Hong Kong Stories

Adolescents at the age of 17 and 18 like Pamela and Hester, two young ladies living in Hong Kong, are in the prime of their youth. What dreams do they have for the future? To most people, our city values material gain and recognition above all else, and is a place where the stress of living can swallow a person whole. Despite this, they still hope to live out their dreams here. Pamela is an academically capable Form Five student at a traditional prestigious secondary school. For her, gaining entry into even the most difficult degree programmes at the most esteemed universities is a piece of cake. In the eyes of others, the ticket to a successful life is right in the palm of her hand. Nonetheless, she dreams of becoming a singer. She knows full well that becoming a singer will not be easy, and that making a living as one in Hong Kong is even more difficult. Which of these completely different paths will she choose? Meanwhile, 18-year-old Hester transferred to a non-traditional secondary school two years ago to enrol into an art diploma programme. The move has broadened her horizons and redefined her interpretation of the word “dream”. She does not believe that dreams have to be equated with one’s profession. All she wishes for is to make her favourite thing – words – a permanent part of her life. It may sound vague and abstract, but freedom from reality and the courage to create one’s own world are the most precious things about dreams, are they not?

Although 21-year-old tertiary students Cheung Hoi-wing (Henry) and Chan Chi-sum (Sam) grew up in different environments, they harbour similar frustrations. They both believe our society’s current mainstream values measure a person’s worth by numbers, be it academic grades at school, or the ability to purchase a property and earn a stable income after one grows up. These expectations have put immense pressures on them, and also become a burden for an entire generation of youngsters. Both young men are hoping to find a way out. Sam, a Social Work student, is taking action to make the government aware of the pressures faced by schoolchildren, while Henry, who is pursuing a degree in Government and Public Administration, has decided to depict Hong Kong’s current situation through creative works such as novels. Sam is particularly concerned about the emotional problems of Hong Kong schoolchildren, because he constantly fought with his mother over his schoolwork while he was a primary and secondary student. His mother forced him to study, causing him to suffer from a mood disorder, and even to attempt suicide. Reflecting on this as a grown up, he has come to realise that she did so because she was under the influence of mainstream values, and also due to the fact that she did not know how to express her love for him. Sam and his mother actually love each other deeply, and the conflict between them was eventually resolved. Henry has also noticed that many social values have become distorted. Through writing horror novels, he hopes not only to release his own pent-up emotions, but also prompt the people around him to show more concern for society, thereby eliminating social indifference. He also once suffered from a mood disorder due to stress, as was the case with many of his friends. He was ultimately able to emerge from the darkness thanks to his family’s support, and also because his writing helped him work through his frustrations. His conclusion: “Young people s

As children, we are often asked the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Typical replies by people from the previous generation would be doctors, drivers, or teachers. However, they would always give just a single answer, because they believed in the idea of focusing on doing one job well. In recent years, a new term – slashie – has emerged in the job market. It refers to a person who has multiple careers, and thus includes one or more slashes in their job titles: ___/___/___/___. Slashies are mostly youngsters. They don’t want to be tied down to only one job, and aspire to seek self-fulfilment in addition to making a living, so that they can enrich themselves while managing their own time. When it comes to career development, there is another choice: Young people in their twenties who have the vitality, determination, as well as innovation, can consider starting their own businesses, and become a boss instead of an employee. In this episode, Iris, Edward, and Dora, three youngsters in their twenties, will tell us about their careers, show us their working conditions, and share their views on today’s Hong Kong. Edward and Dora both have a master’s degree, yet are multi-tasking slashies. Edward is an editor/translator/private tutor/bassist/composer and arranger, while Dora resigned from her job as a researcher at a university so that she can plan her own time and concentrate on developing her career as a translator/calligraphy designer. Iris, on the other hand, is a young entrepreneur who runs a wedding photography business. An entrepreneur and two wage earners – despite working multiple jobs, the three of them have no security! Being an entrepreneur means you are on your own. Freelancing slashies enjoy neither benefits nor protection. If entrepreneurs and slashies cannot make themselves stand out from the crowd in the fiercely competitive marketplace, they will only be able to subsist on an unstable income, with no opportunities to mov

Confucius said, “At 30, I had planted my feet firm upon the ground.” Society has always had specific expectations of people in their thirties. They are supposed to be educated individuals who have accumulated a certain amount of work experience, as well as responsible adults capable of taking care of their families and contributing to society. People who have reached the age of 30 should have a more thorough understanding of themselves, society, as well as life in general. This is also the time at which one should set the course of one’s life. 29-year-old Alan has always had an affinity for nature. Three years ago, he resolved to resign from his fulltime job as a photography assistant, leaving behind the stable life to accomplish his goal of hiking all of the “100 Famous Japanese Mountains”. In addition to enjoying being in contact with nature, he also hopes to become a fulltime mountain guide in the future. Meanwhile, Catherine, who once worked in the education sector as well as the Auxiliary Police Force, decided to “just do something that she enjoyed” before turning 30. She also left her job three years ago, exchanging text books for a backpack to take a working holiday in the UK. She has since set the goal of living there for the long term. Having set their goals while approaching the age of 30, both youngsters are determined to realise their respective dreams.

In Hong Kong, some choose to survive, following the mainstream and finding a job for the sake of subsistence. Meanwhile, some choose to live, taking the road less travelled in order to do the things they want and realise their dreams. The “post-80s generation” never experienced poverty, war, or social upheaval. Is this a generation of people that prefers the “unconventional” way of life? Jan is a 39-year-old tattoo artist. He fell in love with tattooing over a decade ago after a chance encounter. He subsequently went to Beijing to learn the craft, and has since become a professional tattoo artist, running his own shop in Hong Kong. Fusing the aesthetics of Chinese ink painting and Western painting together and using characters from horror movies, heavy metal bands, aliens, and monsters as inspiration, he has created an alternative, dark artistic style which may not be the average customer’s cup of tea. Jan has opted to be a non-conformist in his already unconventional career. Faced with realistic problems such as continually rising rental rates, how does he view today’s Hong Kong? Is this place accepting of his creativity? Is this the place of his ideals? Let us examine his story through each dot and line created by the movement of the tattoo needle and the flow of ink. 35-year-old Cass is a locally renowned pet photographer. Having grown up in a rural village, she enjoys living with nature. What she loves even more is to make her own handicraft items from natural materials such as mud and wood. She used to be one of the “majority”, and often got into fights with her Polish husband, with whom she lives in Hong Kong, for being a workaholic. She gradually found the lifestyle in Hong Kong too hectic and oppressive. “People seem to have lost their way in this city in the face of different pressures,” she believes. Consequently, the couple has bravely given up the “mainstream” life. They have bought a piece of land in Poland’s capital, Warsaw, and are creating a

Middle age is an age for recollection. The frustrations of youth are gone, with the vicissitudes of life taking its place. Consequently, it is a time when some people choose to let go, while some choose to seize the day... Jenny is a married 46-year-old who has neither the courage nor desire to have children. When she was young, she witnessed members of her family fall physically and mentally ill. As a six-year-old, she would often ask, “Why are people still suffering even though they have enough to eat and a place to live? What is happiness?” At the age of 17, she met a monk and became acquainted with Buddhism for the first time. Nonetheless, she was still unable to rid herself of her discontent. After graduating from university with a major in Business Studies, she devoted herself to the IT industry. Her career took off at the speed of light, but as she chased after fame and fortune, she felt like she was an empty shell without a soul. In 2004, she decided to change her course in life and studied Clinical Psychology to become a psychologist at a social welfare institution. However, the frontline work exposed her to a lot of negative energy every day, and she could not find an emotional outlet. At one stage, she thought about escaping from Hong Kong as it was no longer the city she was familiar with. In 2015, she resolutely left what others regard as a well-paid job with great benefits to establish a mindfulness centre. The organisation promotes mindfulness, Zen meditation, carefreeness, and happiness for people of all ages, religious beliefs, and occupations. Hong Kong is currently frustrated, lost, and unhappy. Jenny believes that “mindfulness” will help Hong Kongers become aware of their pace and breathing. Is “seizing the day” an attitude towards life for middle-aged individuals or an existing option for all Hong Kongers? Paully is 41 years old. She is married and has a 5-year-old son and a 9-year-old daughter – a combination that others envy. In order to

People in their 50s should be planning their retirement and moving onto the next stage of their lives. However, in the rapidly developing city of Hong Kong, does nearing retirement mean that one is able to grasp his or her own future? Or is it a time when one looks back only to realise that the good old days are gradually fading? 52-year-old Angela was born and raised in Tsiu Keng. As her parents are farmers, she has been helping out in the fields since childhood. Farmers lead a tough life, and she often asked herself why she was born a farmer’s daughter when she was young. It was only after she grew up that she discovered she had unconsciously developed an inseparable bond with the land. Nonetheless, it seems there are no longer any options for those who wish to be farmers in this day and age, because the government plans to develop Tsiu Keng into an agricultural park. A wide road will soon run through Angela’s plot, while her landlord has terminated the lease on the land where her home of 47 years stands. 53-year-old Mr. Wu is the owner of a garage in To Kwa Wan. With the construction of the Shatin to Central Link and the Urban Renewal Authority’s plans to redevelop the district, the commercial tenants of To Kwa Wan are facing substantial rent increases and the threat of eviction. Mr. Wu, who grew up in To Kwa Wan, has witnessed the changes in the area. Old shops are closing one after another, and the faces he sees on the streets are no longer familiar ones. When he lived in an old residential building during his childhood, the rooftop corridor was his playground. The mutual care and support between neighbours which existed back then are the perfect embodiment of the Lion Rock Spirit. However, the current development model has been monopolised by large corporations, and the warm atmosphere of the past is unlikely to resurface ever again. Caught in the midst of rapid development, our two protagonists, who, according to Confucius, have reached the age at wh

In the traditional Chinese calendar, every 60 years forms a cycle, also known as “jiazi” (sexagenary cycle). As life moves onto the next cycle, it is as if one is stepping into a new beginning. How do Hong Kongers in their sixties find value in the second half of their lives? Mr. Pong, who is about to turn 60, has been working for more than 40 years. His children have started their own families, and he has begun thinking about retirement. His biggest concern is not the loss of income, but the sense of emptiness arising from all the free time he will suddenly have every day if he chooses to part ways with his fulfilling work life. Meanwhile, his wife, who has been a fulltime housewife for many years, has been focusing all her energy on her husband and children. With her children grown up and no longer needing as much attention and care, Mrs. Pong has decided to take on another challenge – applying to become a foster parent and turning her experience into practical skills to take care of children in need. On the other hand, 61-year-old Uncle Bing opted for early retirement a few years ago. The main reason is that he hopes to have more time to take care of his elderly mother and mother-in-law. Confucius said, “One should care for one’s own aged parents and extend the same care to the aged parents of others.” He does not only give his all in looking after his loved ones, but also hopes to spend the second half of his life caring for the elderly in need in our society to make up for the regret he feels about an unfulfilled wish involving his father.

60 is the standard retirement age for Hong Kongers. When working to make money and getting a promotion or pay rise no longer take precedence in our lives, what is it that we pursue? 65-year-old Yeung Sau-churk is a retired visual arts teacher. Witnessing the changes Hong Kong has undergone in recent years has left him feeling pessimistic about the city’s future development. He is very concerned about the next generation of Hong Kongers, and deeply believes that the future belongs to them. After retiring, Mr. Yeung continues to be involved in various education-oriented projects. He is especially passionate about using art to involve the community, and hopes that young people will care more about local history, so as to reverse the gradual disappearance of values and compassion in Hong Kong. Mr. Yeung has been living in Sheung Shui for more than 20 years, and has witnessed the invasion of parallel traders, the closure of old stores, as well as the increasingly fierce fight for road space between pedestrians and vehicles in the neighbourhood. He believes that today’s Sheung Shui will become tomorrow’s Hong Kong. 61-year-old Wong Kin-sang used to be a professional driver. He hoped to find another fulltime job after retiring, but, unexpectedly, was unable to find anything suitable despite being physically fit. Through the introduction of a friend, he now works as a part-time driver for a community centre, taking elderly people living in rural areas to visit the clinic. Being exposed to seniors with mobility problems while at work has made him think more about labour shortages in the elderly care sector. Uncle Kin is a loving father who enjoys family life. His biggest wish is to help his two daughters get on the property ladder, because he believes that the security he now has is the result of his decision to buy a home earlier on in his life. Consequently, he hopes to hand this key to happiness to the next generation.

People of different generations and ages have their own pace of life: Some choose to charge ahead at all costs during their youth, while some opt to stop and enjoy the slow life when they are in their prime. Regardless of whether you decide to take it fast or slow, we can still choose the pace at which we want to live our lives in our twilight years. 82-year-old Grandpa Poon (Stephen POON Tak-mong) has been involved in volunteer work since he retired from his stable career in civil service more than 20 years ago. At first, he only thought of it as a way to pass the time. As the days went by, however, he realised that he also benefits greatly from it, leading him to truly understand the meaning of “giving is better than receiving”. For Grandpa Poon, these 20-odd years of volunteer service have filled both his schedule and his heart. Meanwhile, 88-year-old Granny Cheng (CHENG Ling-yu) has devoted her entire life to caring for her family. When she was young, she worked in the garment industry to bring in additional income to support her family. She then quit her job in the latter stage of her life to take care of her grandchildren, shouldering the responsibility of looking after her family all on her own. Having experienced the trials and tribulations of life and tasted the bitterness of reality, Granny Cheng’s constant mention of “money” reflects the values of a particular faction of Hong Kongers. This is a story about the daily lives of two individuals in their twilight years. It is also a portrayal of certain Hong Kongers.