香港自从1842年被英国占领后,一直是一个自由贸易港,在抗战初期,进出口买卖兴旺,商业发达,文化比较落后,殖民统治的气息十分浓厚。英帝国的女皇头像和皇冠随处可见,许多洋行、公司用的是英文招牌,上层社会讲英语,读英文报纸,一般老百姓主要讲粤语,看粤剧,外省人讲普通话还不如英语通行。在日常生活中也是华洋杂处,既有广东地方特色,又是中西文化的汇合体,例如商店的招牌上是“士多”,公共汽车叫“巴士”,球是“波”等等。虽然也受到“五四”新文化运动的影响,但古老的文化传统还很顽固,一直到20世纪40年代初,在有轨电车站还挂着半文半白的“如欲乘车,乃可在此”的牌子。 Hong Kong has been a free trade port since it was occupied by the British in 1842. In the early days of the Anti-Japanese War, the import-export trade was booming, the commerce was developed, the culture was rather backward, and the atmosphere of colonial rule was very strong. The empire’s empress and crown can be seen everywhere. Many foreign firms use English signboards. The upper class speaks English and reads English newspapers. The common people mainly speak Cantonese and Cantonese opera, while other provinces speak less Putonghua than English. In the daily life, it is also a metropolitan area with both local characteristics of Guangdong and a combination of Eastern and Western cultures. For example, there are signs of shops in many shops, buses are called buses, balls are waves and so on. Although influenced by the “May 4th” New Culture Movement, the ancient cultural tradition was still very stubborn. It was not until the early 1940s that “ Can be here ”sign.