Lee Hysan

Lee Hysan or Lee Hy-san (1879 – 30 April 1928) was a Hong Kong businessman who was involved in the opium trade and refinery, as well as land development in British Hong Kong during the early 1900s. He was nicknamed the Opium King in Hong Kong and Macau. Early life Lee was born in Hawaii. Lee's father was Lee Leung-yik, a businessman who was heavily involved in the opium business in Hong Kong and China. Lee's ancestral home was Kaiping, China, and Lee Leung-yik immigrated and moved his family to the US during the California Gold Rush at age 49 when immigration from Qing-era China was illegal. After making a small fortune, the family left San Francisco in 1896 and eventually relocated to Xinhui, Guangdong Province and then to Hong Kong. At age seventeen, after arriving in Hong Kong. Lee Hysan continued his studies at Queen's College. Since he spoke English fluently, he later taught English at Queen's College, his alma mater. Career Lee's father achieved great wealth from the opium trade, and Lee inherited his father's business. Having amassed a great fortune from his successful opium business, Lee later participated in the fast-growing Hong Kong real estate market.