Berkley Center

Hong Kong Island and Kowloon are the largest metropolitan areas within the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. As seen in this map, most of Hong Kong's population is densely packed into the southern portions of the region. These past few weeks, most of my explorations have taken place in these areas. As I travelled, I have noticed how Hong Kong is structured around a culture of consumerism. Most buildings here contain large expanses of malls. Hundreds of shops line the hallways within buildings—each store is packed to the brim with locals and foreigners alike. It becomes easy to see why Hong Kong is considered one of the top shopping destinations in East Asia.

Saying that shopping malls are everywhere is not an exaggeration; nearly every major Mass Transit Railway/MTR (similar to our metro) stop is connected to a large shopping complex. Even residential apartment complexes dedicate the first few floors to shopping establishments. In Hong Kong, it seems that people are mainly concerned with going shopping. This consumerist culture most likely drove the construction of many of these shopping centers. Nearly every excursion I have taken into the main city has led me to some form of shopping mall. All of these shops were bustling and packed with eager buyers.

One may ask why Hong Kong is such a consumerist city. I believe much of it may be due to the origin of the city as well as the special administrative status the city holds. During Hong Kong's colonization by the British, Hong Kong served as a major trading port. The city saw a flurry of economic activity and growth. Hong Kong quickly became one of the most prosperous seaports in the world. Eventually the city was handed back to the Chinese government; even after the handover, Hong Kong still attracted major international business and tourism. Because of this, most of Hong Kong Island currently serves as a financial district, and the city attempts to appeal to international tourists. For this reason, it is not surprising that the culture of the city focuses so strongly around purchasing material goods.

Hong Kong's special administrative status promotes business and consumerism as well. After Hong Kong was handed back to the Chinese government, it retained much of its autonomy. Hong Kong has its own governance which in comparison to the Chinese system is more democratic and similar to the US government. Under this "one country, two systems" approach, Hong Kong retains much of the economic appeal afforded by the ability to do business in a free market. Because of this status and the economic policies present in the city, Hong Kong continues to attract international trade and commercial tourism.

Another explanation for the dominance of shopping malls in Hong Kong may be the lack of geographic space. As I mentioned earlier, most of Hong Kong's population resides within the southern part of the region. The north is dominated mainly by mountainous forests. In addition, the public transportation system mainly serves the areas of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. For these reasons, the city must manage to fit both residential areas and shopping centers within the confines of the highly demanded real estate of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. To conserve space, it becomes necessary in Hong Kong to use a single building for multiple purposes (that is, both as a shopping mall and a residential complex). This is something that is fairly foreign in the United States, likely due to the mere fact that there is more space to expand. As real estate prices are quite high in Hong Kong, shopping centers become integrated into the folds of everyday society.

Whatever the explanation may be, it is relatively obvious as a newcomer that people in Hong Kong love to shop. The city is designed to be a shopper's paradise. One can find goods ranging from luxurious designer handbags to cheap trinkets at nearly every corner of the city. People travel from near and far to take advantage of the high quality products found at low prices in Hong Kong. As I see it, this type of behavior is much appreciated here; the city thrives from the consumerist behavior.