Sailing Against the Current: Water Communities and Geopolitical Dynamics in Historical China

Panel Convenor(s)

• LL

  Lok Yin Law

  Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Hong Kong

Panel Chair(s)

• LL

  Lok Yin Law

  Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Hong Kong

Presenter(s)

• YW

  Yiqiao Wang

  Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
• LL

  Lok Yin Law

  Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Hong Kong
• MN

  Michael Ng

  The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

This panel convenes four scholarly explorations that delve into the intricate interplay between maritime communities and geopolitical dynamics within the historical context of China (particularly in South China). Uniquely, these studies adopt a 'history from below' perspective, foregrounding the experiences and perspectives of lower-ranking officials or ordinary communities, often overlooked in traditional historical narratives. 
Tam's paper embarks on a journey into the 15th century Ming Empire, shedding light on the legal reforms and legislations that precipitated a transformation in the role of the Gate Inspector within the Grand Canal water transportation system. This exploration provides a historical lens through which to view the governance of water transportation and the societal challenges that emerged from the relocation of the imperial capital. Wang's paper navigates the 19th-century evolution of Huangpu Island, underscoring the pivotal role of maritime trade and cross-cultural interactions in shaping the island's trajectory. This study offers a unique perspective into the quotidian lives of ordinary individuals and the cross-cultural dynamics at play in the southern littoral area of late Qing China. Law's paper ventures into the cultural identity and intangible cultural heritage of the borderless Hong Kong fishing communities. This exploration accentuates the unique worldview of these maritime communities, who traverse the seas unrestricted by geopolitical borders, thereby embodying a broader, more expansive worldview. Ng's paper scrutinizes the geopolitical dynamics that swirled around the fluid sea border connecting China and Hong Kong during the Cold War. This study unveils how the fluidity of the maritime border and the nebulous notion of Chineseness among the fisherfolk were strategically leveraged by the Chinese government, the colonial Hong Kong administration, and the United States.
These papers illuminate the complex interplay between maritime communities, water bodies, and geopolitical dynamics in historical China. They offer fresh insights into the region's maritime history and its contemporary implications, thereby enriching our understanding of this critical aspect of Asian maritime history from a 'history from below' perspective.

Presentations:

• 11:15 – 13:00 (GMT+7)

  Fisherfolk Go Ashore: The Evolution of Huangpu Island in the 19th Century Maritime Trade
  

  Presenter: Yiqiao Wang – Chinese University of Hong Kong
• 11:15 – 13:00 (GMT+7)

  Be Water: Cultural Identity and Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Borderless Hong Kong Fishing Communities
  

  Presenter: Lok Yin Law – Hong Kong Metropolitan University
• 11:15 – 13:00 (GMT+7)

  Water's Connection in Asian Cold War: Fisherfolk between China and Colonial Hong Kong (1950-1960)
  

  Presenter: Michael Ng – The University of Hong Kong