Hong Kong is too fascinating to be ranked second. We can feel Hong Kong’s unique dreamy atmosphere because of the coexistences. The place, where top-of-the-line buildings are located right next to time-worn apartments that appear in old cinemas, is Hong Kong.
Hong Kong’s culture is a process and result of the coexistences. The coexistences can be explained after examining the history of Hong Kong. Hong Kong’s formal title is “Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China”. The reason why Hong Kong has this special long title is that it was returned to China from the British. After the Opium War, the Qing Dynasty was forced to approve a treaty on cession of Hong Kong to Britain. From then on, Hong Kong has played the role of a major trade port as a British colony. On Dec. 19th, 1984, Sino-British Joint Declaration was signed, which assured a return of Hong Kong on July 1st, 1999. In this treaty, the two countries agreed upon a continuation of Hong Kong’s current system for 50 years. So Hong Kong maintains “one country, two systems” that recognizes Hong Kong’s autonomy without China’s intervention, except diplomacy and national defense. Because of this history, Hong Kong is both a part of China and another nation. Furthermore, Hong Kong belongs to the East, but has a western culture, mostly British. 
British culture can be found in every corner of Hong Kong. Basically, Hong Kong has the legal and education system influenced by the Britain. The transportation system is also affected by the British system so traffic must keep to the left. Food culture shows the same aspect, and Hong Kong’s tea and dessert culture is well-known. Hong Kong’s people enjoy tea time every day like British. Hong Kong uses its own language, canton dialect different from Chinese, but, simple conversations in daily life are in English. There are many times when greetings and transportation names are British style.
Many people say that Hong Kong is the city of ten thousand images. This is naturally because of the blend of eastern and western culture, but moreover because Hong Kong is the city of coexistence of the ancient and modern style. Under “one country, two systems”, Hong Kong has kept the market economy system since the colonial era. Huge foreign capital flowed in and Hong Kong became a major distribution center that seems like main western trade ports. However, Hong Kong’s people have a culture that preserves the old things. It is over a hundred years ago when transportations such as star ferry and peak tram first ran. Nevertheless, they remain beside people as daily vehicles. Also, people are proud of them. On one side of the city, skyscrapers and glittering luxury item stores fill the street. On the other side of the city, a traditional night market is crowded with bystanders, and people are in a flurry haggling over the price of unshaped items. These coexistences create the unique, dreamy mood of Hong Kong, and it fascinates people around the world.