Borrowed Place, Borrowed Time: Hong Kong And Its Many Faces

by Richard J. "Dikko" Hughes

Rev. ed. published 1976 under Borrowed place, borrowed time.

Genres: History, China

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1968

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's so fascinating to read a book published in 1976 that explores the future of Hong Kong, especially when that future is here! Hughes is an Old China Hand who rightfully attributes Hong Kong's success to the Chinese population there. But he also writes that Hong Kong has allowed to remain free because of the government in the PRC. And when Hughes finished this edition, Mao was still in power. Chilling stuff!

Hughes doesn't blame Mao for the Great Leap Forward, and doesn't name the latter. But he does include a section about the great exodus of 1962 in which tens of thousand of Chinese were let into Hong Kong--a day--for 25 days by the PRC border guards. Hughes was in HK then and interviewed new refugees.

Hughes writes about polygamy in HK and how Asian wives make better partners than western wives. He describes HK women as "comely" and makes other remarks that seem outdated, but these only add to the aura of the book.

Fascinating stuff!

[M. G. Mader · Rating 5 out of 5]

It transports you back to a time when Hong Kong was a mixing pot of European and Chinese culture; simultaneously British to its bootstraps and a stronghold of conservative, pre-Communist Chinese tradition. It is an interesting, descriptive, and entertaining ethnology of colonial Hong Kong, as well as now being an excellent historical reference regarding Hong Kong before the 1997 handover.

A must-read for anyone interested in understanding the modern composition and circumstances of the so-called fragrant harbour.

[Mitch Tam · Rating 4 out of 5]

The narrative of an outsider wrote about the early day Hong Kong is interesting and exotic. Somewhat like an ethnographic perspective to revisit this place that I had been be with. Lots of old classic Hong Kong film images emerged in my mind during the reading - i.e. Kar-wai Wong's In the Mood for Love. It again convinced me that, any place at any time in any dimension is unique in itself.

[Evan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An exceptionally well-written little book first written in 1968, then updated in 1975, that has aged very well as an introduction to Hong Kong. On the one hand, tons of delightful old anecdotes scattered throughout these pages, such as when the author took Ian Fleming around Wan Chai, or when he was (politely) told off by Lee Kwan Yew for dwelling upon age differences. On the other hand, it's a very hard-hitting analysis of Hong Kong's unique but fragile place in the world, why the PRC allowed it to remain independent well after 1949, and how the place is a unique ode to the tremendous work ethic, individuality, and spirt of people from across China. A top five book on the city.

[Newfad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting social document.

[J.D · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Old China Hands’ take on the city and zeitgeist whilst the British Empire were still the custodians of The Pearl of the Orient. The author himself was a colourful personality that must of impressed the likes of Ian Fleming and John le Carré so much that they both made him a character in their own espionage fictions. Likely a spy himself, probably a double agent, possibly a triple agent, he certainly has some tales and opinions. Quite a few that were odiously dated about females from different geographical origins that some dudes just keep on egesting. He did capture a milieu that was, for some, a fingerpost in history.
Interesting read nonetheless.
And I saw Dikko Hughes’ granddaughter carry on the family infamy, singing for the notorious Melbourne band, Machine Gun Fellatio.