Home Blog Page 22

I Cannot Leave This City

By Gabriella Lynn

While more French people leave Hong Kong during the pandemic, some are determined to stay in their adopted homes.

Born and raised in France, Elsa Jeandedieu came to Hong Kong alone in 2008 at the age of 24, upon an invitation from a childhood friend who already settled in the city for work. She decided to stay permanently after living in Hong Kong for a year.

Jeandedieu never thought of going back home, even when she struggled to keep things afloat after setting up her studio in 2015.

“When there is a challenge, I never give up. I do not want to go back to France because that would mean it is a mistake to live in Hong Kong. I want to stay here until I succeed and manage to make something with my art,” the muralist says.

Street painting allows me, a foreigner who does not speak Cantonese, to connect with the local Chinese.

Now 38, Jeandedieu is a well-known mural artist in Hong Kong. Many of her brightly coloured wall paintings, featuring big smiling faces, can be seen around the streets of Hong Kong Island, such as outside Bedu Restaurant on Gough Street and next to Lush on Cochrane Street.

“Street painting allows me, a foreigner who does not speak Cantonese, to connect with the local Chinese,” she says.

Jeandedieu has been in Hong Kong for 13 years and she plans to stay on. “I am not ready to leave Hong Kong. If I have to move elsewhere, I do not know where I could go,” she says.

Elsa Jeandedieu spent over 50 hours to complete a mural on Cochrane Street, Central in 2018.
(Photo courtesy of Elsa Jeandedieu)

Besides painting, Jeandedieu also loves to swim and run long-distance. When she is outdoors, she finds inspiration in Hong Kong’s natural scenery and feels more motivated to paint.

“I love the nature of Hong Kong. I can swim in the ocean in the morning or hike a trail after work, and I can [only do that in Hong Kong],” Jeandedieu says.

“I know a lot of French people who have been here for more than a decade. Everybody finds something they like about the city,” she adds.

An Unwavering Commitment

Just like Jeandedieu, Madeline Progin, who owns a French bookshop in Central, thinks Hong Kong’s unique mix of nature and urban skyscrapers makes it a great place to live.

But now at 68, she has been debating her future in Hong Kong after having already lived here for over 40 years.

“I am nearing the age of retirement and I think I should go back [to Switzerland], but I cannot leave this place. The bookshop is a commitment and Hong Kong is a city you get attached to,” she says. For now, Progin decides to stay, continuing to watch over the shop.

I am nearing the age of retirement and I think I should go back [to Switzerland], but I cannot leave this place.

Madeline Progin opened Parenthéses in Central in 1989 because she could not find French books easily in the city at that time.

A French Social Hub

Madeline Progin puts up photos of famous French writers and actors who attended sharing sessions on a bookshelf. The bookstore now seldom holds events due to the pandemic. 

The bookstore, called Parenthéses, is a social hub for the French and other French-speaking people.

“The name [Parenthéses] means a bracket, or a bubble, that separates you from the busy and noisy streets. You are not in Hong Kong, but in a small world that is a bit of France. Everybody here speaks French, and we usually have a French radio playing in the background,” she says.

Progin’s bookstore also hosts sharing sessions with French and Chinese writers ever so often, providing a space for the French-speaking in Hong Kong to learn and socialise.

“Being here for more than 30 years, the bookshop creates a link between France and Hong Kong,” she adds.

More people start to explore Hong Kong and visit the bookshop due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. Many French parents brought their children to the shop to read and relax in the past two summers, when customer traffic is usually low due to people traveling during the summer break.

Pandemic Makes People Leave

COVID-19 travel restrictions might have boosted the number of visitors to the French bookshop, but it has made more French people leave the city.

“COVID-19 made people rethink their plans of living abroad. Companies also realise they can operate from home and cut jobs. [There are many uncertainties currently] and people are thinking of leaving. It is a phase we have to adapt to,” says Jean-Sebastian Attié, executive director of Alliance Française Hong Kong (AFHK).

The number of French nationals in Hong Kong registered with the Consulate General of France dropped to 12,342 as of September 1, 2021, compared to 14,104 in 2019.

The number of working visas granted to French citizens dived from 2,091 in 2019 to 988 in 2020. As of September 2021, a total of 693 visas were issued, according to the Hong Kong Immigration Department.

At Parenthéses, customers stop by to bid farewell to Progin before going back to their home country.

“[Foreigners leave Hong Kong] almost every day now as the COVID-19 restrictions tighten. People want to leave because they are not able to visit their families abroad. It is sad, really, but I do hope for positive change,” Progin says.

Members of the European community have objected to the government’s strict restrictions.

In August, the Hong Kong government categorised 15 European countries, including France and Switzerland, as “high-risk”. Vaccinated Hong Kong residents who have stayed in these high-risk countries must undergo 21 days of quarantine and another seven days of self-monitoring after arriving in Hong Kong. Non-residents who have stayed in or transited through these countries are not eligible to enter Hong Kong.

Upon the announcement, the European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong issued an open letter to the chief executive. “…Hong Kong must open itself sooner rather than later or this new quarantine regime could lead many in the international community to question if they want to remain indefinitely trapped in Hong Kong when the rest of the world is moving on,” Chairman Frederik Gollob writes.

Edited by Hayley Wong & Gloria Wei
Sub-edited by Kelly Yu

Bullying in the Cyberworld

Body type is becoming the only concern for students trapped in social media platforms.

By Jack Deng

Middle school student Lily Xie experienced bullying and body shaming in 2020 due to her body shape for one year. The girl is no longer suffering from bullying now because her parents noticed this and got involved.

Xie says slim girls tailor their school uniform to make themselves look even slimmer and they post photos on social media like WeChat or Weibo. “I wanted to do what they did so I bought a smaller size uniform, but it did not work for me,” the 14-year-old girl says.

Xie’s classmates gave her a nickname – “fat pig”. “Boys poked my waist with their pens. It really hurt. I was afraid and embarrassed, so I just smiled and quickly walked away,” the eighth-grade girl says.

“Boys talk about girls’ pictures and leave comments to praise their body shape. But if I post my photos online, I will be a subject of ridicule,” she says.

Xie spends at least 20 hours per week on social media platforms to browse pictures of slim girls and clips about losing weight by bloggers.

A girl wears the school uniform and posts her photos on Weibo, a popular Chinese social media platform.

Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), a monthly peer-reviewed medical journal, published a study in July 2019 which mentioned the level of adolescents’ social media usage is a significant predictor of their depression levels. For every additional hour of social media use, depressive symptoms of teens will increase by two per cent.

According to Xie, she was once depressed but finally cured due to the help of her parents.

Xie points out: “I want to be slimmer. I want to post my selfies and have many likes as well…just like other girls who have a slender body shape. I want people to stop calling me ‘pig’.”

Xie is not alone, not only Chinese students face this dilemma. Research conducted by tech writer Paul Bischoff in 2019 surveyed more than 1,000 parents in America and asked them about whether their children had experienced cyberbullying. Around 60 per cent of them said yes.

Shen Yuefei, who has worked in a middle school in Shenzhen for over 10 years, has observed a similar trend in China.

“It is worrying to see that teenagers care about their appearance rather than their study. I find that more students nowadays suffer from bullying and depression because of their body figure,” she points out.

A middle school student wears the school uniform in Shenzhen.
(Photo Courtesy of Lily Xie)

According to a journal article issued on The Clinical Psychological Science in November 2017, compared with adolescents who spend only one hour per day, those who spend more than five hours per day on social media have a 66 per cent increased risk of suicide-related outcomes.

In March 2021, a 15-year-old student from Shen’s school attempted suicide after suffering from cyberbullying and body shaming for more than one year.

Shen recalls: “That girl has a big red birthmark on her right cheek. Other students called her ‘dinosaur’ instead of her real name. They discussed her appearance in group chats.”

“The girl had planned to jump from the second floor of the school building after a boy made fun of her look on WeChat. He posted her photo with insulting marks on her face in a group chat. The student was subsequently transferred to a private school,” she continues.

Shen reveals the school management offered RMB ￥150,000 to her parents and asked them not to speak to the media or report to the education bureau. 

Shen’s school set up a unit to handle students’ mental issues after the incident in September 2012.

 “But I have never seen anyone seeking help from the unit. Schools nowadays are trying to deal with these issues in a low-key manner,” says Shen.

Cheng Qijin, assistant professor from the social work faculty of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, believes that social media is one of the factors that affect teenagers’ mental health.

“The young generations are ‘net natives’. But their mental development is not ready to handle the cyberworld,” says Cheng.

She points out children will lack empathy, as they do not see or feel the pain of others after they have hurt someone online.

“The young generations are ‘net natives’. But their mental development is not ready to handle the cyberworld.”

“Social media platform has the responsibility to protect teenagers from harmful information like bullying or violence,” Cheng says, “They should change their profit-driven algorithms but surely the cost will be high to the social media companies.”

The social work professor who focuses her study on mental health promotion and media studies points out that strengthening media literacy education is necessary.

Cheng suggests parents give more attention to their children’s mood swings when they are using social media platforms.

“Cutting electronic devices off from children will not be a smart choice especially when teenagers are in their rebellious stages,” Cheng says.

“Parents should guide and keep their children accompanied when they are using social media. Schools should introduce guidelines on surfing on the internet in their curriculum,” she says.

“Schools should introduce guidelines on surfing on the internet in their curriculum.”

Edited by Vivian Cao

Sub-edited by Soweon Park

“Chaotic” Fandom under Clampdown

Fans have mixed feelings about Qinglang campaign that cracks down many online fan activities.

By Alina Chen

Jessica Liao found three of her Weibo accounts were banned in early October 2021. The three accounts cost her RMB ¥45 (US $7.05) on Taobao, a Chinese online shopping platform, in September 2021.  She bought the accounts to increase traffic data for her idol on Weibo, a leading social media platform in China.

“Each of them had 500 followers. I could [use them] repost a post [by my idol] for 100 times without being stopped [by Weibo censorship system],” she says.

“Idols’ popularity can be quantified by numbers [including the amounts of likes, reposts and comments]. Fans want to boost their idols’ popularity. It can help an idol’s career,” Liao adds.

Despite her strong attachment to her idol, Liao declines to disclose his name. She explains that she does not want to associate her idol to a male group survival show he participated early this year. “[That survival show] was unfortunate [with a bad reputation],” she says.

“IDOLS’ POPULARITY CAN BE QUANTIFIED BY NUMBERS [INCLUDING THE AMOUNTS OF LIKES, REPOSTS AND COMMENTS].”

To drive traffic to content related to her idol, Liao once had more than 10 Weibo accounts. She was only one of the many fans in China engaging intensively on social media platforms to promote their beloved singers or actors.

The Cyberspace Administration of China announced instructions to clean up chaos in online fandom on August 27, 2021.

But such moves are not allowed anymore. On June 15, 2021, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) launched Qinglang campaign (清朗) to put an end to the “chaos” involving online fan clubs.

The CAC banned five kinds of online chaos: inducing minors contributing money to their idols, hurling abuse online and doxing, encouraging fans to flaunt their wealth, manipulating social media comments and hijacking public opinion by making up topics online.

One of the chaos is reportedly about an idol survival show called Youth With You 3 produced by iQIYI, a major video streaming platforms in China. An idol survival show is a reality TV show in which participants compete to get a place in an idol group that is going to debut by the end of the show. A video showing people believed to be fans pouring bottles of yoghurt drink down the drain went viral in May. The fans wanted to scan QR codes inside caps of bottled drinks in order to vote for their idols.  The video which cannot be confirmed has triggered an intense backlash online.

The idol survival show, Youth With You 3, produced by iQIYI, was aired from February 18, 2021 and was abruptly halted on May 1, 2021 before the grand finale.

Responding to the CAC’s campaign, social media platforms such as Weibo and Douban, another social media platform where fans gather, announced that they will strengthen regulations on online fan activities. Accounts involving in “inappropriate fan activities” like hurling abuse, will be banned temporarily or permanently.

Entertainment companies follow suit. Some companies call for rational star-chasing on their official Weibo accounts.

Online fan clubs also make similar statements on Weibo and rename their accounts to avoid being suspended. Words such as ‘fan club’ are removed from their account usernames.

At the end of August, fan club account of Zhao Liying, a popular Chinese actress, with more than 2.5 million followers on Weibo was banned temporarily by Weibo’s censorship system. Before the account was banned, an online verbal fight broke out between fans of Zhao Liying and another actor, Wang Yibo. Zhao’s fans wanted to remove Wang from appearing in a new TV show featuring Zhao, as previously a TV show having both of them was not well-received by the audience.

Fans then realised self-censorship will be necessary to avoid having accounts being closed.   They delete or turn perceived sensitive Weibo posts with abusive words into private posts. Hashtags are also restricted to avoid being identified as “manipulating social media comments”.

“[Sensitive words are] like ‘test’, ‘养乐多’, ‘广场’ (Yakult, square). [These words are usually] used to manipulate social media comments and make up hot topics,” Liao explains.

“I was too lazy to do [self-censorship]. I have too many posts on my accounts,” she says.  After several weeks, she found her account containing posts with these “sensitive” words work as usual. “So [fans were] like scaring ourselves,” she says with a laugh.

Weibo made an announcement about the cancellation of the celebrities’ popularity ranking list in its official account on August 5, 2021.

Before the Qinglang campaign, online fan clubs encouraged fans to write comments about their idols and repost them as much as possible to increase traffic data related to their idols.  Fans now stop doing reposts, as Weibo cancelled ranking lists of celebrities’ popularities in August due to the crackdown.

Although fans now have to follow stringent rules, some fans like Liao see the bright side of the campaign. They spend less time on writing comments and reposting online.

“The campaign saves my time … Now we mainly chat in our [fan] group,” she says.

Fans also have stopped contributing money to idols directly with apps like Taoba (桃叭) and Owhat now as the campaign bars variety shows or entertainment businesses to charge fans for star-chasing.

“[OFFICIALS FROM MEDIA COMPANIES] PLAY DUMB, BUT I THINK THEY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING WHEN THEY MANIPULATE FANS TO MAKE MONEY.”

Yvonne Lin, a fan and also a fresh graduate, tries to cover all costs of star chasing by herself. Her idol is Liu Yu, a candidate who attended Chuang 2021, an idol survival show produced by Tencent this year. She thinks minors should not make a monetary contribution because their money comes from their parents.

But she also acknowledges that sometimes it is hard to avoid spending money on idols. “Rules of survival show require fans to contribute money to help their idol debut. The regulation is established [by the programs], and fans can only follow the game rules,” she says.

“[Officials from media companies] play dumb, but I think they know what they are doing when they manipulate fans to make money,” she adds.

Jing Zhan, associate professor of the Department of Government and Public Administration at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, thinks idol survival show is an effective business model that entertainment industry has built in recent years.

“Companies are driven by profit … but they will have to face some government restraints during the Qinglang campaign,” she says.

Zhan also thinks that it is hard to evaluate the long-term effect of the Qinglang campaign this year. “Sometimes the government introduces some policies and does not enforce them continuously. Then the effectiveness will depend on the conscious behaviour [of companies],” she says.

Edited by Fiona Cheung

Sub-edited by Vivian Cao

Old Is Gold

Cantopop legends live in youngster’s hearts with their intoxicating charms.

By Angel Woo

“The wind keeps blowing, and I don’t wanna leave.”

The lyrics of Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing’s iconic classic, “The Wind Blows On” (風繼續吹) still resonate 18 years after his death.

Many are still dwelling in the golden age of the super star. Memorial events are held every year by fans around the world. Some are even organised by fans born after his death.

“I was born in 2004 and he passed away in 2003. I still love him so much even though our lives never intersected. Legends never die and live on in people’s hearts,” Ellie, who declines to reveal her full name, says.

Leslie Cheung first came into her life when she was only six. “My father played his songs at home, and I love his song The Wind Blows On (風繼續吹) the most. To me, he is like wind that gently breezes into my life,” the 17-year-old student says.

“I still love him so much even though our lives never intersected. Legends never die and live on in people’s hearts“

This April, Ellie organised a memorial exhibition – “Wind Of Leslie” for the singer, actor and film director, who took his own life at the age of 46 on April Fool’s Day in 2003 after suffering from depression.

“I used my pocket money to organise this exhibition and I spent almost HK$20,000. From finding a venue, writing press releases to arranging exhibits, I did it all by myself,” she says.

The exhibition Ellie held for Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing this April. (Photo courtesy of Ellie)

Her exhibition showcased more than 50 exhibits, which are all her collections related to Cheung, including posters and magazines. “I got so many collections at home so I decided to sell some, hoping more Cheung’s fans can share the joy,” she says.

Ellie holding up one of the poster of her exhibition of Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing. (Photo courtesy of Ellie)

“Loving him is the best decision I have ever made in my life“

“It is not easy to find these items! Sometimes I have to find them through overseas second-hand shopping websites. For the poster of Happy Together (春光乍洩) designed by the Cannes International Film Festival, I had to translate the film name into French and find it on the internet,” she says.

“It was really exhausting to organise the exhibition on my own, but I definitely did not regret it,” she says determinedly. “As a young fan of Cheung, I feel like it is my responsibility to let more people of my generation to know about him through this exhibition,” she adds.

Ellie also has an Instagram page named WindOfLeslie in which she writes about her thoughts on Cheung’s songs and films using her pseudonym.

A Life Enlightenment Journey

“I would say he has enlightened my whole life. I always get a bit emotional when I talk about him. Loving him is the best decision I have ever made in my life,” the teenager says with teary eyes.

“He has always stayed in my heart as I have been listening to his songs since I was small. But I became a die-hard fan after watching a video of him performing in red high heels at an exhibition,” she says.

The daring star has been an indispensable part of Ellie’s life since she went to an exhibition named “Ambiguously Yours: Gender in Hong Kong popular culture” when she was 12 in 2016.

Organised by M+ West Kowloon Cultural District, the exhibition was about gender ambiguity through showcasing costume designs, music and films in pop culture.

“At that exhibition, I watched his 1997 concert in which he danced in red high heels while singing his song Red (紅). I was so amazed! How could a man dance so delicately in high heels? How could he be so androgynous? He was even more feminine than a woman!” Ellie says.

The red high heels Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing wore being exhibited in the Hong Kong Heritage Museum.

The Cantopop king has never hidden his true self. He was the first idol to come out as gay in Hong Kong and confessed his love to his childhood friend Daffy Tong Hok-tak in the 90s. Even for today, he is still a huge gay icon as it is not common for celebrities to come out publicly in the city.

“He dared to hold Tong’s hand while paparazzi were taking a picture of them! He has been encouraging more people to express themselves. He has helped me to get rid of limits set by the world and freed my mind,” she says.

“He is ‘the avant-garde’ in Hong Kong pop culture! Many people tell you to be yourself nowadays, but he already did it twenty years ago – loving himself and doing what he loved,” she says.

When asked if she would like to go back to the past to meet Cheung, she says: “Of course I would like to meet him, but I believe there is a reason for me to be born in this era – maybe it is to live by his values and spread it to others.”

From Kpop to Cantopop

Anita is a biographical film about Anita Mui Yim-fong in 2021.

While Ellie believes it is her destiny to live in an era without her beloved idol, Heidi Yu, an 18-year-old fan of Cantopop Diva Anita Mui Yim-fong, thinks the opposite.

The Cantopop diva passed away in December – eight months after Cheung in the same year because of cervical cancer. Her death made 2003 a more sorrowful year as it was also the time when Hong Kong was greatly hit by SARS, a deadly disease that killed 299 Hongkongers out of 1,755 infected.

“I think I was born in the wrong era…it is a pity that I can never meet her in person and take a picture with her. The old Hong Kong seems a lot happier – life was simpler,” Yu sighs.

Loving someone Yu has never met is poignant, but there are always other ways to show her love. “I visit her grave every year and write letters to her on her birthday, her death anniversary and the day she debuted,” she says.

“The old Hong Kong seems a lot happier – life was simpler“

“I don’t know if she can receive my letters, but I will keep writing,” she says.

Before knowing the diva, she knew nothing about Cantopop. “I only listened to K-pop in the past and I did not know any Cantopop songs, not even the most famous ones,” she says.

“My friend sang Unfortunately I’m an Aquarius (可惜我是水瓶座) by Miriam Yeung Chin-wah when we were singing karaoke a few years ago. But I totally had no idea what song it was,” she laughs. Yeung was a famous local singer in the 2000s and her song Unfortunately I’m an Aquarius (可惜我是水瓶座) is still one of the mainstream hits.

But the pandemic in 2019 changed her life. As Yu got more time to stay at home, she was granted a chance to learn about her love. “One day, I listened to Mui’s songs on the internet and was quickly taken with her,” she says.

“It is because of Mui that I listen to more Cantopop songs,” she says. “As a Hongkonger, I should listen to more Cantopop and not only K-pop,” she adds.

Although she still listens to K-pop, she says: “Mui conquers a big part of my heart! She cannot be compared with K-pop.”

“I feel more attached to Mui’s songs, because I can understand the lyrics which were so beautifully written,” she explains.

I also love how she shares her thoughts on life during concerts, for example she reminded us to treasure everything before she sang Sunset Melody (夕陽之歌) in her very last concert in 2003. K-pop stars usually do not do this,” she adds.

“People see idols from golden age as a cultural icon to represent their own society. We always miss the past when a better future has not yet arrived“

Cultural Icons

Anthony Fung Ying-him, professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s School of Journalism and Communication, says nostalgia has become a global phenomenon.

“Every society has this phenomenon. For example, The Beatles was formed in the 1960s but the band is still influencing the western world today. It is because it symbolises a milestone of world music culture and a breakthrough in western music history,” he says.

“People see idols from golden age as a cultural icon to represent their own society. We always miss the past when a better future has not yet arrived,” he says.

“Many problems occur in today’s world, so we miss the old times,” Fung says. Perhaps, his comment was sung by Cheung in The Wind Blows On(風繼續吹) – “There were many happy memories in the old days, why not recall it together?”

The Hong Kong Pop 60+ exhibition in The Hong Kong Heritage Museum.

Edited by Charlie Yip
Sub-edited by Hayley Wong

Education Unions: the Past, Present and Future

What does disbandment of experienced professional unions mean to political participation and civil society in Hong Kong?

By Leung Pak-hei

Poon Tin-chi, one of the active leaders of the now-disbanded Hong Kong Professional Teachers’ Union (PTU) since its establishment in 1973, says that it never supported Hong Kong independence, citing that it supported Hong Kong’s return to China during the negotiations between China and the United Kingdom during the 1980s as evidence.
“Our founding chairman Szeto Wah was also a member of the Hong Kong Basic Law Drafting Committee. This shows that he is a true patriot,” he adds.

The Disbandment of PTU

The PTU came under fire on July 30 when Chinese state-run newspaper People’s Daily criticised the union for engaging in anti-China activities and called the PTU an “ulcer” that needs to be removed.

The next day, on July 31, the Hong Kong government announced that it would cease all working relations with the PTU, stating that it would no longer consult the union on education-related issues and would stop recognising teacher training courses organised by the PTU.

The PTU announced its decision to disband on August 10, citing “huge pressure from the recent developments” as the reason. The union facilitated disbandment by amending its constitution at a special assembly. The decision was formalised on September 11.

Poon, who has been the chairman of the PTU senate since 2010, says that the PTU participated in social movements because upholding social justice is one of its core values.

“The PTU has three main goals: to fight for teachers’ rights, to voice out on education policies and to defend social justice,” he says.

Notice posted by the PTU announcing its disbandment.

“We organise peaceful activities if the movement was related to social justice. We only mobilise our members to participate and never incited students,” he stresses.

Poon was also the union’s first secretary general from 1974 to 1990 and the vice-chairman from 1992 to 2006.
He says that the PTU has influenced the government’s education policies throughout its existence.

“For example, when the number of students started to decrease in the late 1970s, we advocated to implement small class teaching to enhance the quality of education. The government eventually accepted our suggestion,” he explains.

Poon Tin-chi in the PTU office.

Memories with PTU

Poon finds the PTU’s friendly atmosphere to be most memorable.

“I remember when we helped our members to order gifts during Lunar New Year, our volunteers worked together happily, even though they were exhausted after moving the gifts around,” Poon says.

“And when our members received presents, they stayed around and chatted with us. It is not purely a seller-customer relationship, but a very warm and close one,” he continues.

Poon also praises PTU’s founding chairman Szeto Wah’s devotion to education and his down-to-earth working style. He passed away in 2011.

“I remember back in 1971, rubbish piled up in toilets after a carnival event. When Szeto Wah was aware of it, he went to the toilet to clean it himself,” he recalls.

Looking into the future after the PTU’s disbandment, Poon tries to stay hopeful.

“There is not really a basis for optimism now, but it is also not necessary to be negative. There is always hope, it just depends on how you interpret things,” he says.

The New Teachers’ Union

Shortly after the PTU’s disbandment, the pro-Beijing Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers (FEW) established the Hong Kong Education Workers Union on September 12.

“The union currently has fewer than 50 members. We will send invitations to teachers next month, and we hope that 10,000 FEW members and other non-FEW education workers will join us,” Ng Chi-wui, the vice-chairman of the union, says.

He also says that most of the members in the new union’s council met each other in the FEW, but stresses that the union will also include non-FEW members, including current and retired education workers.

“We are currently planning to form two new committees in the union, and have already invited some non-FEW members to be part of them,” Ng says.

The vice-chairman thinks that it is difficult to comment on the PTU’s disbandment but says: “We acknowledge that the PTU has made a lot of contributions to teachers’ rights throughout its history, but we cannot approve its actions that override education professionalism with politics, such as inciting teachers to participate in class boycotts.”

Ng’s remarks were similar to FEW president Wong Kwan-yu’s. Speaking to a RTHK radio programme on August 11, Wong criticized the PTU for not distinguishing itself from teachers with professional misconduct, as well as separatism and Hong Kong independence.

Ng says that the new union will not provide teachers’ welfare in order to avoid overlapping with services like shopping welfare that the FEW already has.

He adds that it will provide consultation and legal assistance in cases involving teachers’ rights, which explains why pro-Beijing lawyer and National People’s Congress representative Chen Man-qi is appointed the union’s advisors.

“We will not harbour any prejudices when dealing with cases involving professional misconduct, but will not protect teachers involved in illegal activities,” Ng stresses.

Empty PTU supermarket after the announcement of disbandment.

What Does the Disbandment Tell Us?

Ma Ngok, an associate professor from the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s (CUHK) Department of Government and Public Administration, thinks that the pro-Beijing unions will not be able to replace the PTU.

“Due to their political stance, it will be hard for these unions to build trust with the former members of the PTU. They are also relatively inexperienced when it comes to defending teachers’ rights and dealing with complaints, which the PTU was very experienced in,” he says.

The associate professor says that the PTU was targeted by the authorities due to its influence on Hong Kong’s social movement.

“The Central and Hong Kong governments alleged that the PTU incited teachers to encourage students to actively participate in the 2019 anti-extradition bill movement. This led to Beijing’s decision to deal with the union,” Ma explains.

Given the current political atmosphere, he believes that new unions with a pro-democracy political stance in the education industry will probably not emerge in the short term.

He also says that the trend of disbandment of other prominent pro-democracy organisations and unions will lead to a steady loss of organisational power of the pro-democracy camp.

“The National Security Law and the social distancing measures under the pandemic created an unfavourable atmosphere for political activities. The limited resources of smaller pro-democracy groups also does not help,” Ma says.

Another commentator Lau Siu-kai, deputy head of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macau Studies, says he is unfamiliar with the subject.

Bernard Charnwut Chan, the non-official convenor of the Executive Council, said on September 12 that he felt pity for the PTU’s disbandment, but stressed that no organisations should challenge “one country, two systems” under the National Security Law.

The convenor also believed that the disbandment of one or two organisations would not affect the development of Hong Kong’s civil society.

The US Department of State issued a press statement on October 21 expressing serious concern at the continued erosion of fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong and called on the Beijing and Hong Kong authorities to cease their crackdown on peaceful civil society organisations.

Name of organisationDate of announcement of disbandment
Hong Kong Professional Teachers’ UnionAugust 10
Civil Human Rights FrontAugust 15
612 Humanitarian Relief FundAugust 18
Civic PassionSeptember 3
Wall-fareSeptember 14
Hong Kong Confederation of Trade UnionsSeptember 19
Student PoliticismSeptember 24
Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of ChinaSeptember 25
Some pro-democracy organisations disbanded since August 2021

Edited by Reus Lok
Sub-edited by Hayley Wong

Stop Tutoring! – Editor’s Note

China bans private tutoring in school curriculum subjects to reduce the burden of excessive schoolwork on kindergarten to 12th grade pupils. The policy dubbed the “double reduction” only allows private classes on weekdays with limited hours.

Our Periscope section investigates how China’s tutoring crackdown affects tutoring agencies, teachers, students and parents.

According to Ministry of Education, 10.78 million students registered for the 2021 Gaokao, university entrance examination in China, with an increase of 70,000 compared with last year. While only about 9.67 million were admitted as undergraduates to regular higher education institutions in 2020.

Private tutoring market in China was predicted to grow from RMB ¥800 billion (US $123.7 billion) in 2019 to over RMB ¥1 trillion (US $0.15 trillion) by 2025 in a 2020 report by Oliver Wyman, a management consulting firm. But businesses now struggle to make profits after a regulation on tuition fees has been issued alongside the policy.

With many classes cancelled, tutoring agencies face great financial pressure from refunding tuition fees and compensating employees who are cut due to the change. Many private tutors cannot afford to pay their mortgage because of unemployment or massive pay cuts.

Varsity also examines political and social issues in Hong Kong such as cultural heritage conservation, the redevelopment of To Kwa Wan, the disbandment of pro-democracy organisations and the 2021 Election Committee subsector ordinary elections.

Our team explores a growing trend of young farmers in Korea, the craze for Hong Kong boy band Mirror and youngsters in China using “blind boxes” to meet new friends. Varsity reporters also talk to various interesting people including former Apple Daily journalists, Hong Kong’s first registered ethnic minority social worker Jeffrey Andrews, an Irish polyglot and a game content creator in China.

Have an enjoyable read!

Linn Wu

Chief Editor

Hong Kong is Our Home too

The city’s first registered social worker with an ethnic minority background, Jeffrey Andrews, shares his experience in raising a voice for a multicultural Hong Kong.

By Gabriella Lynn

Jeffrey Andrews, Hong Kong’s first registered social worker with an ethnic minority background, has been serving ethnic minorities and refugees for around 12 years. Nicknamed “Jeff,” he ran for the pro-democracy primaries last year, hoping to win a seat in the Legislative Council. 

“I stand for unity in diversity, and I feel the need to be a voice for ethnic minorities, which is why I wanted to stand for the election,” he says.

After the primary election, Andrews and 52 pro-democracy figures, including activists, politicians and academics were arrested by the National Security Department of the Hong Kong Police Force on January 6, 2021. He was later charged with “conspiracy to commit subversion”. 

On bail at the time of the interview, Andrews, who considers himself a Hongkonger with an Indian descent, says he cannot disclose details regarding the charge and arrest. But he is determined that the arrest will not stop him from continuing to help other ethnic minorities and refugees in the future.

“Even with what happened to me, I still believe there should be an ethnic minority representative in Hong Kong. I might not [run in the election] again, but we still need a voice,” Andrews vows. 

“I am confused about the future and [my feelings for Hong Kong], just like everyone else, but Hongkongers have gone through so much, like the SARS and economic crises, we somehow just get on with it. I still have so much faith in this Hong Konger spirit,” he adds. 

“I stand for unity in diversity, and I feel the need to be a voice for ethnic minorities, which is why I wanted to stand for the election.”

From Gang Member to Social Worker

Becoming a social worker was never on young Andrews’ mind. Growing up in the 1990s, he went to a school which had many non-Chinese-speaking (NCS) students, commonly referred as “designated school”.  The term was later abolished by the Education Bureau in the 2013/14 school year to remove the misconception arising from the label.

Students studying in designated schools were assumed to finish their school days at the age of 15 or 17 as they finished Form 3 or Form 5 at best but students in other schools would continue their studies.

“In Form 5, when [my classmates and I] left the school with public exam results…there were gang members outside, trying to recruit us. They asked: ‘Why do you want to study when you can make money this [easily]?’ And many of us ended up joining them, including me,” Andrews recalls.

Led astray, he wasted two years of his life as a gang member. The wake-up call, Andrews says, was when he got arrested for theft at the age of 19.

Jeffrey Andrews and Fermi Wong at the graduation ceremony of the part-time social work programme. (Photo Courtesy of Jeffrey Andrews)

“It was 4 a.m. in the morning. I did not want to call my parents, so I ended up calling my social worker, Fermi Wong. It was God’s intervention for putting [her] number in my head, because back in the day, we had no cell phones, and I still remember her phone number to this day,” Andrews chuckles.

Since then, the once troubled teenager grew a strong desire to become a social worker like Wong, the founder of Hong Kong Unison, who protects the rights of ethnic minorities. Because of his cultural background, Andrews believes he is the perfect fit to help other ethnic minorities like him.

In 2011, 25-year-old Andrews enrolled in a part-time social work programme at the Caritas Institute of Higher Education. He was one of the first three ethnic minority students to study this programme — now, there have been 17 more since Andrews graduated in 2014.

After three years, Andrews graduated and became a registered social worker. He joined Wong, and together, they supported the forgotten and excluded people in the city.

Unity in Diversity

Now 36, Andrews spends most of his time at Chungking Mansions, home to low-budget hostels, restaurants, and shops mainly opened by Africans and South Asians. Andrews is the co-manager at Christian Action Centre for Refugees, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), which is located on the 17th floor of the building.

Andrews regularly organises guided tours of the building for students, volunteers, and even corporate leaders. As he led a group of Youth Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) volunteers touring inside the building on the day of the interview, he greeted almost every resident passing by whom he called them “brothers” or “uncles”. He introduced their background and culture to the volunteers in fluent Cantonese.

Jeffrey Andrews leads a group of YMCA volunteers touring inside the Chungking Mansions.

To Andrews, Chungking Mansions is much more than a place for curry or currency exchange. Starting from this building that many locals are intimidated by, he wants to bridge the gap between ethnic minorities and local Chinese.

He believes a big step moving forward was achieved two years ago during a protest.

“In the challenging times we are in, people understand and relate to ethnic minorities, who have been struggling for all their lives.”

On October 20, 2019, during the period of anti-government protest, a group of ethnic minorities, including Andrews, stood outside Chungking Mansions and distributed drinking water to protesters.

“[The support] was so amazingly well-received that many people wanted to check out us and Chungking Mansions, so we did tours for them too,” says Andrews, pointing at a picture of a long queue outside the building for the tour.

“In the challenging times we are in, people understand and relate to ethnic minorities, who have been struggling for all their lives,” he adds.

Hong Kongers queued up outside the Chungking Mansions to show support to ethnic minorities. (Photo Courtesy of Stand News)

Looking Ahead

At the time of the interview, Andrews was still anticipating his next bail report on October 21, 2021.

“I do not know what will happen to me on [that day] but let me just leave a legacy as far as I can and see where it takes me. I just keep my head down no matter what,” the 36-year-old says.

Despite the uncertainties, Andrews vows to make Hong Kong a better place for ethnic minorities. He wishes schools will incorporate guided tours to Chungking Mansions into their curriculum.

“I want children to come to feel, touch, talk, and taste. Education needs to change. Minority interaction needs to change,” he adds.

Edited by Fiona Cheung
Sub-edited by Eve Lee

Apple Daily Spirit Lives on

Former Apple Daily journalists remain in their profession, despite declining press freedom.

By Gloria Chan Yi-lam

Ingrid Tse Hing-yee worked for three media outlets in three years. She joined Apple Daily in 2021 after resigning from i-Cable in 2019 due to arguments about editorial decisions. The 25-year-old journalist now works in online media Hong Kong Citizen News after Apple Daily was folded in June this year.

“I think I am doing the right thing, and I will continue to do so… I am determined to stay in the industry as long as I can,” she vows.

During Tse’s job interview with Apple Daily in January 2021, her employer warned her that she might not be able to work in the company for long. But she still took the job offer.

“Apple Daily reporters could still do reporting freely and did not do news stories to please the government at that time. There was still room to practise journalism,” Tse says.

The Tearing Down of Apple Daily

On August 10, 2020, about a month after the introduction of the national security law, police raided Apple Daily’s office on Chun Ying Street, Tseung Kwan O Industrial Estate. They arrested Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, founder of its parent company, Next Digital, alleging him of violating the national security law.

On June 17, 2021, hundreds of police officers raided the office a second time and arrested five executives on suspicion of “colluding with a foreign country or with external elements”, violating the national security law. Assets worth HK$18 million were frozen on the same day. The company announced its closure “in view of employees’ safety” a week later.

Apple Daily’s office at 8 Chun Ying Street, Tseung Kwan O.

“The tearing down of Apple Daily, one of the major Chinese-language media critical of the ruling regime in Beijing, after years of harassment, is sending a chilling message to Hong Kong journalists,” says Cédric Alviani, the East Asia bureau head of Reporters Without Borders.

Seven people associated with Apple Daily, including journalists and executives, have been charged under national security law, which could lead up to penalties of up to life imprisonment so far.

Not Giving Up

After Apple Daily’s closure, Tse felt lost about her career in journalism and sad for the dwindling press freedom in Hong Kong. “It is not just about a few hundred employees losing their job. It is about the voice of Apple Daily, which could not be found in other news media outlets,” Tse says.

The city’s press freedom world ranking dived from 18 in 2002 to 80 this year, according to Reporters Without Borders.

Tse is now working for Hong Kong Citizen News, as it gives her room to produce good news stories. She believes if she loses her job as a journalist in the future, she will still do reporting in her free time. “I don’t have to give up. I will continue to practice journalism and do reporting as long as I can,” she says.

Local news journalist Ingrid Tse Hing-yee in the studio of Hong Kong Citizen News.

“I don’t have to give up. I will continue to practice journalism and do reporting as long as I can.”

All by Oneself 

Another former Apple Daily reporter Leung Ka-lai is also determined to stay in the industry. She is now an independent journalist who posts stories about the aftermaths of the social movement on her personal Facebook page.

Leung has been a journalist for more than 15 years. Before Leung was invited to join Apple Daily’s local news features section in June 2018, she worked for other local news media outlets like The Standard, U Magazine, Metro Pop, and Ming Pao Daily.

Even though many of her ex-colleagues have left the industry, she believes in the value of quality journalistic work and is determined to stay on.

The Facebook page of independent journalist Leung Ka-lai.

“I want to make a record of what is happening to this generation,” she says. Leung’s Facebook page currently has more than 26,000 followers while her Patreon page has around 200 followers.

“Who controls the past controls the future, and who controls the present controls the past,” she quotes from the dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell. She believes that it is important to record the history of Hong Kong in her stories.

Leung feels sad about the news industry in Hong Kong. “The authorities not only suppress press freedom in Hong Kong, but also treat journalists like criminals,” Leung says.

Being an independent journalist, Leung does not have any legal support. “No one backs me up. No one offers me legal advice,” she says.

Leung fears that if she has any legal troubles, she will have no financial and legal support but her own.

“The reason why I am committed to be a journalist is not for myself. I do this for the truth. I do this for Hong Kong history,” Leung says.

Independent journalist Leung Ka-lai has a tattoo on her right arm, which says “I’d rather die for speaking out, than to live and be silent” in Chinese.

“The reason why I am committed to be a journalist is not for myself. I do this for the truth. I do this for Hong Kong history.”

Penniless Journalism

Apart from local news reporters, seven former Apple Daily sports reporters set up Sportsone (體壹), an independent online news media to continue their journey in journalism. Ping is one of them. He refuses to reveal his full identity due to safety reasons.

“We do not want to give up and leave the news industry… We want to speak up for Hong Kong athletes and coaches,” Ping, who had worked for Apple Daily for 26 years, says.

Sportsone’s Facebook Page.

The Facebook page has over 75,000 followers, but they are still struggling to survive.

Ping’s teammates take up part-time or full-time jobs and spend their free time to work for the platform. “We still cannot make enough to pay reporters and cover their travel expenses,” he sighs.

“Sportsone cannot solely rely on Facebook in maintaining its operation. Facebook likes cannot be turned into income. Our members have to find other ways to survive financially,” Ping says.

Despite the hardship, Ping’s team is trying their best to sustain its operation. “We are still passionate about sports and journalism. Passion is the reason why we continue reporting sports news,” he says.

“We do not want to give up and leave the news industry… We want to speak up for Hong Kong athletes and coaches.”

Limitations of Independent Journalists

Ronson Chan Ron-sing, chairperson of Hong Kong Journalist Association (HKJA) says being independent journalists now in Hong Kong is “really hard”.

“They work hard for their passion, but their income is not enough for daily expenses. It is not sustainable,” he says.

Chan thinks the shutdown of Apple Daily not only has killed 600 to 1,000 jobs in the journalism industry, but also limits news coverage about Hong Kong.

“The manpower of Apple Daily was bountiful…It is very difficult (for existing news media outlets) to fill the gap that Apple Daily has left,” he sighs.

“It is very difficult (for existing news media outlets) to fill the gap that Apple Daily has left.”

Edited by Hayley Wong
Sub-edited by Mandy Yim

Crackdown on Private Tutoring

The Chinese government has introduced new regulations to cut down tutoring hours, leading to unemployment and forcing companies to restructure their business models.

By Jack Deng

Zhang Lihui started his private tutoring agency in August 2018 after working as a private tutor for three years. But his business has been badly affected by a government policy introduced in July.

“I used to have 400 people working for me, and now I have to cut 20 per cent of them. Half of my students left, and I have to refund all the fees to parents, which puts me under financial pressure,” the 38-year-old private tutoring agency founder says.

Zhang’s agency has six branches offering courses that cover all subjects taught in primary and middle schools such as Mathematics, English, Physics, Chemistry and so on during weekdays, weekends, and holidays.

His business has been severely hit since the Chinese government rolled out a set of measures known as the “double reduction”, which aimed at reducing homework and restricting off-campus tutoring for students from kindergarten to 12th grade or K-12 in July.

More than 160,000 tutoring agencies have closed down due to the “double reduction” policy.

One of the policy measures bans private tutoring agencies to offer after-school classes on weekends, holidays, summer, and winter breaks. Tutoring is only allowed on weekdays with a limited number of hours.

A government guide was also issued to regulate tuition fees of courses for students undergoing compulsory education in China.

Zhang says the policy is killing their business. “It is impossible to operate if we follow the official guide on tuition fee charges. We cannot make any profit,” he says.

“When I first started the business 13 years ago, there were no regulations or government restrictions,” Zhang says. “Parents and schools wanted us to help their children and students to get into prestigious schools,” he adds.

“Even big companies like New Oriental Education & Technology Group (Xindongfang) cannot escape. They stopped offering online classes in August immediately. Many teachers have lost their jobs, and no help is offered to them,” Zhang says.

Zhu Yu, vice-president and chief executive officer of Oriental Youbo (New Oriental’s online K-12 course project), posted a message on WeChat in September saying that the company was financially healthy. Oriental Youbo promised to refund all tuition fees to students and compensated its employees. “After finishing all these, I think I will go to teach in rural villages for a year or two,” Zhu said in the post.

New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc(Xindongfang) is the largest player in the private tutoring market in China. The company had 1,600 branches and over two million students all over the country, according to its third-quarter financial report in the 2021 fiscal year. It mainly offered courses related to the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and for K-12 students.

Zhang says he will change his business model. “We can run calligraphy classes or Lego playgroups since those are not related to the compulsory education,” he explains.

“As long as the demand exists, there is always a way out. The requirement of elite school admission is getting higher,” Zhang says.

Private tutors are also badly affected by the policy. However, it is hard for the government to monitor individual tutoring. Some private tutors continue to coach students, although they will be punished by the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China if someone reported them.

Liu Guodong, 28, has been working in the education industry as a private tutor for four years. He has become underemployed due to the “double reduction” policy.

“I used to teach 40 hours per week. But now I can only teach three hours a week. And I am doing it illegally. I must sneak into students’ homes on weekends. I dare not to tell anyone about this,” he says.

The computer science major graduate is now teaching one on one lessons with middle school students in Foshan, a city in Guangdong province.

Liu’s income dropped by 80 per cent after the government introduced the new policy to crack down on private tutoring. He cannot afford to pay his mortgage due to the massive pay cut.

“My friends who worked as private tutors lost their jobs as well. It’s the policy from the ‘top’ (government), we have no say,” he adds.

“I am doing it illegally. I must sneak into students’ homes on weekends. I dare not to tell anyone about this.”

Edward Vickers, professor of the Department of Education at Kyushu University believes that the “double reduction” policy will not tackle root problems.

“Tutoring may happen in people’s homes and can be paid in cash. The government won’t be able to track these consumptions. The mom might quit her job to coach their children at home. That will bring even more financial pressure on this family,” Vickers explains.

“The Chinese government is only dealing with the symptom but not the causes. The main reason for the problem is a sense of insecurity. The number of well-paid jobs is limited in the Chinese economy. People are getting so desperate hence they rely on their child to go to a good university to find a good job,” Vickers adds.

“The Chinese government is only dealing with the symptom but not the causes. The main reason for the problem is a sense of insecurity.”

He believes that the “double reduction” policy will also have a negative impact on the economy in general, especially for foreign investors.

“It is also a signal for investors. Now everyone wants to pull out. Just like the ‘double reduction’ policy…it happened overnight without any signs. Investing in China will face some kinds of risks because certain industries can be suddenly cracked down,” Vickers says.

Edited by Coco Zhang
Sub-edited by Charlie Yip & Gloria Wei

Heritage Conservation? or Conversion?

Amid rising attention to Hong Kong cultural heritage by the young generation, the Central Market is newly opened to the public.

By Felicia Lam

Casper Yam Ming-ho is so passionate about heritage conservation that he started an Instagram page called Commosus in June 2021.

“I first learnt about heritage conservation when I was a kid. My grandpa took me out weekly for lunch at a restaurant near Lui Seng Chun. I enjoyed looking at the old building at that time. I think conserving heritage sites is meaningful as it can keep the history of Hong Kong alive,” he says.

Lui Seng Chun is an old Chinese shophouse which was built in 1931. It is a Grade 1 historic building and is currently operated by the Hong Kong Baptist University as a Chinese medicine healthcare centre.

“My friends started to care more about heritage sites as they recognise themselves as a Hongkonger and grow a stronger sense of belonging to the city. They ask me to take them to heritage sites in Hong Kong,” says Yam.

“I am glad to see that public awareness about heritage conservation has increased in recent years. Public awareness is essential to push the government to protect historic sites,” he adds.

Yam finds that many social media pages are promoting Hong Kong culture and heritage conservation, but he thinks many page owners lack professional knowledge about conservation and heritage sites.

“Some of the page owners express their opinions based on inaccurate information, and their views on conservation projects are biased. Their views may misinform the public about heritage conservation and mislead them to think that commercialising heritage sites is wrong,” he says.

“My friends started to care more about heritage sites as they recognise themselves as a Hongkonger and grow a stronger sense of belonging to the city.”

  • The Central Market revitalisation project was guided by four pillars – physical condition, legislation requirements, retention of cultural significance and stakeholders' requirements.

Yam understands that commercialisation is a must to preserve heritage sites and make them sustainable. But he thinks that the Central Market is over-commercialised.

The Central Market is a government-owned Grade 3 historic building. As one of the oldest wet markets, the 82-year-old building used to be a vibrant place for residents nearby to buy groceries and build a local network until 2003.

In 2009, the Central Market was announced to be revitalised as a response to the Chief Executive’s Policy Address.

After three years of revitalisation by the Urban Renewal Authority (URA), the building with the long-standing history re-opened in August 2021 and will be operated by Chinachem Group for 10 years.

“Most of the stalls sell high-class goods and the first public activity at the site is a science education workshop which is not related to the site’s historical or cultural value,” Yam says.

Katty Law Ngar-ning, convenor of the Central and Western Concern Group, agrees with Yam. She says the younger generation born in and after the 1980s have a strong awareness about heritage conservation, citing the protest to urge the government to conserve Central Star Ferry Pier as an example.

In 2006, the government demolished the 48-year-old Central Star Ferry Pier for the Central and Wan Chai Reclamation. Many young people protested to show their discontent.

“After this incident, young people at that time started to care more about heritage conservation. Voices about protecting historical sites grew louder and that has planted seeds of heritage conservation in the next generation,” says Law.

The concern group convenor has also been following the Central Market revitalisation project.

“The Central Market was originally planned to be sold to developers. It is preserved and protected now because of public concern,” says Law.

“The over-commercialisation of the whole site by introducing high-end stores such as bars and luxurious cake shops contradicts with the original wet market vibes of the Central Market,” she adds.

“The over-commercialisation of the whole site by introducing high-end stores such as bars and luxurious cake shops contradicts with the original wet market vibes of the Central Market.”

  • The first exhibition held in August 2021 at the Central Market was a workshop of STEAM education. (Photo courtesy of The Urban Renewal Authority)

“It is sad to see that many special features are removed after the revitalisation. For instance, handrails are added to the signature staircases and the windows near Des Voeux Road are removed and replaced by glass walls,” she says.

Wilfred Au Chun-ho, Director (Planning and Design) of the URA, shares a different concern. He thinks that it is difficult to strike a balance between different concerns for the Central Market project.

“We have spent three years collecting views from more than 10,000 citizens and professionals. The study finding shows the public wants to preserve the historical features of the structure instead of commercialising the site,” he says.

Au and his team also faced safety constraints in the project.

“The site was built in 1939 and extra measures and facilities have to be added to ensure that it is safe for people to enjoy the site,” he says.

“The URA also hopes to suggest new placemaking ideas and connect the Central Market with other heritage sites like Tai Kwun and PMQ to build a ‘cultural triangle’ in the Central and Western District,” he adds.

Lee Ho-yin, associate professor of Architectural Conservation at the University of Hong Kong, says that public awareness about heritage conservation has grown stronger as developments in Hong Kong matured.

“No one cared about heritage conservation, and everyone was busy making a living in the 1970s. People who were born in the 1980s were the first generation who grew up in a mature society and started to care more about culture and heritage conservation,” he says.

Lee points out that it is an outdated and unsustainable common belief that preserving a site entirely is the best way of conservation.

“As a lot of early conservation theories are borrowed from archaeology and museology, people from older generation follow these theories and are dissatisfied about the URA for being unable to entirely preserve the site’s outlook,” the architectural conservation professor says.

“I think preservation is a way to make a heritage site sustainable and fulfil a certain function in the community rather than a goal. The revitalised Central Market serves the community by providing space for locals and avoiding competition with a nearby wet market at Graham Street,” he adds.

“More importantly the site supports young entrepreneurs. The site not only provides stalls with cheaper rent but also teaches young people about how to run and sustain their business,” says Lee.

Lee also thinks that property developers and the public should do more.

“The property developers should spend their money on heritage conservation as a redistribution of their wealth to the citizens. The citizens should also actively urge property developers and the government to preserve heritage sites,” he says.

“People who were born in the 1980s were the first generation who grew up in a mature society and started to care more about culture and heritage conservation.”

Edited by Soweon Park
Sub-edited by Lynne Rao

1...212223...116Page 22 of 116
Varsity CUHK
Varsity is an award-winning magazine created for the tertiary students and faculty of Hong Kong. It is written, edited and designed by students in the School of Journalism and Communication at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Contact us: varsity@cuhk.edu.hk