I See Ghosts
Posted by dm at 3/15/2007 11:29 AM and is filed under uncategorized 
On purpose, I haven't spilled much ink in Learning Cantonese
on the "meta"--on what I think this blog is about. I just figured I
would write, people would read, and everybody would figure out that I'm
not exactly teaching Chinese here (if you want to dig into the Wah
and all its maddening, head-banging twists and delightful surprises,
then run, do not walk, to Sheik's Cantonese language site, linked in my bookmarks.)
But an interesting exchange occurred yesterday in the comments, between two of the blog's regular readers, and the issue they raised--whether or not I'm writing too much about "politics" and not enough about "ordinary people" got me thinking maybe I do need to explain myself a bit.
I know that some of you come here to read anecdotes of daily life, and others are more interested in political and current affairs. But I can't separate out the two realms, because both are part of my everyday experience of the Cantonese language. I read the papers in the morning, I walk the streets and go to demonstrations and marches and to Legco meetings, and many if not most of my buddies here (like Hemlock, Long Hair, Francis) are journos, politicians, or involved in civic life in one way or another. And, hey, I'm a journalist, too. I love Hong Kong's messy, noisy political scene as much as I love lo seui ngoh.
As reader N8Ma points out, Hong Kong's very existence is a political affair, thanks to the down and dirty deal the British cut with the Chinese in the 1980s. You can't get away from the fact that the citadel of the Cantonese language is a "Special Administrative Region", where everything is subject to "interpretation". And, occasionally when Beijing doesn't like the result and thinks it can get away with it, to "re-interpretation". Hong Kong is a phantom zone--on the books, citizens are guaranteed rule of law, freedom of speech and assembly, an open free market. In reality, Hong Kongers only have those things up to a point. When a freedom rocks the socks of some powerful cartel, tycoon, politician, or institution, all bets are off.
With a flourish of a pen in Beijing, the Cantonese language could disappear in Hong Kong in a generation. It's already happened to large extent in Guangzhou. I think about this a lot, because who wants to go crazy learning a language that might end up being suffocated? Not that I think this is going to happen in Hong Kong. But when you are "Special", nothing is ever certain.
You can't write about the visible Hong Kong without writing about this invisible phantom world too. I buy a catty of baak choi jai in the Central street market, and as the lady hands me my change, I suddenly have a vision of wrecking balls and giant construction cranes. The gaai sih, the old traditional wet market located steps from the downtown cathedrals of banking and commerce, has been slated by the HKSAR urban planning commission for, ahem, "redevelopment." You know what that means--they want to tear it down and build a "replica" of a traditional old street, hidden underneath a couple of expensive condos, skyscrapers and parking lots.
In Hong Kong, you can't even buy vegetables withough being brushed by ghosts from the dark world of invisible handshakes and secret decisions. So how can I possibly write about this city and its language without burning a handful or two of paper for the gwai sitting on my shoulders?
But an interesting exchange occurred yesterday in the comments, between two of the blog's regular readers, and the issue they raised--whether or not I'm writing too much about "politics" and not enough about "ordinary people" got me thinking maybe I do need to explain myself a bit.
I know that some of you come here to read anecdotes of daily life, and others are more interested in political and current affairs. But I can't separate out the two realms, because both are part of my everyday experience of the Cantonese language. I read the papers in the morning, I walk the streets and go to demonstrations and marches and to Legco meetings, and many if not most of my buddies here (like Hemlock, Long Hair, Francis) are journos, politicians, or involved in civic life in one way or another. And, hey, I'm a journalist, too. I love Hong Kong's messy, noisy political scene as much as I love lo seui ngoh.
As reader N8Ma points out, Hong Kong's very existence is a political affair, thanks to the down and dirty deal the British cut with the Chinese in the 1980s. You can't get away from the fact that the citadel of the Cantonese language is a "Special Administrative Region", where everything is subject to "interpretation". And, occasionally when Beijing doesn't like the result and thinks it can get away with it, to "re-interpretation". Hong Kong is a phantom zone--on the books, citizens are guaranteed rule of law, freedom of speech and assembly, an open free market. In reality, Hong Kongers only have those things up to a point. When a freedom rocks the socks of some powerful cartel, tycoon, politician, or institution, all bets are off.
With a flourish of a pen in Beijing, the Cantonese language could disappear in Hong Kong in a generation. It's already happened to large extent in Guangzhou. I think about this a lot, because who wants to go crazy learning a language that might end up being suffocated? Not that I think this is going to happen in Hong Kong. But when you are "Special", nothing is ever certain.
You can't write about the visible Hong Kong without writing about this invisible phantom world too. I buy a catty of baak choi jai in the Central street market, and as the lady hands me my change, I suddenly have a vision of wrecking balls and giant construction cranes. The gaai sih, the old traditional wet market located steps from the downtown cathedrals of banking and commerce, has been slated by the HKSAR urban planning commission for, ahem, "redevelopment." You know what that means--they want to tear it down and build a "replica" of a traditional old street, hidden underneath a couple of expensive condos, skyscrapers and parking lots.
In Hong Kong, you can't even buy vegetables withough being brushed by ghosts from the dark world of invisible handshakes and secret decisions. So how can I possibly write about this city and its language without burning a handful or two of paper for the gwai sitting on my shoulders?
You should try the Life Section of last Sunday's Ming Pao. One of the articles focused on exactly that, this redevelopment of old areas, after which a replica of the old buildings, etc. would be placed in some odd place... I think it was along the lines of "What would Baudrillard have said about Hong Kong?"
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The ghosts of HK's past are everywhere and nowhere. Every home I ever had in HK has diasappeared - with the exception of one which was erected as temporary accomodation! In the Mood for Love with its stilted emphasis on items from the past and the deliberate closeness of the scenery is the best artistic lament I have seen on this theme. On another note I think it is not only lazy - but more importantly inaccurate - to characterise the joint declaration as a 'down and dirty deal that the British cut'. By doing so you absolve the PRC of all their sins in this regard. Read, if you haven't, Cottrell's The End Of Hong Kong.
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I wonder if any of your readers have heard of a book entitled "Land and the Ruling Class in Hong Kong"? It helps with the understanding of the peculiarities of Hong Kong's land system and the evolvement of the entrenched property cartel and all the problems that come with it.
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Interesting site, i'll read more and see. I guess my angle is different from most. I work in the middle east, speak cantonese, originally from UK. I like reading about HK, sometimes I have hope and sometimes mild dispair (hoping it doesn't change too much for the worst). That again swings from, perhaps living their for a while will be ok, to, one month is enough to sample all the stuff i miss. I guess the main difference is I can leave anytime, but i'm not sure how i'd feel if i couldn't. I read all the political stuff from a distance as it doesn't effect me, but i'll never be brain washed by CCTV 4 or 9 on how china has changed. Social injustice is enough for me not to want to visit china but HK i always pretty welcoming, much more so than london.
Things are always best in moderation, so the political stuff is ok, but the everyday fabric of life in HK is always far more interesting.
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