page_title: Emblem of Hong Kong
section_title: Colonial arms
hierarchical_section_title: Emblem of Hong Kong / History / Colonial arms
caption_attribution_description: 中文: 香港盾徽
context_page_description: The Regional Emblem of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China came into use on 1 July 1997, after the transfer of the sovereignty of Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China.
  The emblem features the same design elements as the regional Flag of Hong Kong in a circular setting. The outer white ring is shown with the caption of the official name of the territory in Traditional Chinese and the English short form, "Hong Kong".
context_section_description: The arms had been in use in Colonial Hong Kong since it was granted on 21 January 1959 and later adopted on the colonial flag in July of that year. The use of the arms by the Hong Kong Government ended in 1997, when it was replaced by the regional emblem. The arms featured two traditional Chinese junks facing each other, and on a red embattled chief a golden naval crown. The crest was a crowned lion holding a pearl, and the supporters were a crowned British lion and a Chinese dragon. The shield and supporters stood on a compartment, consisting of an island, with a scroll bearing the words 'Hong Kong'.
  The two junks symbolise the importance of Eastern-type of trade on the sea surrounding the colony. The naval crown symbolises Hong Kong's links with the Navy and the Merchant Navy, and the crenulated line acknowledges the brief but valiant defence of Hong Kong against the Japanese during World War II.
  In the crest, the pearl held by the lion indicates the small but precious nature of the Colony. It also recalls the romanticised phrase "Pearl of the Orient" referring to Hong Kong.
  The lion and dragon supporters show the British and Chinese connections of Hong Kong. The island symbolises the beginning of the colony as an island and represents the maritime and hilly geography of Hong Kong.
  The small lion standing on the crest alone had featured on the reverse of Hong Kong coinage before the introduction of the Bauhinia design in preparation for the transfer of sovereignty in 1997.
  The colonial arms has been adopted by a group called the Hong Kong Autonomy Movement (HKAM) as their flag for Hong Kong autonomy.  The flag features the old coat of arms against a blue background.
  The HKAM felt that supporters of Hong Kong autonomy from China needed a symbol around which they could rally.  The flag imposed by Beijing on Hong Kong after the handover was inappropriate, as was the old flag under the British, as both failed to represent true Hong Kong autonomy. The old coat of arms was chosen because it is easily recognisable by people in Hong Kong as representing Hong Kong albeit under the British. The HKAM flag has the old coat of arms in the center against a blue ground whereas the old colonial flag had the coat of arms enclosed with a circle on a blue ground with the Union Jack in the canton.
caption: Sculpted version of the colonial arms (1959–1997)
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