A vivid photographic account of life in Hong Kong during the 1950s by Dutch photographer Michael Rogge. Shot between 1949 and 1961, these images present us with an amazing view of a city struggling to cope with the enormous challenges that would eventually define its future.

Having arrived in Hong Kong by ship in the summer of 1949, Michael Rogge set about documenting daily life in the city's streets and alleys. From newly arrived Chinese immigrants to itinerant tradesmen and local shop owners, impromptu neighborhood street gatherings and even harbor swims, Rogge chronicles the dynamics of this burgeoning city, its people and its ever-present children.

This is a book of poignant and telling images that manage to transcend mere photo journalism and see deeply into the soul of the city. Each photograph brings us face to face with Hong Kong traditions, its architecture and the diversity of its people in a way that helps us understand this decade of change. At a time when the city's cultural identity is receiving renewed attention, this book is a refreshing reminder of the enduring spirit of the people who helped define its character.

荷蘭攝影師 Michael Rogge 以生動的攝影作品記錄了 20 世紀 50 年代香港的生活。這些照片拍攝於 1949 年至 1961 年間，向我們展示出這座城市當時力爭上游的奮鬥史。

1949 年夏天，Michael Rogge 坐船抵達香港，並開始記錄香港街頭巷尾的日常生活。從新來的中國移民到流動商人和當地店主，即興的街區街頭聚會，甚至港口暢游的畫面，這座新興城市、人民和孩子們的動態無一不被 Rogge 的鏡頭捕捉。

這是一本充滿說服力的攝影集，它超越了單純的攝影新聞，深入洞察了這座城市的靈魂。每張照片都讓我們直視香港的傳統、建築和人民的多樣性，幫助我們了解那十年的變化。在這座城市的文化認同受到關注之際，這本書令人耳目一新地提醒我們，那些前人的不朽精神。

Michael Rogge was born Michael IJsbrand Cornelius Rogge in Amsterdam, Netherlands on 27 May 1929. He set sail for Hong Kong in 1949, at the age of 20, to work for the Nederlandsch-Indische Handelsbank. After six years of photographing and filming in Hong Kong he moved to Japan, where he continued to work and photograph from 1955 to 1960.

Scott Minick is a designer, historian, educator and writer. He spent more than a decade in Paris teaching at Parsons School of Design and the American University of Paris before moving to Hong Kong in 1996. He is the author of numerous books including Chinese Graphic Design in the Twentieth Century, The Art and Crafts of China, China: The Art of the Middle Kingdom and Thai Tracks: Thai Design, Trends and Interesting Traditions. Mr Minick is currently a partner in Minick Jiao Design, Hong Kong.