The eternal now: In Hong Kong's business district JEFFREY AARONSON-NETWORK ASPEN

Chinese behind a British Mask
Although English is an official language, and locals tend to go by Cecilia, Teresa or Kevin, Hong Kong has always been the least British of the Empire's colonial outposts. Loud, fast, impatient, the only moment that matters is now. To Hong Kong's 6.4 million Chinese residents, the mainland, for decades unattainable, has become a destination for businessmen relocating factories in the cheaper provinces. But it is not home, except to the very old, who are taking advantage of relaxed travel rules to arrange burials in ancestral villages. About 10 percent of Hong Kong citizens have been able to move to the mainland since 1984, and about 12 percent of these have raced back to the more compelling opportunities. For all their ceaseless motion, Hong Kong's people appear to be staying put in what will soon be the most exciting city in China. -- Mark Coatney