In Chinese language, Hong Kong is called Xiang Gang, meaning the fragrant island. However, many people are wondering why people called it Xiang. As a matter of fact, there are several different explanations for it. One of the explanations is about the female pirate in the past called Xiang Gu who took this small island as the base area. Gradually, it was named as Xiang Gang. Another kind of interpretation is that there was a large water fall neighboring the present place named Xiang Gang Zai. The water was sweet so that the people who went to voyage would tale the fresh water in this place, hence the name of Xiang Gang.
Many foreign students might have been to Hong Kong for many times during the period when they study in Mandarin language courses in China but might not know the origin of this name. as a matter of fact, long time ago, there was a village around Shipai Bay named Xiang Gang Village. Until now, people also call it the Small Xiang Gang or Xiang Gang Wei. The present Hong Kong Island and Jiu Long belonged to Guangdong Province and Dongguan County in the past. Later, Xin’an County was divided and then renamed as Baoan County which administrating Hong Kong Island.
In 1840, after the Opium War, the Qing Dynasty Government was forced to cut or rent it to the British. Besides, a long time ago, Dongguan County of Guangdong province was famous for producing a kind of spice which was coagulated by the juice of Gu Mi Xiang tree. Such kind of spice was widely applied to all aspects of the daily life. Teachers who teach Mandarin language would tell you this kind of spice is called Guan Xiang because it was produced in Dongguan. At that time, most of the spice was gathered in WUpai Bay and carried to the provincial capital city by ship and then sold to Suzhou and Hangzhou and Beijing.
As a result, this small port got the name of Xiang Gang and the village was called Xiang Gang Village. The price of the first class spice was as expensive as gold. It was said that the imperial court of Qing Dynasty sent official to get it because a large quantity of spice was needed in the imperial court but the production was really limited. Some producers were even forced to offer the spice so that they destroyed the trees. But the name of Xiang Gang is remained.