Banks in Hong Kong in 1864-65

28,016. The Hong Kong stock market rallied in the past few days surging to 7-year high since the global financial crisis yesterday.

A couple of hours after the market closed, investors and speculators resumed to their laptops and tablets to take another chance. HSBC 150th Anniversary Banknote.

Several weeks ago, my mother phoned me to ask whether I will apply for the winners-take-all lucky draw for the banknote for myself and her online. I coldly declined.

I never knew my mother, a retired housewife-investor/speculator, is, like me, a historian. I never knew she is interested in HSBC's history. I never knew HSBC was established in 1865.

All in a sudden, everyone in town is talking about HSBC but rarely touches on its founding history.

150th anniversary means that HSBC opened for business in 1865. As a historian obsessive with facts and figures, without Frank H.H. King's formidable books on HSBC's history from the beginning and David Kynaston and Richard Roberts' latest book on HSBC's modern history (published in March 2015, exactly 150 years) in hand, I searched my database for an answer and found three directories published in Hong Kong from 1864 to 1866 particularly useful.

Century-old directories were produced for commerce use and similar to today's business directories, which list names of companies, its proprietors and employees. They were published in January. A directory for 1865, for example, is the work done by the compiler in 1864.

According to the Directory for both 1866 and 1865, there were 11 banks  in Hong Kong (yes, nearly a dozen in this small colony!):
     1. Agra and Masterman's Bank, Limited.
     2. Asiatic Banking Corporation [agent only]
     3. Bank of Hindostan, China and Japan (Limited)
     4. Bank of India
     5. Central Bank of Western India
     6. Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China
     7. Chartered Mercantile Bank of India, London, and China
     8. Commercial Bank Corporation of India & the East
     9. Comptoir d'Escompte de Paris
     10. Hongkong & Shanghai Banking Co. (Limited)
     11. Oriental Bank Corporation

Whilst the Directory for 1866 gives a list of managers, accountants, a clerk, and an agent in London, only the manager, Victor Kresser (who was an acting manager for Comptoir d'Escompte de Paris before joining HSBC), is recorded in the Directory for 1865. It means that in 1864, HSBC was founded but with a single staff member in 1864 it may be true that it opened for business not until March 1865 as it is stated in HSBC's official history.

元朗一日遊

元朗一日遊，由一個零晨兩點的whatsapp voice message開始。

零晨兩點，電話傳來舊生的whatsapp voice msg，
邀請到元朗劇院，觀看他的舞台表演。
一口答應，然後開始盤算今日的行程。

午飯時刻意留肚，準備入元朗大吃大喝。
元朗一日遊由元朗劇院開始。
《我不完美》，表演精彩。合家歡節目，互動有趣，富教育意義。
表演過後和他寒暄，聊兩句己經足夠，一切都，在心中。
你，是屬於舞台的。
我，每次看舞台劇，都有得著。
畢竟，在lecture room/hall教書，面對少則50人，多則200人，
總有上台表演的感覺，每次都要求自己good show。
教書，就是說故事。語氣緩急，表情動作，甚至道具，都要鋪排。
看舞台劇，就是取經的好時候。

第二站是永年士多。
名曰士多，實是車仔麵檔。
名曰檔，大裝修後，已是店。
想起十年前因公事到元朗劇院，路過永年，打算隨便醫肚。
假如你有一見鍾情的經驗，永年絕對不會令你失望。
假如永年都令你失望，只因為你沒有在對的時間光顧。
因為，真係好多人。
你叫我排隊吃拉麵，我寧願排隊吃永年。
假如你嗜辣，永年的招牌辣汁會令你明白，
沒有最好，只有更好。
永年會顛覆你對車仔麵的概念，
令你不會再在鬧市吃車仔麵，從一而終。

第三站是勝利牛丸。
在永年又留肚，準備去勝利再戰。
行到勝利附近，看見一間掛滿地產廣告的吉舖，
以為自己路痴，半年沒有去勝利，連地方都去錯。
行近，居然，心裏一沉，人去舖空，關門大吉，
比分手還要大的打擊。
再行近，原來分店還在。
勝利牛丸，獨沽一味，牛。丸　●●●●●●●●
你以為潮洲牛丸好，
作為潮州仔，我會說，勝利牛丸更好。
勝利牛丸雖然沒有撒尿牛丸般花巧，但肯定令你更有自信心，
可以告訴朋友，最真材實料的牛丸在元朗勝利。
碰巧老板娘在場，問起吉舖一事。
原來，業主加租。我問，加40/50%。
她說，100%，由9萬加至18萬！
不如去搶！不，應該是，比搶還要好。
捱過沙士，敵不過業主。
資本主義比沙士還要邪惡。
最後，我吃一碗，再買半斤，100大元。
貴？
要比100大元的MSG排隊拉麵，貴嗎？
和老板娘及伙記搭訕，有說有笑，
相比木口木面，甚或惡言相向的茶記，貴嗎？

P.S. 在澳洲牛奶公司，只要你配合，一樣有講有笑

第四站，大馬路參觀大藥房。
果然，元朗人不是體格孱弱，就一定是富貴病多。
大馬路上，中西大藥房林立。
唉，病，最忌藥石亂投。
不過，見到一間說租金昂貴，執笠中。

第五站，回到荃灣，
不忘到元朗阿玉豆腐花荃灣分店，
食碗芝麻糊豆花，
伴著附近一名年青結他手自彈自唱，
元朗一日遊結束。

大陸史觀

大中華青年在線的《吃史》網站指：

1949年12月7日，「中華民國政府宣佈遷都台北，中華民國在大陸的統治宣告結束。」

假如在大陸，這種寫法是政治不正確，絕不能蒙混「過關」。根據嚴格的大陸史觀：

一、中華民國結束於1949年，1949年以後無中華民國。中華人民共和國不承認中華民國，否則就是兩個中國。中學教科書如是說，加之田餘慶、戴逸、彭明編著的《中國歷史》（北京：中國大百科全書出版社，2010）第185頁，標題清楚寫明「中華民國的結束和中華人民共和國的成立」。政權合法性「無縫交接」。

二、「國民黨政府」和「國民黨政權」是比較普遍的寫法，「中華民國政府」和「國民政府」都過於中性，不符合大陸史觀。

三、「遷都」一詞，只能夠是引述，不可以是描述。即使是引述，往往會加上引號，以別於正式的遷都。中華人民共和國定都於北平，易名北京，一國一都。中華民國覆亡於1949年，那有遷都的道理？

四、後句也很有問題。「中華民國」是國號，不是政府，不可能統治大陸，也不可能統治台灣。國民黨才是執政黨。一般的寫法都是國民政府，或國民黨在大陸的統治。

按照嚴格的大陸史觀寫法，應該是：「國民黨政府（權）『遷都』台北，國民黨在大陸的統治宣告結束。」

P.S. 《吃史》的最新寫法：「中華民國政府宣佈遷台，中華民國在大陸的統治宣告結束。」

敦煌 vs 博物館

終於，十七年後再去敦煌。

沒有穿過武威、張掖和酒泉，也沒有經過火焰山和月牙泉，更沒有夜光杯作伴。沿途只有趁墟的人潮，只有一心「禮佛」的中老年人。他們拿著智能手機，捧起單反相機，毫不吝惜地「光照」佛像。

Pierre Bourdieu和Tony Bennett說，博物館是培養文化資本和社會管治的地方。菁英份子參觀博物館，以顯示其知識水平及文化修養。政府透過博物館的種種約束和規範，達到社會管治的目的。香港的情況，是只知前者，不知後者。參觀者的行為如何，心中有數。

多年前，Pixar在文化博物館展覽。人山人海，孩子多，父母多，極其量間歇地聽到小朋友興奮的聲音。今年，敦煌載譽歸來，中老年多，閃光多，碰撞多，高聲講電話多。

Bourdieu和Bennett始終是歐洲學者，其理論不是放諸四海而皆準，於諸亞洲（脫亞入歐的日本除外），大概不能適用，尤其華人中老年齡層。

剛好十年前，Impressionism在藝術館展覽。參觀者雖眾，碰撞卻不多；沒有喧鬧，幽雅寂靜；間有閃光，都被保安制止。從藝術館走出來，有醍醐灌頂的感覺。從文化博物館走出來，感覺像走難抵壘。

耆英、Champagne與英國人

昨日師門夜宴，酒酣耳熱，亂發噏風。

席間，師傅的千金說愛飲sparkling，尤好Champagne。

今日讀書，讀到1844年法國來華使團翻譯官的日記，想不到記載了一則關於Champagne在中國的小故事，還牽涉欽差大臣耆英和英國人。

鴉片戰爭完結，清朝廷派兵部尚書耆英任欽差大使及兩廣總督，與英國、美國和法國使團談判，簽訂一系列條約（《南京條約》（英）、《望廈條約》（美）和《黃埔條約》（法）等）。

某日，耆英與法國欽差大臣Theoose-Marie de Lagrene談判期間小休，移席享用茶點，閒聊攀談。法國使團準備了法國和南非白酒，招待耆英等代表。耆英品嘗了Champagne, Frontignan muscat和Constantia (dessert wine)。

耆英似乎對洋酒的認識十分有限，問法國代表們，Champagne和Frontignan muscat是否來自法國（？！）。他說，英國使團曾經邀請他飲酸得無法下咽的紅酒，然後再讓他飲Champagne和其他甜酒。英國人說前者是法國酒，後者是英國酒（！？），再說自己是唯一製造和出口好酒的西洋國家（！？）。

究竟耆英是真不懂，還是耍把戲？看倌自我判斷。

至於耆英喜歡哪一種？同行的一名黃姓官員愛muscat，耆英就最喜歡Champagne。

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資料來源：加略利(Joseph Marie Callery)著；謝海濤譯：《1844年法國使華團外交活動日記》 Journal des opérations de la légation française en Chine （桂林：廣西師範大學出版社，2013），頁211。

Seven myths about education

In her Seven myths about education (Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 2014), Daisy Christodoulou discusses "seven widely held beliefs which are holding back pupils and teachers." They are:

1. facts prevent understanding
2. teacher-led instruction is passive
3. the twenty-first century fundamentally changes everything
4. you can always just look it up
5. we should teach transferable skills
6. projects and activities are the best way to learn
7. teaching knowledge is indoctrination

E.D. Hirsch writes, in his foreword, that the seven myths "have one enormous drawback." "They are," he explained, "empirically incorrect." They do not correspond to how our minds work. They are "disastrous conceptual mistakes."

first few weeks 2014-15

the notes below were written in the first and third weeks respectively. one English lecture, many Chinese lectures and tutorials

---   ---   ---

the first week of teaching is over.
to me, it's one of the many first weeks in university; it is meant to be forgotten
to a freshman, it's his/her first week in university; it is meant to be remembered.

in a college core lecture of 200 freshmen, I saw the potentials and future of this generation (90s).
It is only the first week of school but I have already seen the signs of hard work among these young people.
Some people paid full attention to their laptops and looked very focused;
some people formed in groups and began their discussion;
some people looked exhausted lying on the seat;
some people started to exchange ideas;
some people seemed to start a debate.

their hard work made me feel ashamed to break it by saying "guys, as you are moving to a new learning environment, I hope you can learn to respect the speaker please." (I was not the speaker at the time and I forgot to add that it is a skill that you should have for the rest of your life)

Silence. Instantly I felt the guilt. It's a big day to them. First happy Friday as a freshman. And I ruined it. They are our future. I swear I would never do that again.

---   ---   ---

過去一個星期，上左好幾堂lectures同tutorials，遇上五百個undergrads，發覺自己生活喺大學係可以幾咁離地，有六：

一、說出羅汝謙三個字，學生好驚訝，而我不知道羅汝謙是誰。
二、學生唔知道邊個係貪曾，所以我都冇提老董。
三、好多人好似唔識廣東話（或者係我懶音多），定係只識聽英文，索性唔聽，全程用laptop，或者低頭用手提。我諗，係時候開多啲英文班，創造平等機會。
四、從奧地利學生口中得知，香港學生以為佢來自澳大利亞。佢連帶向一個喺香港讀歷史既我強調佢唔係來自澳大利亞。為左俾佢知我懂，我索性問佢係咪講德文。
五、入大學第一件事係報O camp，第二件事係退會（退學生會）。我以前得閒冇野做就去成日好多人既SU co-op逛，folder同notebook都係個度買，到而家仲用緊。利申：立場上，我認我好多時多都企SU嗰邊。
六、好似冇乜人知陶傑係阿水，遑論陶傑經常放係口邊既小農，所以都唔講咩口腔期，慳返啲口水。

以上種種，足以證明係象牙塔既人幾咁離地。
深深感受到「村民唔係咁諗」既意思。

summer, examination, and discipline

Watermelons are ripe but the summer semester of my university has quietly come to an end. 

My colleagues are marking students' term papers or waiting for late submission since last week. 

Writing a term paper is painstaking while some students prefer a one-off examination.

Although examination is not a norm in my department, writing a term paper is not entirely different from it.

It makes me recall Foucault's insights, in his Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison, about examination:

"The examination combines the techniques of an observing hierarchy and those of a normalizing judgment. It is a normalizing gaze, a surveillance that makes it possible to qualify, to classify and to punish. It establishes over individuals a visibility through which one differentiates them and judges them. That is why, in all the mechanisms of discipline, the examination is highly ritualized. In it are combined the ceremony of power and the form of the experiment, the deployment of force and the establishment of truth."

Like the museum in many ways, as argued by Terry Eagleton, the examination sets rules and regulations to discipline, normalize, and classify candidates. Power plays between the assessor and the assessed. The ritual symbolizes an exchange of knowledge, effort and grades. Foucault says:

"The examination enabled the teacher, while transmitting his knowledge, to transform his pupils into a whole field of knowledge... the examination in the school was a constant exchanger of knowledge; it guaranteed the movement of knowledge from the teacher to the pupil, but it extracted from the pupil a knowledge destined and reserved for the teacher."

In the process of exchange, pupils are to be disciplined and normalized to receive good grades in the examination whereas markers give As to those who demonstrates a high degree of discipline and normalization. Similarly teachers graded pupils according to a set of rules and regulations pre-approved by the institution. Grade distribution is highly regulated and respected in order to promote success and punish failure. In other words, the exchange of knowledge in the form of examination reduces the roles of teachers and pupils into self-discipline and self-normalization.

讀研究院是一種生活態度

剛讀過從前明史tutor Vichy所寫的別浪費時間去讀研究生（一），勾起讀研究生時的種種。

---   ---   ---

讀研究院是一種生活，一種態度。

我猶記得，做tutor的時候，不止一次，

上完tutorial，發表過自我感覺良好的偉論，離開後文藝復興風格的main building，乘坐22號小巴到中環天星碼頭。

踏上前往尖沙咀的天星小輪，挑一個近船邊的座位坐下，

放好書包，翹起二郎腳，解開外套鈕扣，展開雙臂在背椅上，朝向對岸的文化中心，迎著微微吹來的海風，撥一撥被海風吹亂了的頭髮，望著維多利亞臉頰上的夕陽，呷一口在碼頭Pacific Coffee買來的Latte。

This is life.

小輪靠岸，安靜地看著人潮爭解纜，慢步離船上岸，沿途聽著輕快的藍色多瑙河，朝向星光行走去。走上星光行的商務，面對朝向維多利亞的風景，打打書釘，消磨一句鐘是常事，買幾本書是責任，十數本是本份。

This is life too.

太陽落山，時候不早，娘親來電，「幾點返黎食飯？」

掃興，不識趣。倖然，歸去。

This is real.

所以說，

研究院的人不是自戀，就是自閉。

Lazy Sunday reading: Japanese South Polar Expedition, 1911-2

In a lazy Sunday I was seating by the window to feel the breeze of winter in Hong Kong with a cup of English Breakfast tea and dark chocolate left from the Christmas.

I picked up something to read, or I should say just to occupy my attention and hands a bit to get along with a cosy afternoon.

Without any difficulty I found an interesting book catalogue in my bag (I love book catalogues!). In the next minute I was consumed by the Royal Geographical Journal catalogue of Henry Sotheran, the oldest antiquarian booksellers in England and the world since 1761.

An entry was intriguing to read and muse for quite a while. It was an article titled "The Japanese South Polar Expedition of 1911-1912" published in 1933.

I am a Chinese historian not Japanese but the expedition came no surprise to me. Having defeated China and Russia in only one decade between the nineteenth century and twentieth century, Japan became the most powerful country in Asia and was a rising power in the world stage. Japan was like China today.

In 1911, when the Chinese revolutionaries were trying to overthrow the Manchu rule in China, the Japanese explorers sailed outside Asian waters for scientific quest. Why Japanese scientists received the first Nobel prize in science in Asia? It explains it all.

The entry provide a brief note of the expedition:

"The 1911-1912 Antarctic Expedition under Nobu Shirase was the first Japanese expedition to the continent, and one of the first outside Asian waters. They sailed abroad the Kainan Maru, a vessel only 100 ft long. The party reached the ice on 26th February 1911, and explored the Ross Sea during their first season. They returned the following season to examine King Edward VII Land, although bad weather held back much of their work. At the Great Ice Barrier they encountered Roald Amundsen's Fram, waiting for the return of his South Pole party. They moved on to the Alexandra Range, before returning to Japan, having travelled a total of 27,000 miles. They hadn't reached the South Pole, their southernmost point being 80o05'S, but their scientific work was of immense importance."

Following Russia and U.S.A to land in the moon after nearly four decades, China is reckoned to join leading developed countries in scientific exploration. Perhaps we should stop a minute and hold our breath.

Over one hundred years after the Japanese expedition, a Chinese icebreaker lately went there to rescue a Russian research ship trapped in Antarctica. To the dismay of over a billion Chinese people the Chinese explorer joined his comrade and got stranded. Finally an American icebreaker came to help out. Ain't the American public through the Cold War happy to see this?