Hong Kong and the Mainland
FoundationHong Kong is part of China; high-speed rail and bridges link the two sides, and food, water and family ties flow without pause.
- Hong Kong is part of China and adjoins Shenzhen.
- High-speed rail and the great bridge link the two sides.
- Vegetables, meat and Dongjiang water come from the Mainland.
文體小知識：說明文從地圖、交通、供應和文化四方面，介紹香港與內地緊密的聯繫。
§Text Passage
1Hong Kong is part of the People's Republic of China, lying in the south of the motherland and adjoining Shenzhen in Guangdong Province. Most of our forebears came south from the Mainland; we speak Cantonese, write Chinese characters and celebrate Chinese festivals — one culture, one root.
2Travel between the two sides grows ever easier: the high-speed rail from West Kowloon reaches Beijing in about nine hours, and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge spans the sea like a great dragon, linking Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macao. On holidays many families return to the Mainland to visit relatives and travel.
3Daily life in Hong Kong also leans on the Mainland: much of our pork, vegetables and eggs is shipped from the Mainland; our water comes from the Dongjiang River; part of our electricity is supplied from there too. The two sides support each other — neither can do without the other.
4One root, one family. Understanding the links between Hong Kong and the Mainland, we understand that caring for the nation is like caring for our own home. When we grow up, we too shall contribute to Hong Kong and the country.
1Summary 重點摘要
Hong Kong is part of China; high-speed rail and bridges link the two sides, and food, water and family ties flow without pause.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
The part of China other than Hong Kong and Macao.
Connecting next to each other, as Hong Kong adjoins Shenzhen.
Trains that run at very high speed.
The great bridge across the sea linking Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macao.
The water supplied to Hong Kong from the Dongjiang River on the Mainland.
To travel to where relatives live in order to see them.
Coming from the same root.
To provide goods for use, such as supplying electricity.
One's own country, where one's forebears lived.
3Step by step Steps
- Step 1: Find the places on a mapOpen a map and find Hong Kong first; looking north you will see Shenzhen and Guangdong Province. Hong Kong adjoins the Mainland, separated only by the Shenzhen River. Hong Kong is part of China, and since the handover travel between the two places has grown ever easier. Some people imagine the Mainland is far away, yet on the map the straight distance from Hong Kong to Guangzhou is barely a hundred-odd kilometres. Knowing the geography is the first step to understanding the bond.
- Step 2: Know the transport linksMany transport links join Hong Kong and the Mainland. The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge spans the sea to join the three cities; the express rail runs from West Kowloon to Guangzhou in about fifty minutes; and at control points such as Lo Wu and Futian great crowds cross every day. Some think flying is the only way across, but the land routes reach everywhere. Better links make travel and trade busier, and the two places grow ever closer.
- Step 3: Trace where food comes fromMuch of the food we eat every day comes from the Mainland. The choy sum in the supermarket is labelled from Guangdong, picked at dawn and carried across the boundary; fresh pork, eggs and rice arrive daily from Mainland farms and fields. Some people think Hong Kong grows all its own food, but its land is small and most food is imported. Tracing where food comes from shows how closely Hong Kong's table depends on the Mainland's daily support.
- Step 4: Follow the journey of waterMost of Hong Kong's fresh water comes from the Dongjiang River. The water travels through long pipes and pumping stations, crosses the boundary, flows into Hong Kong's reservoirs and reaches every home. Some think all of Hong Kong's water comes from rainfall, but rain cannot be relied upon; the Dongjiang is the steady source. Without this water line, dry days would be very hard to manage. Knowing the journey of water teaches us to treasure every precious drop.
- Step 5: Count the family journeysDuring long holidays, travel between Hong Kong and the Mainland is especially busy. Before the Spring Festival, many Hong Kong families cross the boundary with suitcases to visit relatives and greet their elders, while many Mainland visitors come for sightseeing and shopping. Some imagine the two places rarely meet, but one home-return permit joins countless families across the boundary. Relatives living apart can still meet often, and their affection grows only deeper.
- Step 6: Know the shared cultureHong Kong and the Mainland share Chinese culture. Both celebrate Lunar New Year and the Mid-Autumn Festival, both eat mooncakes and enjoy lion dances, both write Chinese characters, and both put up spring couplets and hang lanterns. Some think the cultures are wholly different, but the same festivals and customs have long joined people's hearts. Knowing the shared culture, we understand how closely Hong Kong and the motherland are bound, with one root and one bloodline.
4Diagrams Diagrams
5Worked example Example
Example: breakfast is a bowl of plain congee and a plate of stir-fried choy sum. Find the links between this breakfast and the Mainland.
- The rice for the congee may have been grown on Mainland farmland and shipped to Hong Kong after harvest.
- The choy sum was picked in Guangdong at dawn and carried across the boundary to Hong Kong's markets.
- The water for cooking comes from the Dongjiang River, flowing through pipes across the boundary into the reservoirs.
- A simple breakfast leans on the Mainland for food and water in many ways.
- Answer: The rice, the choy sum and the Dongjiang water all connect to the Mainland. Hong Kong's land is limited, and its daily food and water rely on Mainland supplies; the two places support each other, and neither can do without the other.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1Which Mainland city adjoins Hong Kong?
Q2What is the bridge linking Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macao called?
Q3Where does Hong Kong's water mainly come from?
Q4Where does the high-speed rail to the Mainland depart in Hong Kong?
Q5Why do we say the two sides share one root?
8Recap Recap
- Hong Kong is part of China and adjoins Shenzhen.
- High-speed rail and the great bridge link the two sides.
- Vegetables, meat and Dongjiang water come from the Mainland.
- Visits and travel keep family ties close.
- One root, one family — care for the nation as for home.