Saying Goodbye to Lung Mei

Environmentalists and ordinary members of the public have been flocking to Lung Mei Beach before the government implement plans to turn the strip of Tai Po coastline into an artificial swimming beach. As one last-ditch attempt to save the strip, which is abundant with marine life, follows another, people are appreciating the wildlife and saying goodbye, perhaps for one last time.

Winds of Change Sweep through Sheung Shui

Scenes of locals protesting against parallel traders outside Sheung Shui station caused a stir back in the Autumn and focused attention on complaints that the traders’ activities have changed the character of the town. But as Varsity discovers, even before Sheung Shui became a hub for such trading activity it had already undergone dramatic transformation from a rural backwater into one of Hong Kong’s so-called new towns.

Choi Yuen Villagers’ Brave New World

They found themselves in the headlines when they fought to save their homes in Choi Yuen Village. But their houses and farms were finally demolished to make way for the controversial Guangzhou-Hong Kong Express Rail link. Now, the TV cameras have left and some of the original villagers are stuck in temporary houses while their dreams for a new model village are held up by red-tape.

Temples Get a Makeover

Some of Hong Kong’s temples have swapped dark smoky interiors for clean marble, LED lights and airy glass walls. They want to provide a tranquil setting for spiritual reflection but devotees seem to have mixed feelings about worship in these modern shrines.

Heritage vs Development in HK’s Walled Villages

Hong Kong’s remaining walled villages are an important part of the territory’s heritage and history. But should the desire for preservation trump villagers’ wishes to redevelop their homes?

Hong Kong’s squatter settlements – from transit points to cherished homes

Hong Kong’s squatter settlements are an integral part of the territory’s history. Since the 1980′s, these shantytowns have been steadily demolished to make way for public housing estates, private residential developments and malls.

Varsity speaks to residents who are still living in some of the remaining squatter homes. Some are waiting to move to public housing flats. Others, like the villagers of Ma Shi Po view their squatter houses as their home and never want to leave.

Temple Street Fortunes

Street scenes from an iconic Hong Kong market
By Stephanie Chan, Christine Tai and Jennifer Xu

Paradise Lost in North Point: Kai Yuen Street

Reporters: Katherine Chan, Samuel Chan, Edith Liu, Beverly Yau Before bulldozers moved in to demolish the tong lau or Chinese tenement buildings built in the post-war period in Wing Lee Street and Lee Tung Street, the affected residents put up a fight against redevelopment. Their cause won the sympathy of many Hong Kongers. This is [...]