ABSTRACT
If Americans are the "organization men" of the West, the Chinese are the "organization men" of the East. It has long been recognized that practically no type of behavior exists which the Chinese have not incorporated into some organized group. The word kaifong is a Cantonese collective noun for the residents of a particular street or locality. Kaifong under one name or another are said to have been known in China for a very long time, and have existed in parts of Hong Kong throughout the Colony's history. In October 1949 the Shamshuipo Kaifong Welfare Association celebrated its inauguration. Its founders believed that the old kaifong and their traditions of public service were by no means forgotten. Another way in which the Shamshuipo Kaifong set a precedent was in the form of its constitution, which at the wish of the founder members was long and detailed.
