China's Rise: A Tale of Two Boats

History can at times have a sense of irony. It's often difficult to demarcate exactly when one era ends and another begins - we always see foreshadowings of the new in the old and residues of the old in the new. But in the case I'm about to present, we see a in two sharply contrasting events a farewell (or a good riddance) to an old era and a warm welcome to a new one. Serendipitously, both of these events star boats.

The first boast is a very old one that had seen a lot of things in its time, few of them happy. I speak of this tacky facsimile of a Chinese palace:

It sank as it was being towed. It would be worth your while to browse through some of the comments on the videos reporting its sinking, all the fond memories of the "tourists" and venereal disease-infested sailors that blighted old Hong Kong with their presence. I'm surprised they could remember anything about it through their drug-induced haze. To be fair, it's had a rather more illustrious breed of visitor as well - Tom Cruise and "Queen" Elizabeth once visited; I hope you feel sufficiently honoured. Alas, it's a reminder of the ugly truth that Hong Kong before 1997 was little more than a drug den and a brothel. Our first case study Jumbo ultimately met a fitting end: an unceremonious sinking, possibly in an act of insurance fraud (the authentic Hong Kong spirit lives on).

But just as that miserable insult sank to rot beneath the waves, a new boat made its resplendent entrance. Of course, I refer to none other than this monstrosity:

I want everyone reading this, lovers of China and haters alike, to understand one crucially important point: this is just the beginning.

I can think of no better commentary on where China came from and where it's going. The death of old shame and birth of new glory.

 

[Han Patriot]

Well HK was not just a drug den and whore house but also a money laundering center.

 

[WotTen]

Well HK was not just a drug den and whore house but also a money laundering center.

HK's best export

 

[MH.Yang]

No matter where we fall, we will certainly get up from there.

 

[hirobo2]

HK's best export

View attachment 855727

Bruce Lee not HK best export...

Once upon a time, a man went by the name Jin Yong published serials of stories in a HK newspaper he founded. HK being infested by Western spies and CIA agents back then, the serials were read by them everyday. This was b4 the age of the internet and if you was a White spy in HK, the thing you're obliged to read everyday is the newspaper.

Eventually those serials ended up in the hands of a young George Lucas and formed the backbone for STAR WARS. You can check Wikipedia --- this HK author published all his works over a decade b4 the very first STAR WARS movie got made.

Lucas will claim all sorts of BS like how SW based on Samurai 7 etc. He will never tell u nor anyone where he actually got them stories from. Disney bought SW IP becoz they knew the truth. GL only adapted something like 10% of the HK author's works. The other 90% was free for Disney to exploit, which is y Disney bothered to pay GL billions just for the brand name... the source stories can find everywhere in China and HK now!

 

[REhorror]

Agreed, Jin Yong is best HK man, his writings are revolutionary, to this day, I think chinese mainland martial art writers haven't come close.

There's a lot of hate for HK now, but there's no denying that they were carrying chinese culture in the 60s-00s with so many good movies and TV shows, and even literature.

 

[kankan326]

Agreed, Jin Yong is best HK man, his writings are revolutionary, to this day, I think chinese mainland martial art writers haven't come close.

There's a lot of hate for HK now, but there's no denying that they were carrying chinese culture in the 60s-00s with so many good movies and TV shows, and even literature.

Fact is, Most Hongkongers were pro-China in 60's and 70's. Back then there were many street revolutions in Hongkong too. But most street revolutions were anti-British.

 

[REhorror]

Fact is, Most Hongkongers were pro-China in 60's and 70's. Back then there were many street revolutions in Hongkong too. But most street revolutions were anti-British.

This was one of the most popular HK dramas back then Greed of Man/大时代

The Greed of Man - Wikiwand

The Greed of Man is a Hong Kong television series first broadcast on TVB Jade in 1992. The story, spanning three decades from the 1970s to the 1990s in Hong Kon...

www.wikiwand.com

In the very first episode the main character's father called the British son of bitches.

 

[kankan326]

This was one of the most popular HK dramas back then Greed of Man/大时代

The Greed of Man - Wikiwand

The Greed of Man is a Hong Kong television series first broadcast on TVB Jade in 1992. The story, spanning three decades from the 1970s to the 1990s in Hong Kon...

www.wikiwand.com

In the very first episode the main character's father called the British son of bitches.

Many old Hongkong dramas and songs were pure patriotic.

The Great Wall will never fall

Great China

My Chinese heart

 

[kankan326]

Similiar to Hongkong, in 1990's, most Taiwanese recognized themselves as Chinese. Quit opposite to today. It is very weird that back then China was very poor and weak country but most Taiwanese and Hongkongers were pro-China. So how all the changes happened? The only explanation is: USA intervention. With China's fast growth, US put more and more energy and money on local traitors, education and media.

 

[tower9]

Fact is, Most Hongkongers were pro-China in 60's and 70's. Back then there were many street revolutions in Hongkong too. But most street revolutions were anti-British.

That's because they were treated like shit by the British.

The young HKese who are anti-China never experienced that, because they were born after 1997. They are status obsessed and see themselves as higher than the mainlanders, and are brainwashed by Western media. That's why they are anti-China. If they experienced what their parents and grandparents did under the British, they would not be pro-Western.

 

[Maula Jatt]

HK's best export

View attachment 855727

for the longest time Chinese culture was HK culture
At least in the eyes of the western world

a lot of non-Chinese people who grew up in that time period have a special place for HK in their hearts

 

[kankan326]

That's because they were treated like shit by the British.

The young HKese who are anti-China never experienced that, because they were born after 1997. They are status obsessed and see themselves as higher than the mainlanders, and are brainwashed by Western media. That's why they are anti-China. If they experienced what their parents and grandparents did under the British, they would not be pro-Western.

But unlike British, CCP didn't treat Hongkongers bad. How come they hate CCP so much! You can't ignore the basic reason, US money.

 

[tower9]

But unlike British, CCP didn't treat Hongkongers bad. How come they hate CCP so much! You can ignore the basic reason, US money.

It’s less the money but social status. Anglos dominate the global media and not surprisingly, they make themselves look great and an object of admiration while making China look terrible. Control of this media makes non Anglo countries desire to be adjacent to the Anglo world due to the natural desire to elevate your social status. Since China is hated in this media, HKese desperately want to disassociate themselves from China in order to gain recognition from their Anglo masters.

 

[WotTen]

Similiarly to Hongkong, in 1990's, most Taiwanese recognized themselves as Chinese. Quit opposite to today. It is very weird that back then China was very poor and weak country but most Taiwanese and Hongkongers were pro-China. So how all the changes happened?

Easier explanation is that, when mainland China was poor, the people in HK and Taiwan considered themselves superior (more sophisticated) to mainland people.

Now that mainland is rich, they can't say that and they are jealous.