A Pattern of Life: Essays on Rural Hong Kong by James Hayes (Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong Studies Series)

This book presents sixteen of his illuminating and original articles, each of which is rooted in his experiences as a district officer, administering and visiting villages under his care. His interest in the life and lives of the people went far beyond the formal demands of his official work, and Dr Hayes grew to admire and respect the villagers.

Hugh D.R. Baker is Emeritus Professor of Chinese at London University’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). His research work has mainly been conducted in Hong Kong where in the early 1960s he lived in a village studying the history and organisation of a long-established clan. He has published widely on Chinese culture, history, society, and language, was Chinese language Training Adviser to the Hong Kong Government in the early 1970s, and has made considerable contributions in radio, television, and newspaper writings.