The 26th January 1841 was the opening act for the British colonial rule in Hong Kong. The Union Jack was raised over the Possession Point by Commodore Gordon Bremer, commander-in-chief of the British forces in China. From then on, Hong Kong would officially be a colony of the British Empire, whose influence on the local culture would be pervasive. Hong Kong was returned to China in 1997 as a Special Administrative Region. Yet, the cultural impact of the Colonial past is still tangible. Originally a small point of land on the north coast of Hong Kong, Possession Point marked the spot where the flag-raising ceremony was held and jubilant celebrations would follow the event. Now covered by reclaimed land, a sharp turn on Possession Street covers the original location of Possession Point.