Presents a study which explored the feasibility of doing comparative education research while focusing on a single society. Focus on comparative historical education research in Hong Kong, China; Problems with periodization, agency, and terminology; Discussion on the issues related to colonialism; Conclusions.[Copyright of Compare: A Journal of Comparative Education is the property of Routledge. Full article may be available at the publisher's website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0305792990290306 ]