History of Hong Kong in a Song | Two Governors, Pottinger vs Maclehose

They called this rock a den of thieves, a smuggler's cove, a pirate's keep. No harbor built, no law, no deed — just men who traded while they sleep. I came with ink still wet from Nanking, took the island, signed the claim. But I didn't come to rule you — I came to clear the path, not stake the frame. Three rules, that's all I gave this port: no tax on what you sell or bring, trade with friend or trade with foe — I'm not your judge, I'm not your king. Respect the ways already here — I learned that lesson somewhere else. They call me Founder, not because I built it — because I just... let it build itself. 人稱此石　盜賊之巢 私梟之灣　海寇之窟 無埠　無法　無契 唯見商賈　夢中交易 挾南京條約而來　墨跡未乾 據此島　署名為憑 然吾此來　非為君臨汝等 只為開路　不設樊籬 約法三章　僅此而已 進出貨物　概不徵稅 友邦敵國　皆可通商 不審汝案　不為汝王 本地風俗　悉仍其舊 前車之鑑　得於異域 世稱吾為開埠者　非因築城 只因吾……任其自成 Let it build itself? Aye, that's rich, that's quaint — ye left a rock and called it a saint. Three rules, three rules, is that your claim? A street so short they forget your name. I came down from Scotland, not to watch and wait — I built the roofs, I built the schools, I built the state. Roads through the hills, a hundred kilometers long, folk walk my name every weekend, that's how I stay strong. You give them a space, I give them a path. But space alone never built a flat. I'm the Architect, I drew the line — housing, schooling, ICAC, all mine. 任其自成？ 說得輕巧　何其古雅 你留荒石　竟奉若神明 約法三章？就憑這三章？ 砵甸乍街　短得無人記得你 我自蘇格蘭來　不為袖手旁觀 我建屋　我興學　我立制度 麥理浩徑　翻山越嶺百公里 每逢假日　人人踏我名而行 這正是我長青之道 你開局　我發圍 徒有開局　築不成廣廈 我是築城者　親繪藍圖 公屋　學校　廉政公署 皆出我手 Oh, you give them a path to where? A path to where? Speak plain, don't dodge. I took this rock, you handed it back. You call that building? I call it a hedge. I never asked what this land would become — I set it free and let it run. You walked to Beijing with your head held high, to hand them the keys and call it compromise. 汝曰發圍　發往何方？ 發往何方？ 直言　勿閃爍其詞 吾取此石　汝卻拱手奉還 汝曰建設？吾曰留後路 此地他日如何　吾從未過問 聽其自由　任其馳騁 汝昂首闊步　走進北京 交出鑰匙　美其名曰妥協 Aye, Hong Kong went back, I'll not deny the end, but ask the folk what colonial years they defend. Not yours, Founder — mine. The roofs, the schools, the pay, the trail they walk on every blessed day. I came when the Empire was bleeding dry, when London herself could barely get by, nae gold, nae glory, just a tired old crown, and still I built this city up, not down. You had an empire's weight to lean upon, I had nothing but this rock when the sun had gone. The Crown sent me to keep what's theirs — I came and made it something they'd never dare to spare. Aye, I walked to Beijing, called it compromise, but I wasn't signing away, I was buying time, buying ties. You gave them space, I gave them a path, and when the clock ran out, they still looked back and laughed — not at you, old man, at what might've been, they wept for me, for the Hong Kong I'd have seen. 誠然　香港終究易手　我不否認 且問街坊　英治歲月最念誰 不是你　開埠者　是我 棲身之所　讀書之地　養家之薪 還有長徑　日日踏足 我來時　帝國失血殆盡 連倫敦　也捉襟見肘 無金無榮　王冠蒙塵 我依然築城　拔地而起 你倚仗日不落帝國 日落後　我只剩這塊荒石 英廷派我來　替他們守業 我卻將它琢成明珠　誰敢割捨 誠然　我走進北京　說是妥協 但我並非割地求和 而是爭取時間　爭取交情 你開局　我發圍 待九七大限來臨 他們仍回首而笑 不是笑你　老前輩 是笑那未竟之夢 他們為我落淚 為我無緣得見之香港 I won this rock with steel, signed my name in ink still wet with war. A soldier's hand laid down the law, three rules and nothing more. 吾以刀劍　奪得此石 署名之墨　猶帶硝煙 武人之手　頒下律令 約法三章　僅此而已 I never ruled by sword or steel, I only shook on deals, but aye, we both built something no empire could repeal. 我治港　不憑刀劍 只與人握手立約 說到底　你我所建 沒有帝國能廢除 Say what you like about the path you walked, the Beijing road, the compromise — but under both our watches, this rock stayed free, and that's a prize. 汝所行之徑　任人評說 北京之路　妥協之議 然而你我任內 此石自由如故　夫復何求 A soldier's peace, a diplomat's war, different roads, the same frontier — we're not so different, old man, after all these years. 武人之和　文臣之戰 殊途　同守邊城 你我相去不遠　老前輩 隔着百年光陰 Call us Founder, call us Architect, one truth still stands the test: a free Hong Kong, built by hands that knew it best. 或稱開埠者　或稱築城者 真理如磐　歷久不移 自由香港 由最懂它的雙手築成 Sources Henry Pottinger: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Pottinger Treaty of Nanking: https://china.usc.edu/node/20462 Murray MacLehose: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murray_MacLehose,_Baron_MacLehose_of_Beoch Pottinger Street: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pottinger_Street MacLehose Trail: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacLehose_Trail 舊片：你所不知道的海盜和香港歷史：本來的賊之島．英國人登陸成自由港 Concept & direction: Simon Lee 利世民 · Music: Suno · Visuals: Higgsfield 追蹤頻道，細看香港歷史 Follow for more Hong Kong history: @leesimon【實用經濟學】 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1brW0oZPkC9pxQnkdfBCzXlFdNvPJIwt 【日常政治學】 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1brW0oZPkC-DwHEDxc62um_jS3jzkVK6 【時事短打】 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1brW0oZPkC9Dg_Y8OIgPeiADbd58_zQN 如果你覺得我嘅分享畀到你唔同嘅睇法，希望你會願意加入成為會員支持我繼續發聲： https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrQ2dUU2C_dtkbav78GoUEg/join 此頻道既為香港人而設，內容以粵語為本。 利世民，香港人，自媒體 unsubject 主筆，自由主義者，樂天知命，不問鬼神。形而上虛無主義者。角色屬性混沌中立；長期處於身份存在危機；總覺得三言兩語間未能介紹自己。過去四分一世紀，平均每半年有個新興趣；課題涵蓋物理心理、政治經濟、歷史、宗教、哲學。