A city famed for its forest of skyscrapers and constantly packed streets, what do you know about Hong Kong beyond the endless metal, glass, and shopping? We test your Hong Kong knowledge with three rare facts about the pearl of Asia:
1) Hong Kong may have been named after a fragrant river
Not many are keen on deciphering the dual word name that has a nice rhyme to it, but those who do are usually met by one of two origin stories. The first goes that city got its name from a river that ran through it, providing clear water that smelled so nice that it was dubbed the “fragrant river.” Naturally, the land it flowed on got the sobriquet “fragrant harbor,” which is the literal translation according to the intricacies of the Cantonese language. The alternative story credits the city’s naming to its rich reputation for oil, resin, and agarwood among a host of other such products. Hong Kong can also be construed to mean “spice harbor” in the local dialect, and a section of historians think this tag came from its expertise in these products, with agarwood, for example, having many uses in the beverage industry, especially for creating lovely scented liquor or wine. This material is also often integrated into expensive decoration work to give a sensual appeal beyond the visual dimension.
Must Read- car hire Vilnius (automobiliu nuoma Vilnius)
2) The city with the longest life expectancies
Hong Kong is not just number one on the skyscraper charts; it also ventures to the top of the pile with regards to life expectancy as per 2016 rankings. The life expectancy for men was around the 81.3 years mark, with their female counterparts averaging six years better. Several studies have been done over the years to uncover the secret to this longevity and that brought a couple of things to light. For one, there’s easy access to all the conveniences necessary to enable a hassle-free life including healthy food, public amenities and public transport. It’s also thought that the city’s many festivities have contributed to positive wellbeing which is often believed to be one of the secrets to a long and healthy life. In more unofficial circles, you’ll hear that a therapeutic Hong Kong massage also plays some part in
adding more sand to the hourglass.
3) Hong Kong is the ‘smartest’ city on the planet
From an intelligence point of view, Hong Kong is among the world’s smartest cities, with a joint high record. So it’s no longer just a stereotype because it is, in fact, the truth. The only other city to say the same about its intelligence quotient is Singapore which also has a
similar IQ of 108. The third and four placed rivals each have a score of 106 and 105 respectively. Several factors go into determining how smart a city is beyond IQ, with other considerations including education and the number of Noble Prize awards also going into influencing how a
particular city ranks. In a nutshell, this IQ topping feat speaks a lot not only about Hong Kong’s brainpower but also its technological and infrastructural prowess in its entirety. Did you learn something new about the city of skyscrapers? We hope you did! Remember, you can always find out more by visiting this beautiful city in person!
