Very sad to hear what you guys had to go through. I thought since there were less people back then, it wasn't so bad.
Chinese people can tolerate more suffering than anyone else on this planet.
Back when I was born, Hong Kong had just a little over 1 milllion people, today it's over 7 million. But don't let that fool you, the welfare of Hong Kong then was much worse than it us now.
Take my elder brothers/sister, back them they have to go out to work, or drop out of school as soon as I and my young sister was in school age.... because my parents can't afford to pay for education for all. I believe it is free now for all.
Hong Kong back then was considered a "third world" economy. Back then we, the children had to supplement the family income by doing whatever work we can find. From a very young age I was snapping plastic flowers, toys together till my fingers got so sore at home. Back then all plastic dolls etc would have got a made in Hong Kong stamp on it. (In fact when I came to the UK, children used to mock by asking to see my made in Hong Kong stamp on my bottom.) Lol
Living condition was barely liveable, those famous human cages I saw recently in one of the MSM trying to mock Hong Kong as uncivilized, with inhuman treatments of their own citizens is a prime example of media manipulation. These MSM made it sound like this only just happened. Lol. These human cages were all the rage under British rule! It is now a dying "business" as Hong Kong's welfare gets better with improvements made to social welfare.
My eldly aunty gets social payments (not available under British rule) and goes to her social club twice weekly to meet and play marjohn. Go on outings etc.
I'm not saying Hong Kong is all utopia now, but what I'm saying is, it is a vast improvement than what it was under British rule, and all this happened under tremendous pressure due to huge population growth!