The four big families of Hong Kong (
Chinese: 香港四大家族)[1][not specific enough to verify] is a term used to describe the four business families who historically rose to prominence and became influential in
Hong Kong.[2] In order of influence, they are
Li, Ho, Lo and Hui family.[2]
The founders of the original four families are Li Sek-peng (李石朋),
Robert Ho Tung (何東), Hui Oi-chow (許愛周) and
Lo Cheung-shiu (羅長肇).[1] Of these families, the Lis and the Hos and their descendants are the two most recognized by regular Hong Kong citizens today.[1]
Families
The families and their descendants are listed below. Each indentation represents one generation down, though not necessarily the next generation. Not all the descendants are shown. Most members of these families have reached
tycoon status.
David Li (李國寶, 1939–) – Chairman, Bank of East Asia,[5] Member of
LegCo, ExCo, and HK Basic Law Drafting Committee
Arthur Li (李國章, 1945–) – Hong Kong Secretary for Education & Manpower (2002–2007), ExCo Member, CPPC Delegate, Council member of the University of Hong Kong
John Litton QC (烈宗仁) – Barrister, Hong Kong Bar (1990– ), English Bar (1991– )
Doris Lo (羅巧貞) – married to Ho Sai-ki, son of
Ho Fook
Eric Peter Ho (何鴻鑾, 1927–2015) – Hong Kong government official
Other definitions
Victor Wan-tai Zheng, co-author of Grand Old Man of Hong Kong: Sir Robert Ho Tung (2007)[13] and Opium King: Lee Hysan (2011),[14] lists 10 "Wealthy Chinese Family Busineses [sic] in Hong Kong" in his PhD thesis: Ho Tung Family, Li Shek-pang Family, Fung Pak-liu Family (note: 馮柏燎, co-founder of
Li & Fung), Lee Leung-yick Family (note: father of Lee Hysan), Chau Wing-tai Family, Hui Oi-chow Family,
Cheung Chuk-shan [
zh] Family, Kowk [sic] (
Wing On) Family,
Fung Ping-shan [
zh] Family and
Tang Chi-ngong [
zh] Family.[15]: 52–62
He also lists a number of families, including Wang Lo Kat [sic] (
Wong Lo Kat) and Lee Kam Kee [sic] (
Lee Kum Kee), in a separate category.[15]: 46–52 The thesis was later modified and published as Chinese Family Business and the Equal Inheritance System: Unravelling the Myth in 2010.[16]
Most of the latter members have been associated with the term "real estate tycoons" (
Chinese: 地產霸權;
lit. 'property/real estate hegemony'), a label made popular by Alice Poon's book Land and the Ruling Class in Hong Kong. In her book, she lists the Lis [Ka-shing], the Kwoks [Tak-seng], the Lees [Shau-kee], the Chengs [Yu-tung], the Paos [Yue-kong] and Woos [Peter] and the Kadoories as the powerful Hong Kong families who hold sway over local "property-cum-utility/public services conglomerates".[21] The Chinese translation of the book uses 香港六大家族; 'Hong Kong "big 6" families' as a section title.[22]
As of 2018, Li Ka-shing and Lee Shau-kee were ranked first and second in Forbes' Hong Kong's 50 Richest respectively, while
Thomas and
Raymond Kwok brothers, sons of the late Kwok Tak-seng, were ranked 4th; their eldest brother,
Walter Kwok (d. 20 October 2018), was ranked 10th.
Richard Li, the younger son of Li Ka-shing, was ranked 19th.
Henry Cheng, son of the late Cheng Yu-tung, was ranked 49th. Some of the members of the aforementioned "new" families were also on the list, such as
Peter Woo, son-in-law of the late Pao Yue-kong (6th),
Michael Kadoorie (12th), the brothers Tung Chee-hwa and
Chee-chen (17th) and Chan Tan Ching-fen, widow of Chan Tseng-His [sic] (35th).[23]
^鄭宏泰 [Victor Wan-tai Zheng]; 黃紹倫 (2011). 一代煙王:利希慎 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Joint Publishing (Hong Kong).
ISBN9789620430664.
^
abZheng, Victor Wan-tai (2002). "A History of Old-established Families and the Chaozhou Community in Hong Kong". The Transfer of Ownership and Leadership: A Study of Chinese Family Business and Inheritance (PhD thesis). University of Hong Kong.
hdl:
10722/36034.
^李秀娟; 李虹 (September 2007).
富不過三代 [Wealth Doesn't Last 3 Generations: How Family Businesses Can Maintain Prosperity] (in Traditional Chinese). Singapore: 八方文化創作室 [Global Publishing] (
World Scientific).
ISBN978-981-4139-75-5.
^Poon, Alice (2011). "The Ruling Class". Written at Richmond (BC). Land and the Ruling Class in Hong Kong (hardback) (2nd ed.). Singapore, Hong Kong:
Enrich Professional Publishing. pp.
22–23.
ISBN978-981-4339-10-0. In all cases, these property-cum-utility/public services conglomerates are controlled by powerful Hong Kong families: the Lis of the Cheung Kong/Hutchison group, the Kwoks of the Sun Hung Kai Properties group, the Lees of the Henderson group, the Chengs of the New World Development group, the Pao and Woo of the Wharf/Wheelock group and the Kadoories of the CLP Holdings group.
^潘慧嫻 [Poon, Alice] (July 2010). 誰統治香港 [The Ruling Class]. Written at Richmond (BC).
dei6 caan2 baa3 kyun4 地產霸權 [Land and the Ruling Class in Hong Kong] (in Traditional Chinese). Translated by 顏詩敏 (1st ed.). Hong Kong: 天窗出版社 [Enrich Publishing],
Hong Kong Economic Journal (co-publishers). p.
45.
ISBN978-988-19218-7-1.