Hong Kong Foundation Day
| Foundation Day | |
|---|---|
Picture showing the early period of Possession Mount with a flying flag on it | |
| Also called | Hong Kong Founding Day, Hong Kong Day, Festival of Hong Kong, Hong Kong's birthday |
| Observed by | Hong Kong |
| Type | Unofficial |
| Significance | Beginning of British rule in 1841 until 1997 |
| Observances | History talks and exhibitions |
| Date | 26 January |
| Next time | 26 January 2026 |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Related to | Norfolk Island Foundation Day, Western Australia Day, Founding of modern Singapore |
| Hong Kong Foundation Day | |||||||||
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| Chinese | 香港開埠日 | ||||||||
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Hong Kong Foundation Day (Chinese: 香港開埠日), also known as Hong Kong Day (香港日) and Festival of Hong Kong (香港節), is the anniversary of the founding of Hong Kong as a free port when Britain formally colonised it on 26 January 1841 after entering into a provisional treaty, known as the Chuenpi Convention, with an official of the Qing government. The British Colonial Government did not make it an official public holiday, nor does the SAR Government. Yet, some members of the public do organise various history talks or exhibitions on or near 26 January each year.
Hong Kongers, most being native speakers of Cantonese, call this day 開埠日 or hōi fauh yaht, which means “the day of pier opening”, reflecting the original intention of the British acquisition of Hong Kong was for opening it up and turning it into a port of free trade. The name also signifies that international commerce became legally permitted in Hong Kong upon British administration whereas Hong Kong had not been allowed to conduct foreign trade under the Canton System policy of the Qing government.