tour will leave you with a newfound appreciation for the range and art of Chinese cooking.
Culinary Voyage, learn the art of creating some of the most iconic dishes in Asia with Peninsula Hotels & Imperial Tours
Flying on a private jet not only enhances your comfort, it also allows you to see and do more in a shorter amount of time. These itineraries are so enriched with eye-opening activities and unusual experiences that you will be captivated from beginning to end.
Please join these scheduled departures, if you can. However, if are not able to make those departures but wish to take advantage of these itineraries, please do enquire. Not only can we supply various sized planes according to group, but we can tailor itineraries to visit other destinations. For example, a Culture and Heritage group might wish to add Hangzhou or Dunhuang, a family might be interested in Guilin and a culinary group might want to check out Chengdu to find our more about Sichuanese cuisine. Additionally, each itinerary is adaptable to include commerical flights instead of flying via private jet.
No matter what you wish to see and do in China, Imperial Tours together with Peninsula Hotels will endeavor to make your dream vacation a reality. Consider China a world undiscovered, a place rooted in an ancient history with a trajectory leaping into the future. Let Imperial Tours together with Peninsula Hotels help you uncover the mysteries of the East from the luxury, security and comfort of a private jet tour.
I recently joined a tour led by the co-curator of “Images Through Time”, a temporary exhibition of photos that showcased Hong Kong‘s past, many dating back to the very early days of British rule in the mid-19th century. I have always been interested in photos of old Hong Kong, yet many in this exhibition were unique and were themselves only recently acquired from the Moonchu Foundation in the U.K. Having spent my childhood years here – it was fascinating given that I could relate to many of the present day locations depicted. For a visitor to the city, the parallels may be less significant, but the photo history nonetheless gave some interesting context to much of present day Hong Kong, and is a great way to explore the ex-colony’s often forgotten past. Thanks to the city’s openness, photography studios were extremely popular from an early day, and allowed for an almost continued documentation of political, social, and physical changes that have taken place over the centuries. In fact, despite Hong Kong’s relatively short history (its population having grown from only 7,500 in the mid-19th Century to some seven million today) – the stories depicted are a telling tale of the hard work and aspirations of its early migrants, and of course the British influence that has molded this ‘Special Administrative Region’ to what it is today.
Photographic works of old Hong Kong are frequently on display in the city, and representing a range of photographers. Earlier in the year, the Maritime Museum showcased an excellent collection by John Thomson – a Scotsman who ultimately settled in Hong Kong in 1868 and made significant contributions to documenting the region’s history. Some of his, as well as other’s works are also on display among the permanent exhibits at the Museum of History. The museum moved to its present day location some ten years ago. Now located next to the Science Museum in Tsim Sha Tsui East, this was my first visit to the ‘new’ site – and my initial reaction was that it’s a LOT bigger. I rushed through in 3 hours, but could have easily spent much longer.
By and large the museum is focused on Hong Kong… briefly starting with its Geographical (even Palaeolithic) history, and moving on to its history within a greater China (Zhou, Qin, Han… Ming, Qing etc…) – and then of course its more recent history including the British arrival at Possession Point, subsequent opium war & lease of New Territories. There is a section covering the Japanese occupation; another covering the handover and the recent decades since. There are huge sections looking into Hong Kong’s financial role, separate sections covering the main ‘ethnicities’ traditionally settled here (the so-called Punti, Hakka, Hoklo etc…), and lots of material covering local culture (past & present), education, festivals, even transportation. Overall, the exhibits are engaging and very well put together. There are not too many artifacts to look at however, so whilst the purpose of this museum is not to stare in awe at some expensive ancient vase, or look at historical relic after relic such as at the Shanghai Museum – the entire museum is tastefully curated with many accurate depictions of real life scenes. Exhibits are all annotated in good English, alongside Chinese descriptions, and various photographs of old Hong Kong are displayed throughout the museum.
For anyone who is in the city and looking for more than the standard day of sightseeing, or those who wish to discover more about the city’s heritage, a good half day at the Museum of History comes highly recommended by me. For those interested in old Hong Kong, do check in to see what photo exhibitions might be on during your stay, or perhaps to enjoy a private tour with one of the city’s historians or co-curators.
