In 1928, Hong Kong boasted English-style skyscrapers alongside Chinese-style tong lau, with Westerners dressed in suits and Easterners in long robes.
On the streets, one could see simple double-decker buses as well as rickshaws.
This was a very complex city.
On Victoria Peak, English-style villas were scattered amidst densely vegetated forests.
Those living here were among the most prominent figures in Hong Kong, all of whom were Westerners; at this time, Easterners were not permitted to purchase residences here, no matter their wealth.
The only exception was the mixed heritage richest man of Hong Kong, Ho Tung.
Ho Tung's mother was Eastern, while his father was from the United Kingdom.
Thanks to this background, Ho Tung was able to attend Hong Kong's elite school, the Large Academy, where all the students were British, almost all the teachers were British, and both classroom and everyday language was English.
