Since the late 19th century, Hong Kong has been an international city. It has got some nicknames over time: the Emporium of the Far East, Malta of the Orient (due to Malta’s status as a maritime hub), and the Pearl of the Orient, with the last one remaining in vogue for the longest time, probably due to the homonymous cantopop song by Taiwanese singer Lo Ta-yu.
For Hongkongers over 50, the Pearl of the Orient is more than a name. They saw it and used it on a daily basis in the 1970s when coins had Queen Elizabeth II on one side and an English lion sejant-rampant holding the pearl on the other. The latter was a creation made in 1959, taken from the crest of the Hong Kong coat of arms granted in that year….