香港的歷史能有多少年？甚至說，香港這「彈丸之地」能有什麼歷史？
長久以來，世人對香港過去的理解都來自「帝國」的論述——不論是大英帝國那種從「小漁村」建設成的「大都會」，還是中華帝國眼中有待「漢化」的蠻煙之地。
在這樣的論述裡，香港只能是被動地回應着帝國擴張，就像是活在強勢家長陰影下的小孩，父母說什麼做什麼給什麼，兒子都只能一聲不吭地接受。這樣的情況下，跟帝國無關的事情，根本就難以被歷史寫下。
但若我們能從香港的本位思考，或許就能發覺香港本身的歷史就有很多精彩和有趣的內容——在香港的人是如何生活、如何與彼此互動，即使與那個遠在天邊的朝廷沒有半點關係，還是值得被書寫和關懷。
The history of Hong Kong spans many centuries despite its small size, challenging the notion that such a "tiny speck" could have any significant historical depth.
For centuries, the world's understanding of Hong Kong's past has been shaped by imperial narratives—whether it's the British Empire's portrayal of transforming a "small fishing village" into a "metropolis" or the perspective from the Chinese Empire viewing it as a distant land awaiting "Sinicization."
Within these narratives, Hong Kong has often been seen as passively responding to imperial expansions, like a child living under the shadow of authoritative parents—accepting whatever is dictated without question. Consequently, anything unrelated to the empire's interests has been sidelined from historical accounts.
However, adopting a Hong Kong-centric perspective reveals a rich and intriguing history intrinsic to Hong Kong itself. This perspective delves into the daily lives of Hong Kong's people, their interactions, and their unique experiences, independent of distant imperial courts. Such a narrative would unveil that Hong Kong's history is filled with fascinating stories and merits recognition and attention.