ABSTRACT
This chapter demonstrates the development and characteristics of the Hong Kong 'nation'. It offers a definition of a nation. This definition is then used as a benchmark by which the expression of nationalism and the national consciousness of the Hong Kong nation can be determined. The chapter examines the various component elements of the Hong Kong nation. According to Hertz the concepts of nation and race, although not explicitly the same, are not entirely separate as they share similar features that are used interchangeably. The racial unity of a nation is internally strengthened along lines of commonality where those of the nation are considered to be within the same grouping or community based on that group's members' language, religion, territorial affiliation, and culture. Language is an essential component of a nation. Unlike the cultures found in Taiwan and China, culture in Hong Kong has developed with little or no encouragement from the government.
