At the end of the 19th century, China was being invaded and divided up by foreign powers. Colonial Hong Kong's relative stability attracted a great many Cantonese, Hakka, and Southern Min immigrants. Among these immigrants were a number of talented, hard-working people.
相對於十九世紀末葉大陸內地受到列強侵凌，豆剖瓜分，殖民地香港相對的「安定」，引來大量內地以廣州人、客家人和閩南人為主的移民。