28th Feb 2010 (3)
ARROGANT, BUT NAIVE EXPERIENCE
Talking about the early days of the manufacturing business in
China in my last blog, it reminds me of the experience I had in
Hong Kong in the early 1950s which I would like to share with you.
Hong Kong was then a British colony. Under an agreement
between Britain and China signed several decades ago, a yearly
quota of 50,000 people can immigrate to Hong Kong from China.
China was then in economic and political turmoil, thus causing
many people to migrate to Hong Kong legally and illegally between
1950s and 1980s. The migrants from Mainland China formed a
huge mass of population struggling for a better living in Hong Kong.
Many families squatted in hillsides and Crown land which was
waiting to be developed. When I was young, I often saw fire
breaks out in the high density squatter areas on hillsides. I could
see huge flames and clouds of smoke from a distance.
Video clipping of squatters and public housing estates in Hong Kong
The Hong Kong government then started building public housing
estates to house the people who had been displaced by big fires or
who had to be resettled from squatter areas which were scheduled
for development. Hong Kong was at that time one of the world's
great manufacturing centres. People worked hard not only in
factories but even at home. Many factories farmed out work to local
families, and a generation of children grew up assembling plastic
flowers, toy motors and jeans on the floors of their apartments after
school.
During one summer holiday in the 1960s, a lot of teenagers,
including some of our schoolmates, worked in factories to earn a bit
of pocket money. My sisters and I thought it would be fun to work in
a factory. Three of us went to a nearby factory that manufactured
plastic flowers and registered as temporary workers. We had no
idea what a factory looked like. We all dressed in smart casual
outfits and I can still remember I wore a colourful blouse with a pair
of matching three-quarter length trousers. The factory was dark and
we were asked to sit on a bench together along with other young
workers under some dim lights. Our jobs were to assemble plastic
flower pedals and leaves onto a stem. Wages were based on the
quantity finished. We were not serious at all in earning money and
were looking for fun. We were all joking and showing off by
speaking English to each other. Most factory workers did not know
English and in fact not many people did know English in those
days, especially new immigrants from China. We worked for only
half a day and went home.
Looking back I am disgusted by my inconsiderate and arrogant
behaviour. I was not taught by my parents that modesty is a virtue.
Thanks to the hardworking and intelligent migrants from China,
Hong Kong has become one of the greatest financial and
international cities.
Yuen-yee
ARROGANT, BUT NAIVE EXPERIENCE
Talking about the early days of the manufacturing business in
China in my last blog, it reminds me of the experience I had in
Hong Kong in the early 1950s which I would like to share with you.
Hong Kong was then a British colony. Under an agreement
between Britain and China signed several decades ago, a yearly
quota of 50,000 people can immigrate to Hong Kong from China.
China was then in economic and political turmoil, thus causing
many people to migrate to Hong Kong legally and illegally between
1950s and 1980s. The migrants from Mainland China formed a
huge mass of population struggling for a better living in Hong Kong.
Many families squatted in hillsides and Crown land which was
waiting to be developed. When I was young, I often saw fire
breaks out in the high density squatter areas on hillsides. I could
see huge flames and clouds of smoke from a distance.
Video clipping of squatters and public housing estates in Hong Kong
The Hong Kong government then started building public housing
estates to house the people who had been displaced by big fires or
who had to be resettled from squatter areas which were scheduled
for development. Hong Kong was at that time one of the world's
great manufacturing centres. People worked hard not only in
factories but even at home. Many factories farmed out work to local
families, and a generation of children grew up assembling plastic
flowers, toy motors and jeans on the floors of their apartments after
school.
During one summer holiday in the 1960s, a lot of teenagers,
including some of our schoolmates, worked in factories to earn a bit
of pocket money. My sisters and I thought it would be fun to work in
a factory. Three of us went to a nearby factory that manufactured
plastic flowers and registered as temporary workers. We had no
idea what a factory looked like. We all dressed in smart casual
outfits and I can still remember I wore a colourful blouse with a pair
of matching three-quarter length trousers. The factory was dark and
we were asked to sit on a bench together along with other young
workers under some dim lights. Our jobs were to assemble plastic
flower pedals and leaves onto a stem. Wages were based on the
quantity finished. We were not serious at all in earning money and
were looking for fun. We were all joking and showing off by
speaking English to each other. Most factory workers did not know
English and in fact not many people did know English in those
days, especially new immigrants from China. We worked for only
half a day and went home.
Looking back I am disgusted by my inconsiderate and arrogant
behaviour. I was not taught by my parents that modesty is a virtue.
Thanks to the hardworking and intelligent migrants from China,
Hong Kong has become one of the greatest financial and
international cities.
Yuen-yee
Hawkers selling food outside a factory
A factory building
complex that houses
many small factories
complex that houses
many small factories
A garment factory