Lessons of life formed outlook, report Andrea Deng in Hong Kong and Cui Jia in Beijing.

The election of Leung Chun-ying as the chief executive of Hong Kong signals a new chapter in the story of the policeman's son who began work as a child, assembling plastic flowers.

Born in Hong Kong in 1954, Leung describes himself as 100 percent a Hong Kong person. His father moved to the city from Weihai in Shandong province about 80 years ago.

To earn extra cash for the family, Leung started his working life early and those plastic flowers are more than just a memory.

"Years of labor took their toll and now my right shoulder is broader than my left," he wrote on his campaign website.

Leung graduated from Hong Kong Polytechnic University in 1974 with a degree in surveying and then moved to England to pursue a valuation and estate management course at the former Bristol Polytechnic.

During his studies in the UK, Leung worked three evenings a week in restaurants.

To save money on transport fees, Leung walked to and from his college, a journey of one hour each way.

In 1977, having completed his studies, Leung joined Jones Lang Wootton, a commercial real estate company headquartered in London, and made his first visit to the Chinese mainland before returning to Hong Kong.