“Formyself,however,itisthehumanelement,therecollectedwords,therememberedfaces,whichgivelifetotheprintedrecord.”
JamesHayes’smanywritingshavemadeamajorcontributiontoknowledgeaboutlifeinruralHongKong.Thisbookpresentssixteenofhisilluminatingandoriginalarticles,eachofwhichisrootedinhisexperiencesasadistrictofficer,administeringandvisitingvillagesunderhiscare.Hisinterestinthelifeandlivesofthepeoplewentfarbeyondtheformaldemandsofhisofficialwork,andDrHayesgrewtoadmireandrespectthevillagers.Asaresult,hiswritingsaresuffusedwithhisaffectionandesteem.IntendedforscholarsinthefieldofNewTerritorieshistoryaswellasgeneralreadersinterestedinrurallifeintheregion,APatternofLifeprovidesafascinating,academicallyimportant,yethighlyreadablepictureoftraditionallifeinruralSouthChinaandreinforcesDrHayes’sreputationasoneofthemostimportantwritersontheNewTerritories.
“[Jameswas]thearchetypicalexampleofthoseremarkableColonialServiceofficerswhobecamefascinatedby,anddeeplyengagedwith,theterritoriesandpeoplewhichitwastheirtasktoadminister.”–LordWilsonofTillyorn
GovernorofHongKong(1987–1992)
