China traditionally had institutions – clan associations, religious communities, business groups, and so on – that were relatively autonomous. Imperial rule may have been authoritarian, but there were large pockets of independence from central control.
中国历来存在相对自治的机构——宗族、教会、商帮，等等。帝国法规也许是集权的，但可以在中央控制下获得相当大的独立。从这个角度讲，香港也许比中国其他部分——当然，台湾除外——更传统。