Edinburgh: A New Home for Hong Kong Immigrants, Blending Tradition and Modernity.
Edinburgh, Scotland’s charming capital, is a city where tradition meets modernity. Its cobblestone streets, lined with Neoclassical architecture, are now home to a mix of vintage-style cafes and expansive green spaces. This quaint city is also an international hub for arts and culture, drawing visitors from around the world with its annual Edinburgh Festival—a series of 11 festivals that collectively attract hundreds of thousands of people each year. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe alone, running this year from August 2 to 26, brought in nearly 250,000 performers and visitors in 2023.
Since moving to Edinburgh in 2022, Jasmine, who prefers to go by her first name only, has found the city’s diverse cultural offerings to be enriching. “People from all around the world come to perform, including students from other countries,” she notes, highlighting the city’s vibrant arts scene.
Belle Li, a 21-year-old who also relocated to Edinburgh in 2022, recalls being mesmerized by The Edinburgh Military Tattoo parade, a cultural spectacle set against the backdrop of the iconic Edinburgh Castle. Both Jasmine and Belle are part of a growing number of former Hong Kong residents who have chosen Edinburgh as their new home.
While Edinburgh might be less well-known compared to larger cities like London, the Hong Kong community here is steadily growing. The Welcoming Committee for Hongkongers, a UK-based non-profit organization, helps newcomers integrate into British society. According to official statistics, about 150,400 Hongkongers have moved to Britain under the British National (Overseas) visa scheme since its launch by the UK government in 2020.
Beyond its cultural appeal, Edinburgh offers other attractions that resonate with Hong Kong settlers. For Belle and her family, weekends are often spent hiking in the Pentland Hills, located southwest of the city. While Arthur’s Seat, an 823-foot hill, is a popular destination for tourists, Belle’s family prefers more challenging hikes. The Li family quickly found their place in the community. “My dad joined several organizations, and on weekends, they would go to the Edinburgh Botanic Gardens to plant together,” Belle shares. Her mother, who teaches English to new immigrants, has made many Ukrainian friends.
Belle emphasizes that the activities they engage in are not just about adapting but about seeking new experiences and enjoying the city with newfound friends. Exploring Edinburgh’s centuries-old streets and uncovering their history has become a part of socializing for Belle, beyond simply catching up with friends at a restaurant, as she might have done in Hong Kong.
For Jasmine, who has a deep love for Chinese literature and writing, discovering a small selection of Chinese books in the city’s public libraries was a pleasant surprise. Despite their new surroundings, both Jasmine and Belle remain connected to their Hong Kong roots. Belle’s family continues to shop at Chinese supermarkets and dine at restaurants run by Hong Kong immigrants. “It is really crucial for Hongkongers to support each other, especially when living in a foreign city,” Belle asserts.
While some Hong Kong delicacies like pineapple buns and milk tea are common back home, they are harder to find in Edinburgh. Belle’s mother has mastered making pineapple buns at home, a skill that has made Belle appreciate them even more.
Now a student at Durham University in England, Belle admits to occasionally missing Hong Kong but has found a strong support network among her friends in the UK. Though she plans to pursue a graduate program in London after graduation, Belle hopes to eventually return to Edinburgh to start a family.
While Belle and Jasmine are relatively new to Edinburgh, Jennie Wan, who was born in Hong Kong, has been a resident for more than three decades. Jennie believes that both the city and its immigrant community have benefited from each other socially and culturally over the years. She moved to Edinburgh in 1986 after her husband began his doctoral studies at the University of Edinburgh, and the couple has since raised three children in the city.
Jennie appreciates the local schools’ focus on extracurricular activities, which contrasts with the intense academic culture of Hong Kong. Her children were able to pursue their passions, such as choir singing and sports, without being burdened by excessive homework.
Maintaining cultural roots remains important for Jennie’s family. They participate in annual Lunar New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations organized by Edinburgh’s Chinese consulate, events that feature artists and performers from China. The consulate has also helped promote cultural exchange by securing spots for locally based Chinese performers at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, giving the diasporic community an opportunity to showcase their talents to a wider audience.
Over the years, Jennie has developed close bonds with both local and immigrant communities in Edinburgh, finding both generally friendly and welcoming. Hongkongers are quietly becoming part of Edinburgh’s cultural tapestry, contributing their unique heritage while embracing the city’s vibrant traditions.
Jasmine, for one, is fully embracing what her new home has to offer. Her advice to others? “Really embrace the city and don’t overthink too much. Just do what you want to do, just go to the event you think is interesting.”