A rather unpleasant "welcome to China"
The first non-Asian visitor to arrive at Hong Kong was the Portuguese explorer, Jorge Alvares, who landed on the shores of the territory sometimes in 1513, during the Ming dynasty. His expedition was looking for trade sources in the region and erected the "Padrao" stone crosses in various points around the Pearl River delta, claiming the land for the king of Portugal.
Alvares' visit was followed by the establishment of a number of Portuguese settlements and trading posts on both sides of the delta. Imperial China resisted the Portuguese presence on their soil and a series of armed clashes took place between 1517 and 1521. The Portuguese were expelled from their settlement in Tuen Mun, Hong Kong, on 1521 but their settlements on the West side of the Pearl River Estuary survived and were eventually consolidated into the colony of Macau.
Following the unpleasant experience with the Portuguese, the Ming emperor imposed a ban (known as Hai Jin), restricting all forms of maritime activities. The purpose of the ban was to fight smuggling and to limit international intervention in China's affairs. As a part of the ban, coastal villagers were forced to move to the mainland and fishermen, as well as pearl divers, could not make their living from the sea. The ban was lifted around 1550, after it proved ineffective for its purpose. However, restrictions on trade with foreigners remained in place for many years afterwards, long after the transition from Ming to Qing Dynasty.
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Where does the name Hong Kong come from ?
In the old days, foreign trading ships used to fetch fresh water from a waterfall on Hong Kong Island's south coast, next to a small village, called Hong Kong. The name of the village, literally meaning "fragrant harbour", was derived from the fragrant wood products and fragrant incense, once traded in that area.
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Early trade with Britain (and winds of war...)
