Vignettes of the World
I have hiked the trail between Wu Kau Tang and Sam A Tsuen Village for three times at least, and I finally had a chance to take my camera with me for some nice photographs on this trail. The trail is properly named the Double …
The red walk of Tai Po Kau is an easy 3km walk in the Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve area. The Tai Po Kau Nature Trail offers five routes of choice. Four are demarcated in the colors red, blue, brown and yellow. The fifth walk …
I spent a delightful afternoon at the Central Library reading one of the few copies of Sunset Survivors available in Hong Kong’s public libraries. A good friend recommended this book to me and I enjoyed reading the stories very much. Here is what I took from the book.
It became quickly evident that these tenacious tradesmen and women – however clandestine against the frantic urban backdrop – were essential ingredients in Hong Kong’s cultural identity. Their fascinating lives, hard-worn hands and steadfast expressions have been the base on which a modern metropolis has been built.
But with almost no willing successors, little chance of competing with larger companies and skyrocketing rents, simply surviving this metamorphosis has proven almost impossible. And so, as these sunset survivors continue to slowly pass away, so too will a unique slice of Hong Kong’s history and character. This book hopes to capture a glimpse of the hardy few who have battled the odds and continue to run their businesses today.
~ Lindsay Varty, Sunset Survivors, Introduction
In this illustrated book, author Lindsay Varty takes readers to the world of Hong Kong’s forgotten craftsmen and their sunset industries. Along with artful photographs by Gary Jones, the author engages readers on incredibly interesting, empathetic and pithy dialogues about a once-significant part of Hong Kong’s history. These traditional skills and businesses will certainly fade, silently, into Hong Kong’s past within our lifetime.
The book contains the introduction of 30 such tradesmen and their stories. Each story brings out some interesting aspects of their trade. Some express regret at not being able to find successors (Chan Lok Choi, at 16); some are happy with their life-long commitment and accept that it will end with them, as the ever-pressing needs for modernity will surely render their trade obsolete (Luk Shu Choi & Luk Keung Choi, at 20).
Look beyond the city’s world famous skyline into the nooks and crannies of the tall buildings and there lies a plethora of ancient crafts and trades largely survived by these older generations. And although they are slowly passing, these tradesmen and women continue to give this metropolis much of its cultural depth.
~ Modern City of Ancient Tradition, at 24
The tradesmen do understand that their industries and the tools of trade would rightly belong to the museum when they retire (Wong Shue Yau, at 34). For most of tradesmen that the author interviewed are, or were, the last few remaining in their industry.
It is often said that a photograph speaks a thousand words, and Sunset Survivors is the perfect illustration. The written stories are pithy and right-to-the-point. The readers are also given the space to appreciate precious imageries of Hong Kong’s sunset industries and the people within. The photographs convey the spirit of a generation past, for many of those photographed are well into their twilight years. Most of them were witnesses to their industry’s heyday, usually when they first took over the business. They have since held the baton for most of their golden years. At the same time, they know full well, and many have accepted, that there will be no one to pass it on.
Surely, there is poignancy in the photographs, especially in the black-and-white ones. Yet the colors of their crafting materials, the unfamiliar images of their tools of trade, the beautiful mastery, along with large personal portraits, together convey positive, optimistic and upbeat impressions. These are people who took true joy in their craftsmanship. They are proud to have partaken in the industry’s flourishing years. The pride in hard work, honed skills, community engagement and a sense of the historic resonates throughout this book. They certainly come alive in the photographs. And finally, they continue to be the woven strands in Hong Kong’s culture. The themes are as much about the continuation of the Hong Kong spirit as they are about the obsolescence of traditional industries.
Photo: I will share just one photograph from the book. This is Kan Hong Wing, Qipao Tailor.
One of the most interesting stories I read was about Cheung Shun King. He is the third-generation owner of Biu Kee Mahjong. Mahjong is often called the “national art of China.” His shop would be the perfect testament to this favorite pastime for most Chinese people. There were very good days when all the tiles were handmade crafts. Not surprisingly, with the rise of industrial production, handmade mahjong tiles became a thing of the past. So does the art of engraving and painting them.
By now, Mr. Cheung mostly sells machine-made mahjong tiles for HK$600 a set. When he does decide to handcraft the tiles, it takes months and they go for HK$4,000 a set. Customers also go to his shop to replace missing or damaged individual tiles.
The story is interesting because “ironically, between work and his personal life, he has never learned the game.” (Cheung Shun King, at 44). While his family love playing mahjong, “I would rather rest than learn to play mahjong… I feel bored just looking at the mahjong tiles as I look at them all day every day at work.” (Id.) He does see the end of handcrafted mahjong as a business and a craft. “I foresee that all mahjong shops in Hong Kong will disappear in 10 years.” (Id.)
Another humorous point was in Kan Hon Wing’s story. Mr. Kan is a tailor specializing in the making of qipao. Needless to say, the qipao has retired long ago as the common dress for women. Demand for the qipao today is only for special occasions like weddings. The wonderful tailor recognizes the value of honest assessment for his customers. “I will give people suggestions if their ‘dream qipao’ is too ugly.”
The Sunset Survivors have a website, where you can sign up to walk with the author to visit these sunset industry locations in Hong Kong for a fee.
Finally, there is a story about the China Café in the book and the restaurant has already closed its doors in 2019. I have written here as well.
In a few hours I read and enjoyed every word and every photograph in Sunset Survivors. I think this would be a collectible on the Hong Kong section of someone’s home library. If only I didn’t have so many unread books on my shelves!
With more than 70 years of history on its back, the Better ‘Ole is a rare gem in the New Territories. It is the oldest British pub with continuous operation in the New Territories, and perhaps in Hong Kong. It certainly was the first in …
I stopped by the Hau Wong Temple of Kowloon City after visiting the Stone House Family Garden just across the street on Junction Road. Even when I passed by the temple, I was quite amazed at how well-kept it was. So I decided to take …
A friend of ours works at the Xiqu Centre in West Kowloon and from time to time she invites us to special events at the cultural hub of West Kowloon. This day we got tickets to the M+ Appreciation Day, which allowed us a sneak preview of M+’s interiors and exhibitions.
The M+ is the art gallery in West Kowloon. As a full-service exhibition venue, the M+ provides ample space (17,000 square meters) for cultural viewing in all forms and manners. From levels B2 to 2, there are 33 galleries, 3 cinemas, a mediatheque, a learning hub and a roof garden. Together these will offer a wide variety of experiences for all age groups.
We began our tour of M+ at the cinema. We watched a screening with four to five short films about different aspects of art in Hong Kong. The films concerned the creative process, including a cartoon rendition of the building of the M+ structure, and interviews with a photographer, an industrial product maker and an installation artist. The short clip “Fly Through M+” shows drone footage throughout the museum. It was pretty cool.
For this screening, we watched a large screen that took up the upper half of the viewing space. The bottom half is a large window pane showing a view of the Hong Kong Island skyline as its backdrop. This was an interesting setup, as the arrangement allowed natural lighting into the theatre during viewing. Also worthy of note is the seating of the cinema. People sit on the large steps freely. I think this arrangement creates a sense of the open and the participatory Together the experience is reminiscent of outdoor viewing of movies, though certainly much more comfortable in an artfully-designed setting.
We finished the screening at the Cinema, and headed up the steps to reach the showrooms on Level 2. Long lines have already formed at the West Gallery. However, we took a quick walk around this level first.
In the middle of Level 2 there is the very beautiful spiral staircase right in the middle of the atrium. When it does open for public access, the staircase leads one to the roof gardens.
In the Focus Gallery we saw this following installation:
As a Christian I viewed this art with an inkling of discomfort. I do think that the image of the cross is sacred. I have general issues with postmodern art, in that I think many artwork these days aim to convey provocativeness at the expense of the aesthetics. This piece would belong to this category in my view.
We did not know what the West Gallery was showing, but the long line there seemed to suggest that it was worthwhile to wait for it. It took us about ten, fifteen minutes of waiting before we were admitted.
Generally, I did enjoy some of the pieces on exhibition there. However, again I take issues with the seeming lack of focus in the collection. Surely, there were prominent themes there, especially in the many pieces in the design category. But throughout the exhibition there did not seem to be a uniform organization of these prominent themes.
One minute I was looking at a Vivian Tam re-interpretation of the qipao, then the next minute I stared into Mao-era pieces, clearly of historical nature. I think the mix-match of the artwork was distracting. Because the exhibition did not progress in a coherent vision, I did not feel like I had a dialogue there. With each piece I had to learn the history, context and purpose of the artwork anew. As such, I got tired very quickly. My attention did not last through to even half of the huge collection there.
I do recall having this same feeling at the Hong Kong Museum of Art as well. I then thought that perhaps this is just the latest trend in museum curation. Maybe the only museum at which I would feel home is the history museum, as I do prefer engaging in a narrative when touring an exhibition.
When the whole group of friends managed to gather together, we lined up together for yet another exhibition within the West Gallery. This was an interesting exhibit for all of us, as it was a reconstruction of an old sushi restaurant in Japan. I was quite silly because I thought this would actually become a restaurant, but it was really only a reconstruction of the interiors of the sushi restaurant Kiyotomo Sushi Bar. According to the captions on-site, the interiors “created a theatrical atmosphere for dining. The contrasts of light, movement, and texture in the design captured designer Kuramata Shiro’s sensual use of materials and forms.” See this for yourself here:
For the brief one minute we spent in this space, I managed to regain my calm. I was getting quite frustrated by the huge collection of seemingly unorganized exhibits prior to this.
After the West Gallery, we proceeded to the Main Hall Gallery on ground floor. Again, there was a long line, and this time I did not join the friends in seeing this exhibition.
The M+ Building is the first structure in West Kowloon if you enter from the way of the Elements. Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron entered an international competition in 2013 and won the project.
To be honest, when I arrived I was a little taken aback by the design of the building. It is basically a wide bottoms block (the podium) with a slender top block upon it, shaped like an inverse T. Because of the horizontal bars that gird the whole slender tower, the structure looks like a CPU of a desktop.
This surely is my humble opinion. I certainly do not have the training to understand and to appreciate how marvelous this design is. Perhaps then I can quote the M+ website in explaining the groundbreaking architecture at M+:
The M+ building is supported by a giant structural system of five high-strength mega-trusses that was installed to distribute the weight of the building across the site without resting any load on the underground Airport Express railway tunnel. The sophisticated engineering system also creates vast column-less spaces that allow for a flexible reorganisation and new perspectives for viewing exhibitions.
Speaking of interesting architectue at the M+, the Found Space is also made to accommodate the operation of the rail link close by:
Found Space is a cavernous exhibition space that was excavated along the contours of the Airport Express railway tunnel running beneath the building’s site. Originally presented as a design challenge to the architects, the pre-existing tunnel became the basis for the building’s form. The space unifies the basement and ground floors with a broad diagonal opening, providing visitors with an open area that extends across multiple floors. The triple-height space offers many vantage points for viewing the works on display. The textured fair-faced concrete and exposed load-bearing structures maintain the industrial character of the site.
The M+ will officially open its doors on November 12, 2021. There was much enthusiasm on this Appreciation Day. And it is certain that the grand opening will draw an even larger crowd. Therefore be prepared to queue up for events!
M+ Map, Distributed on-site at M+.
The Website of M+.
I learned about the Stone House Family Garden when I looked up the free tours for heritage sites under the Heritage Fiesta 2021 programme of the Hong Kong Government. From the pictures the Stone House looked beautiful, and I was keen to pay a visit. …
I dug in, as soon as the waiter set down the steamed meatloaf. Man Sing Bing Sutt’s Food What is Hong Kong without its Bing Sutt’s? In Chinese, “bing sutt” means “ice room,” named as such because these establishments were the first in Hong Kong …
An entry on Hong Kong’s historic restaurants is long overdue. This day I went to La Taverna, Hong Kong’s original Italian restaurant, for lunch.
Established in 1969, La Taverna was the first traditional Italian restaurant in Hong Kong. The original owners of the restaurant were Guiseppe and Aldo Machetti of Milan. They opened the first La Taverna at On Hing Terrace in Central, and then the restaurant moved to the current location in Tsim Sha Tsui in 1973.
I liked La Taverna as soon as I arrived at the restaurant’s Ashley Road location in Tsim Sha Tsui. If we view it without the boisterous dining scene of Tsim Sha Tsui surrounding, it really does remind one of the countryside trattorias in Italy. On its bright colored stucco wall are lit-up neon signs of the restaurant’s name. Large windows with brick finish add a distinctly European vibe.
The interior décor of the restaurant conveys a more traditional impression. We walked down just a few steps into the restaurant’s semi-basement setting. Husk-wrapped Chianti bottles line the ceiling. The main dining hall with an arched entrance express a warm and homey welcome to diners. The aged wooden interior reminds one of a cellar, perhaps signalling that it is time for some wine. It was clear that the owners designed this space to be a home-away-from-home for Italians. Indeed, they have extended serious efforts in recreating Italy in Hong Kong in this space. They sourced all the interiors from Italy.
The tables are large and spacious. As my friend and I sat down, we were ready for a quiet conversation over a leisurely lunch.
For lunch hour, the restaurant offers a set lunch menu and the a la carte menu. My friend ordered mussels on the a la carte menu and I ordered a chicken main course from the set lunch menu. We were both very happy with our meals.
Here’s a description of La Taverna’s beginnings at the restaurant:
About eight months before the opening of the first La Taverna, it was during a party that the consul-general of Italy, Mr. Luigi Bolla mentioned to the brothers that since the Germans and the French had their Goethe Institute and Alliance Francoise, the Italians could do with a place where the community would meet, a sort of club where views could be exchanged and cultural matters entertained. Premises were quickly found and Giuseppe and Aldo, in the free time they could snatch from their trading and industrial activities, were overseeing the works and decoration of the place.
As the opening date got nearer, the “club idea” due to various reasons faded away and it was decided that a fully pledged restaurant would be opened. The name “La Taverna” was taken from one of the three restaurants Giuseppe and Aldo’s grandmother had in Milano, Italy. La Taverna was the one then located in Largo Richini right across the beautiful university.
The Macchetti brothers felt that even if many other Italian Restaurants have been opened in the East in recent years, La Taverna, by offering “the real thing” in establishments of defined character and tradition will maintain its “niche” of dedicated clients, people that have traveled and had the occasion of tasting real Italian food in Italy. This is why many of our clients maintain that La Taverna establishments are “little Italian islets away from Italy!”
At its height, the restaurant has developed a brand name consisting of six restaurants. Now only the Ashley Road location remains. The menu showcases mainly the flavours of Northern Italy. But who can pass on pizzas in an Italian restaurant? They are made to order in a wood fire oven here. In an interview with the South China Morning Post, the executive chef Marco Bajma recommends the Spaghetti Vongole as well. But regular customers would know that they can just come, name a food category and be served with the chef’s creative interpretation. This is a type of relationship formed only by decades of good will. And having visited just once, I already understood all the great things that have been said about La Taverna. The hospitality is time-tested and proven true.
The historical descriptions on-site.
The Restaurant Website of La Taverna.
A Blast from the Pasta, Janice Leung Hayes, 48 Hours, the South China Morning Post, October 10, 2013.
Hidden Hong Kong: 9 Historical Restaurants You Need to Visit, Ines Fung, December 20, 2019, Localiiz.com.
The Shek O Beach would not be “lesser known” to Hong Kong people because it is one of the most popular local beaches. It comes with soft, fine white sand, a beautiful coastline, and crisp clean waters. But what impressed me on this visit were …