今日香港西醫的醫療水準，深獲世界認同，更是亞洲地區醫療服務和設施最為完善的地方之一，這當中有着怎樣的歷史發展軌跡？政府又扮演着甚麼角色？本書運用大量一手原始檔案，如香港政府憲報、立法局議程、殖民地醫官報告、醫療報告、殖民地部與港督的往來通信等，重新拼湊出西醫在香港從殖民早期到醫院管理局成立這一百五十年間的發展歷程。目前有關西醫在香港發展的研究，大都以個別醫療機構或疫病個案為主，從宏觀視野研究的並不多，此書誠為首本香港西醫發展史的通論式著作。

本書為二零一六年十二月十六至十七日香港歷史博物館「海表方行：海上絲綢之路國際學術研討會」的論文結集。該研討會由香港歷史博物館提供經費，並由該館與香港浸會大學歷史系、廣東省博物館和澳門博物館聯合主辦。兩天的會議一共有二十三篇學術論文發表，與會者包括來自歐、美、澳、亞各地的十九位專家，以及本地九所大學的十四位學者。
This volume is compiled from papers presented at “To the Seas and Beyond: An International Conference on the Maritime Silk Road,” which was held at the Hong Kong Museum of History in December 2016. Financially supported by the Hong Kong Museum of History, the conference was jointly organised by the Department of History of Hong Kong Baptist University, the Hong Kong Museum of History, the Guangdong Museum and the Macao Museum. During the two days of the conference, a total of 23 academic papers were presented. Presenters, panel chairs, and discussants include 19 international experts hailing from Europe, North America, Australia, and across Asia, as well as 14 scholars from nine local institutions in Hong Kong.

早於1857年，英軍就已招募華人入伍擔任後勤工作。19世紀末，香港陸續出現了華人水兵、水雷砲兵與勞工隊，其角色已有不同。二戰時，華籍英兵廣泛參與，除了為人熟知的英軍服務團外，還有香港保衛戰中的砲兵、工兵、華人軍團、防衛軍，以及緬甸戰場的特種部隊香港志願連等。戰後，華籍英兵仍一直協助香港防務。直到1997年，其身份才隨殖民地時代的結束而成為歷史印記。本書不只是為重新發現「本土軍人」，回顧這段被人遺忘的香港歷史，更希望從華籍英兵的角度，審視英國殖民者與香港華人的關係。

香港除了是知名的貿易港，也是英國的「東方堡壘」。許多人把這個殖民地與直布羅托和馬耳他相提並論，它是大英帝國戰略中關鍵卻又脆弱的環節，在紛亂的歲月接二連三受到敵人威脅。本書檢視香港在大英帝國防衛體系中不斷發展的角色，來自俄國、法國、美國、德國、日本和其他國家此起彼伏的挑戰，以及二次大戰前一段時間的防務準備。書中有一章論述1941年日本侵略這個殖民地時爆發的香港戰役，為這場戰事提供新的解讀。其餘各章探索香港在冷戰時期迭經變化的戰略角色，以及軍事實力的逐漸減弱。本書不但集中於政策和事件，還探討香港駐軍的日常生活，軍方和文人政府之間的鬥爭，以及武裝部隊和平民之間的關係。這是首個有關香港防衛的全面研究，涵蓋殖民時代初期至1970年英國結束在蘇伊士運河以東地區的軍事利益，書中採用了來自世界各地的檔案的原創研究，包括英文、日文和中文資源。書中並附有多幅詳細地圖，供歷史學者和軍事愛好者研究。

This multi-authored volume resulted from an international conference focusing on topics related to our understanding of the role of China in the global history. Apart from introductory chapters exploring methodological issues and contextualizing China’s historical role in the world, this volume also includes rich discussions on the following themes from the ancient period to the twentieth century: organized water transport, cultural interactions, navigators, port cities, smuggling activities, customs service, foreign relations, migration, and diasporas. Written by scholars from different generations who are based in diverse regions including Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, the UK and the US, the chapters in this volume either address old questions from new perspectives, or foreground new topics that were largely ignored in previous scholarship. Some suggest possible future research directions. This thought-provoking volume will be beneficial to readers who are interested in rethinking China’s position on the global historical stage against the backdrop of post-Orientalism.

1868年的明治維新使日本成功走上近代化之路，之後的一百五十年，日本發生了多番變化。這一百五十年，又分為幾個不同的分期—明治時代（1868—1912年）、大正時代（1912—1926年）、以第二次世界大戰為分水嶺的昭和前期（1928—1945年）及昭和後期（1945—1989年）及平成時代（1989—現在）。前三者是日本的近代史，後兩者是日本的現代史。 周佳榮教授常年致力於日本研究，本書圍繞著近現代日本的歷史和文化而作論述，並按內容編為四輯：「政治和社會發展」、「經濟和對外關係」、「出版與文化活動」、「科技與學術前沿」。反映了作者對日本歷史文化的理解和基本看法，予以讀者具啟發性的參考。

The publication of this book marks the fifteenth anniversary of the outbreak of SARS epidemic in Hong Kong in 2003. This documentary study, originating as a research project a year after the epidemic, is a comprehensive attempt to examine the development of public health in Hong Kong from 1841 to the early 1990s. It covers the periods of prewar colonial rule, Japanese occupation, postwar reconstruction and growth, and the beginning of decolonisation. It analyses political, social, economic, and cultural factors, including the intersection of colonial priorities and indigenous agency and practices that affected disease outbreaks and development, government and local responses, advances in technology related to health and medicine, as well as the emergence of health agencies and institutions. The historical documents, selected from government archives, personal papers, and special collections, are invaluable source materials for the critical evaluation of such developments. The book provides a much needed and indispensable historical perspective to understanding Hong Kong’s struggle to combat prevalent and emerging diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, avian influenza, and SARS.