Hong Kong and Myanmar—An Encounter on the Road to Democracyby Annika Yan This piece was first published HERE on Thursday 4 February 2021. Imagine a youngster waking up one day, getting ready for their online university lessons, or their part-time job as a salesperson downtown, only to be told by their mother that all pro-democracyContinue reading ““Hong Kong and Myanmar: An Encounter on the Road to Democracy” by Annika Yan”
Category Archives: essay
“The Last Fire on a Day that Can’t be Named” by Cleo Adler
The Last Fire on a Day that Can’t be Namedby Cleo Adler 25 June 2020 Summer silently crept in amid hysteria over masks and hand sanitiser. In those days of beautiful sunshine—sometimes punctuated by erratic storms—we spent our days staring at pixellated videos and black screens. After the previous hectic five months, not wearing aContinue reading ““The Last Fire on a Day that Can’t be Named” by Cleo Adler”
“I Am A Hongkonger” by Jennifer Anne Eagleton
I Am A Hongkongerby Jennifer Anne Eagleton Beep, beep… Here’s the fax. Does it say I have the job? Yes, it does. You do have the job. It was June 1997. I saw a job advertisement on the noticeboard of the Department of Chinese Studies at the University of Sydney. It was for an editorialContinue reading ““I Am A Hongkonger” by Jennifer Anne Eagleton”
“We Are All Hongkongers” by Sara Tung
☂☂☂☂☂We Are All Hongkongersby Sara Tung 31 August 2019 On 12 September 2001, the day after the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York, the French newspaper Le Monde carried on its front page the headline “Nous sommes tous Américains”. We are all Americans. In the summer of 2019, we are all Hongkongers. Continue reading ““We Are All Hongkongers” by Sara Tung”
“Hong Kong: A City of Disappearances” by Sharon Yam
Hong Kong: A City of Disappearancesby Shui-yin Sharon Yam As a former British colony and later a Special Administrative Region under Beijing’s now-broken promise of “50 years unchanged”, disappearances have always been a motif of Hong Kong. From Ackbar Abbas’s book on decolonisation and disappearance in Hong Kong culture, to the dystopian film Ten Years,Continue reading ““Hong Kong: A City of Disappearances” by Sharon Yam”
“To the Cat Feeder in Hong Kong” by Jimin Kang
To the Cat Feeder in Hong Kongby Jimin Kang It’s been three years since I last saw you on the winding roads of Mount Parker, laying out styrofoam plates of dried pellets to feed the mountain cats. Perhaps you remember my Korean mother, who is also a lover of animals: as if drawn to yourContinue reading ““To the Cat Feeder in Hong Kong” by Jimin Kang”
“Fiction, Films, and the Hong Kong Protests of 2014-2019: Three Vignettes” by Jeffrey Wasserstrom
Fiction, Films, and the Hong Kong Protests of 2014-2019: Three Vignettesby Jeffrey Wasserstrom I would like to use the opportunity of contributing to this site to introduce my latest book, Vigil: Hong Kong on the Brink, in an unusual way—by offering up a trio of vignettes. My academic training was in archive-based historical work, but theseContinue reading ““Fiction, Films, and the Hong Kong Protests of 2014-2019: Three Vignettes” by Jeffrey Wasserstrom”
“A Tiny Truth Possibly Neglected” by Lian-Hee Wee
A Tiny Truth Possibly Neglectedby Lian-Hee Wee Trash everywhere, nothing appeared to be in order. Yet something was amiss. I trained my eyes on certain details and saw on the ground an unopened packet containing a bun. Beside it was a clean-looking red jacket, some unfinished bottles of water, and battery packs. Clothing and foodContinue reading ““A Tiny Truth Possibly Neglected” by Lian-Hee Wee”
“Life Cycles” by Dawn Lo
Life Cyclesby Dawn Lo Chinook fingerlings tumble out of their nets. The little fish take a few moments to orient themselves in wild waters as the current knocks them tail overhead. Everything is new, but natural, as they are. See how they adapt. They steady themselves, bending and ebbing with the river’s flow, like grassContinue reading ““Life Cycles” by Dawn Lo”
“I Carry A Card In My Wallet Everywhere” by Fi Five
I Carry A Card In My Wallet Everywhereby Fi Five I am from Hong Kong and I have been a student in Norway since August 2019. Two months before my departure, the anti-extradition protest began in my home city. I carry a card in my wallet everywhere. It is pink and laminated. I got itContinue reading ““I Carry A Card In My Wallet Everywhere” by Fi Five”
“We are Hearts in Cages” by R. T.
We Are Hearts in Cagesby R. T. François, exhausted by five successive nights on high alert, says to me, ‘I’d give my sabre for a cup of coffee!’ François is twenty years old. —René Char, Leaves of Hypnos (1943-1944) To those two students who never abandoned their sinking campus. I had one apple in my bag—a potential lunch if nothingContinue reading ““We are Hearts in Cages” by R. T.”
“Three Paradoxes” by William Nee
☂☂☂☂☂Three Paradoxesby William Nee As I’ve watched people demonstrate, seen videos of thugs attacking protestors, read supportive tweets and disagreed with news analysis, I’ve felt increasing torn inside about the dynamics of the Hong Kong protests. These thoughts below add nothing of significance to the overall sociological understanding of the protest movement or the politicsContinue reading ““Three Paradoxes” by William Nee”
“The Quiet Revolution” by Jim Pollard
☂☂☂☂☂The Quite Revolutionby Jim Pollard Hong Kong is unique, yet what makes it different from the rest of Asia? From my perspective, the answer is the education system. Now there are major criticisms to Hong Kong public education; some of which are fully justified—but it is not all bad. For many years now, there hasContinue reading ““The Quiet Revolution” by Jim Pollard”
“A Summer of Protest Music in Hong Kong” by Ho Chak Law
Do You Hear the People Sing? A Summer of Protest Music in Hong Kongby Ho Chak Law On 9 June 2019, around a million Hongkongers marched in protest against an extradition bill proposed by their Special Administration Region (SAR) government. Under this bill, residents and visitors in Hong Kong risked being sent for trial under the jurisdictionContinue reading ““A Summer of Protest Music in Hong Kong” by Ho Chak Law”
“Leader” by Vinton Poon
☂☂☂☂☂Leaderby Vinton Poon During this movement, apart from “five demands, not one less” (五大訴求，缺一不可), citizens also chant the slogan “liberate Hong Kong; revolution of our time” ( 光復香港，時代革命). This “liberate Hong Kong” slogan was first introduced by Edward Leung 梁天琦during his Legislative Council campaign in 2016. He probably did not expect that his slogan would beContinue reading ““Leader” by Vinton Poon”
“Being Water” by Chloe Wong
Being Waterby Chloe Wong I am a second-generation Hong Kong-American. Until I came to Hong Kong last year, I identified as Chinese-American. But something changed in the 11 weeks I lived, breathed, experienced, (and protested) Hong Kong. From August to November of 2019, I was an exchange student in the Faculty of Science at theContinue reading ““Being Water” by Chloe Wong”
“Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow: Hong Kong University Presidents” by Susan Blumberg-Kason
☂☂☂☂☂Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow: A Look at Hong Kong University Presidents and Their Support for Student Protestorsby Susan Blumberg-Kason In May 2014, my Chinese University of Hong Kong alumni group welcomed then-CUHK President Joseph Sung to a dinner reception in Chicago. At our dinner, President Sung spoke bluntly about the disconnection between youngContinue reading ““Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow: Hong Kong University Presidents” by Susan Blumberg-Kason”
“Thinking Hong Kong’s Freedom in Multiplicity” by Alvin K. Wong
☂☂☂☂☂Thinking Hong Kong’s Freedom in Multiplicityby Alvin K. Wong Since the debate on the extradition law began in early 2019, I started sensing anxiety within myself. I am an academic, and writing in an environment that fosters free expression of ideas, including ones that might be critical of the PRC, is what makes possible theContinue reading ““Thinking Hong Kong’s Freedom in Multiplicity” by Alvin K. Wong”
Hong Kong Protesting 