""Most histories of Hong Kong begin with the arrival of the British, and only incidentally mention the pre-colonial eras. In this book, Patrick Hase, one of the leaders in the field, provides an important addition to the history of Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta region, covering topics such as Chinese ethnicity, commerce, port-towns, and squatting. It is a truly excellent work that will interest historians, anthropologists, and social scientists."" —James L. Watson, Fairbank Professor of Chinese Society and Anthropology Emeritus, Harvard University""This book, an historical and archaeological portrayal of Hong Kong market villages across the territory, depicts how Hong Kong evolved not through chronicles of emperors and governors but through the ups and downs of different centres of rural life over the centuries. It belongs beyond the bookshelves of historians and archaeologists—anyone wandering the streets of Hong Kong neighbourhoods today wondering “how did this place get to be here?” will find this book well worth reading. After reading this book, I will never again look at Tsim Sha Tsui in quite the same way."" —Gordon Mathews, Research Professor and Emeritus Professor of Anthropology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
