VIDEO: The evolution of Hong Kong’s maids

We all know the history of British colonisation, Japanese occupation, and, of course, “democracy” in Hong Kong, but what about the history of our beloved domestic workforce? Stepping up to fill in the gaps, the Wall Street Journal recently released this fascinating mini-doc that gives us insight into the evolution of what is described as the “engine of the middle class”.

Hosted by the slightly annoyingly-voiced Deborah Kan (sorry Debs) and boasting some awesomely cheesy scene change effects, the short segment runs us through 200 years of domestic worker history, from the Mui Tsais of the 1840s, to the Chinese male servants of the 1930s, the spinster amahs of the mid-20th century, and the present day Filipino and Indonesian workforce. It’s History 101 in just four minutes – have a watch!

With the foreign domestic worker population in Hong Kong now over 325,000, it’s evident these hard working non-residents have been, and still are, vital to Hong Kong’s strong economic status and productivity levels. As Kan puts it, “Many Hongkongers rely on imported domestic help for affordable childcare, which enables double income households and a mobilised female workforce.”

So, the next time you fail to even think about the prospect of doing the dishes after a home-cooked meal you didn’t cook, you know you have someone to thank.



Reader Interactions

Leave A Reply


BECOME A COCO+ MEMBER

Support local news and join a community of like-minded
“Coconauts” across Southeast Asia and Hong Kong.

Join Now
Coconuts TV
Our latest and greatest original videos
Subscribe on