Hong Kong resident Joseph Yu works four jobs to support his family of four; they live in a 120-square-foot room. That's the down side. The "up" side is that his hard work has made him wealthy—he co-owns a Mercedes and will move in to a much more comfortable house when one becomes available. Yu used to drive a taxi full-time, but found the expenses too high. So he branched out. As author Simon Winchester reports, Yu "is a hospital telephone operator several nights a week, teaches kung fu to children, owns a chauffeur service with his sister, and fills in driving a taxi when needed."

Obsession with Work

Yu's work ethic is so common in Hong Kong that it could be called the dominant character trait of the people who live there. Most adults work six days a week, and many, like...