[Mr. Carl]

Hello,

Could anybody tell me what the word Hong Kong means?
Thanks in advance for your answer.

Carl

[shri]

Cantonese: heung1 gong2, meaning Fragrant Harbour

[DocBird]

yep, Smelly Harbour seems about right

one notion is that hails from time when incense trees grown commercially here (without reference, so maybe not exact: some centuries ago, before HK people shifted inland lest they give powers that be in Beijing trouble, by allying with already maverick Taiwan) - they're heung (fragrant) trees

Something like: the trees were exported from Aberdeen or nearby: Small Fragrant Harbour. And when Brits came, there wasn't a name for Hong Kong area as known today, but took name from Aberdeen without the little, maybe as ships liked to halt at a small inlet, to draw water from a stream that dropped to near sea down scenic waterfall: the fall is now much diminished, near Pokfulam, but someone has hopes of tidying this area up. (right, now history buffs can slam this for inaccuracy!)

[kombuchakid]

speaking of waterfall bay at Wah Fu

http://www.citizensparty.org/environ...erfall_bay.htm

Peak to Waterfall Bay Heritage Trail

Hong Kong Island's beautiful countryside is often hidden from local residents and tourists, but the opportunity exists to create a "Peak to Waterfall Bay" trail at virtually no cost to the public purse. We are keen to map out a walk using existing paths and facilities that would start at the summit of The Peak and end at the waterfront at Pokfulam's historic Waterfall Bay, near Wah Fu Estate. This walk could become a welcome and beautiful feature of Hong Kong.

Features of the walk would include the site of Mountain Lodge, former weekend residence of the colonial governors; the Peak Gardens; Mount Austin and its views over the harbour; the Peak Tram; Pokfulam Country Park; the former Pokfulam Police Station; the former castle of Douglas Lapraik, now University Hall; the magnificent French Gothic Church, Bethanie, original home for the French Foreign Missions in China; the Mission gardens; Victoria Road, the waterway above Waterfall Bay and, finally, the waterfall itself and the beach.

and finally proof that there is such a place

[kombuchakid]

must have pressed the wrong button

Proof

[kombuchakid]

HONG KONG Take this dateline. This newspaper - as befits its New York origin - spells it as two words. So too does the Hong Kong government

from the IHT,Bowring ruminates............http://iht.com/articles/516238.html

AND

I keep bumping into this but never got around to reading it sounds intriguing

FRAGRANT HARBOUR



A Musical

Lyrics and Libretto by Dean Barrett

Music by Ed Linderman

http://www.angelfire.com/de/YumCha/FHsynopsis.html