It took 771 years to 'design' the Royal Arms which adorned various buildings before Tuesday. The original dates back to the Norman Conquest, and though it has lost and added bits over the centuries, it still does not please everyone.
In the centre is a shield surrounded by a blue garter with the motto, in French, 'Evil To Him Who Thinks Evil'. The poor old Welsh get fobbed off with one measly leek amongst the foliage at the bottom of the central shield, which also includes the rose for England, shamrock for Ireland and thistle for Scotland. Heraldry was originally introduced at a time when most men were illiterate and in battle the emblems helped warring parties distinguish friend from foe.
The bauhinia is a strange symbol with which to wipe away the humiliation of British rule. The SAR may think it's adopting a truly home-grown emblem, but the flower's full appellation is as colonial as they come.
The Bauhinia Blakeana takes its name from former Governor Sir Henry Blake - the man who inflicted humiliation on China by acquiring the New Territories in 1898. Theories about the choice of the flower for the SAR abound. It is local and easy to grow, so some say it represents Hong Kong people's adaptability.
Others hope it symbolises the future flourishing of the region. But pessimists say it is infertile and as odd a choice as the 'handover' pink dolphin, which faces extinction.
