May Edition

MAY 2021

CUHK Student Press

Culture

[mission] The goal of the english edition is to give the non-Cantonese/English speaking community – particularly international students – the opportunity to understand and integrate into local Hong Kong culture and CUHK culture. We hope to facilitate integration by fostering a stronger sense of inclusion, acceptance and belonging to the CUHK community for non-cantonese/english speaking students.

Table of Contents A letter to the reader

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-Encountering CultureLet’s Go to Gaai1 Si5 La ! – A Trip to Hong Kong Wet Markets The Legends of Wan Chai If There's an Extra Ticket...Would You Watch With Me?

4 10 13

-Culture Between UsRegardless of Our Backgrounds, We Are All Elites under Globalization 19 24 Do you Mind if We Share the Same Tank?

26 the Tourist and the Toddler

-Bridging the Gap, Building the FutureThe Chronicle of CUHK United Cooperative Store Makeup Like a Man! Picture by Nathan LIU The University, General Studies, and Education CUHK: Becoming an International University?

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Lazy Bag

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Make Your Contributions!

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Dear Reader, You are holding in your hand a selection of articles that, if you care to look closely, will reveal a kaleidoscope of cultural facets.

Culture, like a kaleidoscope, mirrors reality, rearranges it and even fragments it, but it simultaneously creates ever changing patterns of stunning color.

Rather than only reading, we invite you to experiment with this kaleidoscope and reflect on how you relate to culture—not academically but personally.

Living here in Hong Kong, Asia’s world city, cultural diversity is a fact of life. That fact has very different consequences depending on how we interpret it. Does culture shape you? Does it exist inside you? Outside you? Is culture the sum of artifacts and history? Is culture unseen? Does it bring people together? Does it separate people? Can culture be created? Is culture a two-way road?

The answers you have to these questions are much more important than how you define culture.

In this publication you will encounter culture as media, legend, and place. You will find stories articulating how deeply culture shapes us, and how sometimes it seems to divide us. But we hope that this publication would inspire you to see culture not merely as an outside force acting upon us but as an environment that you interact with.

Best Regards, The English Editorial Team of the CUHK Student Press

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Photo: Shutterstock

-Encountering culture-

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Let’s Go to Gaai1 Si5 La ! – A Trip to Hong Kong Wet Markets Aoife Black

W hat is Gaa i 1 S i 5 ?

Dimmed lights, red lampshade, fishy scent, meat-chopping sound, and the soaking floor – they interweave and form swirls of freshness beneath the ceiling’s shaky, rumbling fans. Here you hear people screaming from their throats, with the blaring vibration spiking through your eardrums, “jau6 peng4 jau6 dai2 maai5 lei4 tai2!”

(Cheap and fresh! Come and see!) And these overlapping chants echo all over the atmosphere with people pushing against each other’s shoulders. Amidst this chaos, you find a somewhat organised environment with a one-of-a-kind taste of Hongkongness – welcome to wet markets!

Wet markets embedded in my childhood memories, as well as many Hongkongers, were like that. There was a time we all craved to escape from this dampness, noisiness, and crowdedness, and asked our parents “when can we leave!?” Throughout the years, wet markets in Hong Kong have been renovated – air conditioning, re-organised stores and hygiene measures have been implemented to catch up with the hurried footstep of modernised Hong Kong.

Hong Kong wet markets have a long history since British colonization. At first, most stalls were set up on the streets and therefore were also called street markets. These markets were not designated areas, instead, they were spaces for hawkers to gather and sell their products. Back in the times, vegetables, poultry, groceries, and other necessities flooded the streets. As time passed, the Urban Council relocated these hawkers due to the hygiene and management issue and hence public markets were established.

Although most markets moved into public or private buildings, traditional markets are still scattered around Hong Kong, such as Tai Po Hui Market and Luen Wo Hui Market in the New Territories, Mong Kok Flower Market and Goldfish Street in Kowloon, and Sai Ying Pun Centre Street Market in Hong Kong Island.

A Not-Very-Short Tour of Tai Po Hui Market Tai Po Hui Market is one of the go-to places for CUHK students who want to cook some delicious cuisine or a quick meal in their dormitories. It is only one station away from the campus and therefore saves a lot of time for our hectic, and of course, diligent students. Tai Po Hui Market is located in the Tai Po Complex. It was established near the old markets nearby in 2004, along with a sports centre, a

food centre, and a library in the same building. Located in a gigantic building, Tai Po Hui Market takes up two stories.

Your first impression walking in will be the scent of fish and meat (I guarantee). On the left, you sense the wetness of the wet market under blue lights. Here, people in rubber boots and aprons handpick a variety of seafood for you, from oyster to eel, to abalone, and to any seafood you can possibly imagine. (This might be an exaggeration, please narrow down your imagination in case of disappointment when you visit the market!). If you want to get fish, the owners can remove the scales and intestines for you at lightning speed. Note that, and I emphasise, the fish jump out of the tanks all the time, so try not to freak out! On the right side, a scarlet atmosphere would overtake your mind because of the lampshade and the meat. In there, butchers, also known as “professional meat-segmentation technicians”, wave their cleavers and cut out the exact portion of pork you want for dinner.

Before COVID, you could also pick living chickens and have them slaughtered and their feather removed in front of you. Of course, all sorts of packaged and frozen meat can be found as well.

When you are done with seafood and meat, take the escalator to the second floor and get fruits and vegetable. Fruits and vegetables give another vivid, colourful and iridescent delight. Walking through the crammed aisle, you can find traditional Chinese vegetables such as “choisum” (菜心 coi3 sam1) and “bakchoi” (白菜 baak6 coi3), as well as organic vegetables or super fruits. From stall to stall, fruits from all over the world pile up like small hills, you might find Australian cherries, Chile blueberries, American oranges… they can be from anywhere around the globe.

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Still, it is my family business and I have a responsibility to look after this legacy. Besides, it is flexible. I can take a day off if I feel unwell or when my children are in need, as you know, I have to look after my children and attend their school activities occasionally. It is definitely better than my previous job in the hotel industry.”

As we were conducting the interview, a grey puffy paw reached out from the bottom of the shelve. Chan chuckled, “Beware of our cat! She is a vicious little creature.

A few years ago, rodent infestation was very severe and rats were everywhere. We couldn’t use any rat poison because we sell food, therefore we got a kitten.”

After fruits and vegetables, it starts to get mind-boggling, because the second floor also has a handful of random goods you would never expect to find. Now, you might wonder how “random” it can get - it is just a market after all. Nonetheless, here you can locate stores for flowers, towels, clothes for old ladies, meatballs and much more.

You can even find frozen Oreo cheesecake if you look hard enough - it is like a treasure hunt. What’s best is that these treasures can go straight to your stomach, so brace yourselves, young connoisseurs. Now that you have explored most parts of the market, your tour guide would like to take you to the mysterious and extraordinary “grocery store” – the Hong Kong special Zaap6 Fo3 Pou2.

Zaap6 Fo3 Pou2 – Hong Kong’s Unique Kind of “Grocery Stores” “Zap fo pou” (雜貨鋪 Zaap6 Fo3 Pou2), can be literally translated as “store for random products,” which is fairly accurate as their products range from all kinds of seasonings to manufactured snacks. The Chinese slang “the Seven Necessities” (開門七件事 hoi1 mun4 cat1 2 si6), which are known as firewood, rice, oil, salt, gin6 soy, vinegar, and tea, were the must-buy items for every household. Of course, all besides firewood are still sold in these stores.

Focusing back on the nature of “zap fo pou,” what people find most mysterious are the products. Chan’s store’s signature products are fermented soya beans, salted eggs, smoked sweet pork sausage and all sorts of traditional Guangdong seasonings. Currently, they sell other Chinese manufactured food too as the mainland new immigrants introduce many cuisines from their own provinces.

With advanced technology and the rise of globalisation, Chan also started selling Japanese, Korean and Thai sauces.

Nevertheless, the connection between customers and sellers is not as close as it used to be. “It is true that we’re selling less and less traditional food. In the past, there was more physical connection as the customers could pick the products themselves and we would weigh them.

But now, all products are packed and labelled because of laws and regulations. Customers can simply pay and leave. Its advantage is that this is way more convenient for non-Cantonese speakers such as domestic helpers and tourists.” She admitted that there was more “warmth” ( 人情味 jan4 cing4 mei6) in the past. They used to know their customers very well but that is history. She still recognises some of them, but in-depth relationships are no more. Nonetheless, she is very open-minded towards the inevitable change of the environment and society.

Miss Chan (alias), the owner of one “zap fo pou” in Tai Po Hui Market, has been working there for 15 years since the market was established. Her grandfather founded this store around 60 years ago and her mother took over before her. When she was small, she helped out in their old store after school every day. Back in the days, business was family and family was business. Nonetheless, the rapid change of modernisation blew through the market industry like a hurricane. Chan’s siblings were reluctant to quit their stable and fairly paid jobs and hence she became the third generation’s “heir.” Despite the decline in the number of both wet markets and store owners, Chan loves this job; “Many perceive wet markets as dirty or old-fashioned and therefore are reluctant to work here.

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Why Wet Markets? Wouldn’t Supermarkets Do Just Fine?

If you have been to the campus supermarket (,which is in the main campus near Benjamin Franklin Centre and the swimming pool), you would know that it can sustain you for the entire semester if you are too indolent to travel elsewhere to get food or necessities. It is undeniable that supermarkets are taking over traditional markets. In 2020, the number of supermarkets reached 2286, 917 more than in 1998 [1]. Urban development also accelerates the decline in numbers of markets. Currently, there are 221 markets in Hong Kong, but most public markets face an enormous deficit, and some are vacant for over a decade. It appears that the Hong Kong government has neglected these management issues for the past few decades. Moreover, Ko Wing-man, the former Secretary of the Food and Health Bureau, claimed that the Hong Kong government had no plan to introduce more markets [2].

Varsha, a year 2 Indian student from our university, gave us some opinions. Firstly, it is the price. She was living on campus before the pandemic outbreak and cooked regularly in the dormitory. Food in supermarkets is sometimes double or triple the price of those in markets – going to the Tai Po Hui Market keeps her wallet from shrinking. Being a vegetarian, Varsha also looks for a huge variety of fresh vegetables and fruits. “I love vegetables and fruits in the wet markets because they look really fresh and you can pick the good-looking ones, those in the campus’ supermarket look really ‘dead’ and there isn’t much choice.”

On top of that, wet markets offer a fascinating view of Hong Kong. According to Varsha, wet markets truly reminded her of Hong Kong’s fast-paced living style. It is noisy and crowded but not in a negative way, it is simply very “Hong Kong”. She also finds wet markets eye-opening because they sell many things from clothes to beans and flour. She loves that the sellers are astonished that she knows how to speak a little Cantonese. “I remember one time I said ‘mm goi’ (thank you) and the ‘auntie’ was so nice that she gave me a handful of nuts which looked like horns, it turned out they were water chestnuts. Even though I didn’t know how to cook them, it was a fantastic experience. Also, when I buy vegetables, they always give out free spring onion. The sellers in the markets are generally very nice, most of the time the purchase happens really quick but they’re never mean or rude. Some of them even recognise me and tried to chit chat with me.

One of them remembers me and was delighted when I brought my other international friends over.”

Why are wet markets important? Every morning people cram into wet markets like sardines while sellers hold up their speakers and scream their lungs out. Why are markets irreplaceable that people would rather get packed inside the crowd?

Convenience is also a factor for her, even though the campus supermarket is close, Tai Po Hui Market is only one station away. The hygiene is acceptable and it is not dirty. An air-conditioning system has also been installed so the shopping environment is quite pleasant.

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Experience Hong Kong in its Realest Form – Visit Wet Markets!

How to Get There?

Worrying about the Language Barrier?

If you would like to visit Tai Po Hui Market, go from Tai Po Market Station’s exit A and walk straight. It takes no more than 15 minutes. If you’re interested in other markets as well, look them up! A lot of them are close to MTR stations.

Our student Varsha agrees that the language barrier is definitely an obstacle. Currently, her entire family has moved to Hong Kong and her mother specifically faces some troubles while purchasing from the stalls as she does not know how to speak Cantonese. But don’t worry, most store owners can speak simple English and count.

If not, body language or writing the numbers down could be an option as well. Nonetheless, Varsha pointed out that learning how to count in Cantonese is really useful, her local friend from CUHK taught her numbers in Cantonese as well as several useful phrases for simple requests and bargaining. (It also helps you to get free stuff.)

Sometimes she does not know what the sellers reply, but this is still a great way to break the barrier and interact with Hongkongers.

Go with the Locals!

Varsha suggests that going to wet markets with locals makes it much easier. Besides learning the language, she also got to know the little details about wet markets. For instance, food is more expensive in the stores on the front row, if you walk inside, it might be more economical. She mentioned that local students in CUHK are very helpful and are willing to socialise with international students, therefore it would be amazing to try out other local activities and visit new places in Hong Kong with them as well.

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Do Not Hesitate to Ask! This is a really important reminder. Miss Chan from the “zap fo pou” reminded foreigners to always ask if they are not sure what to buy. As most of the stall owners can speak simple English, they could be very helpful, you might be enlightened by Hong Kong culture as well.

Chan shared an interesting experience, “I remember vividly that one time, a foreigner approached us and asked if the smoked sweet pork sausages are ready-to-eat. I was like, “no, no! They are not salami! You have to steam them first!” See? Do not be shy! Or you might have to sit on the toilet bowl for days and miss out on an opportunity to try some absolutely unique local food.

The Future of Wet Markets Wet markets are gems of Hong Kong culture, but where are they going in the future as modernisation and globalisation take over? We have addressed the decline of numbers and the vacancy issue of wet markets earlier.

Another significant concern is the privatisation of markets – real estate investment trust Link REIT has been acquiring estate malls and markets, which put many store owners in agony over the ever-increasing and exorbitant rent while stirring up much controversy regarding monopolisation. And this eventually reaches for

the general public’s wallet. Political activist Agnes Chow Ting also addressed this concern of the public’s burden thanks to privatisation and joined several campaigns regarding the preservation of local malls and markets. [3] The “Zap fo pou” owner Miss Chan also told us, “if Tai Po Market is to be privatised, it’s very likely that we would not be able to continue our business anymore. Developers like Link REIT put stores into their markets under their own label, and they raise the rent to an unaffordable price. I have also heard that they make up excuses to drive away businesses that are “not suitable for their marketing directions.”

So, what will be the destiny of wet markets? With advanced technology, the lack of government management and the threat of monopolisation, will wet markets still stand in a few decades? Or will this flavour of Hongkongness be washed away by the waves of tomorrow?

[1]食物安全及環境衛生，立法會秘書處，資料研究組 2017年9月 27日。 https://www.legco.gov.hk/research-publications/chinese/1617issh36-public-markets-20170927-c.pdf [2] 政府無計劃興建新街市，《星島日報》，2012年10月31日。 http://hk.news.yahoo.com/%E6%94%BF%E5%BA%9C%E7%84%A1 %E8%A8%88%E5%8A%83%E8%88%88%E5%BB%BA%E6%96%B 0%E8%A1%97%E5%B8%82-051200242.html [3] 團體聖誕遊行撐墟市 反對領展拆售商場，imediahk.，2017年 12月21日。 http://www.inmediahk.net/node/1054070

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wan chai p.1

The Legends of Wan Chai Marta Gramatyka

Wan Chai, a commercial district on Hong Kong Island is filled with shops, restaurants and trendy places and widely considered as a party destination. However, in between Wan Chai’s streets and high buildings there is a fascinating history reaching back to the early stages of Hong Kong’s existence.

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1 If you exit the Wan Chai MTR and walk along the Queen’s Road East, you will eventually reach Stone Nullah Lane, a small street which is known for its colorful buildings. Among these stands the Blue House. The Blue House is not only a picturesque piece of architecture, but it also has a long and vivid evolution of changing along with the city.

The house is now a historical apartment complex. Formerly a Chinese medicine center, starting from the end of the 19th century it became a temple to Hua Tuo, a revered physician from the Three Kingdoms period (220 - 280AD). In the 1950s it was reopened as a martial arts studio by Lam Sai Wing and his nephew, Lam Cho. The pair were famous Kung Fu masters and protegees of legendary Wong Fei Hong, acupuncture, Chinese medicine and the inspiration for various movies and books.

Only in the 1970s did it gain its unique blue color.

It may seem mysterious since blue is an uncommon color for building, but stories say the government decided to use the only color they had left during a shortage - blue, the color belonging to the water department.

2 When walking further in the opposite direction from the Blue House, keep your head up to see a tall, round tower on your left - that is Hopewell Center. It was built in the 1980s among the shorter buildings in the districts, so it got famous right away, as the height of the Hopewell center was incomparably higher. Back then, it was the second tallest building in Asia. At the time, the way houses were built did not require construction workers to wear any kind of harness or protection even when they were balancing on 222 meters above the ground on metal and bamboo scaffolding. This made the building even more incredible in the eyes of regular citizens.

What is even more special about the Hopewell center is its general design as it was painted red, and acquired a unique, yet weird, round shape. Due to these peculiarities never seen in the city’s architectural design before, the building has been long perceived by feng shui masters as haunted, due to its resemblance to a temple’s incense and candles. To neutralize the bad connotations, a pool was built on the very top of the center to prevent the “candle” from “burning.”

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Every time you are in Wan Chai, there’s something under your feet. Way down below the surface, there is a network of underground, Japanese war shelters, which, although not accessible for a regular citizen, hide a yet another fascinating story.

Wan Chai was one of the most important districts of Hong Kong during the Japanese occupation. In the 1940s the Japanese occupied Hong Kong for nearly four consecutive years, leaving an underground network of tunnels and shelters behind them. The shelters and tunnels, built by the British, who were at that time in charge of Hong Kong, had various roles.

Some of them were storages for explosives while others were simply places where the ordinary people could flee to. Even though after the war many of them were filled or left for dilapidation, there are still some hidden entrances which you can notice while strolling through the Hong Kong Island side. An interesting thing is that the tunnels and shelters were built based on the plan of London alleys, narrow and ultimately confusing for the enemies, but very familiar for the Brits.

The novel was inspired by Gloucester Luk Kwok Hotel (on Gloucester Road) which was once a cradle of Wan Chai night life. In the 1930s when the hotel was built, it was not only the tallest building in the district, but also one of the most popular ones - used as a place for relaxation and entertainment of sailors and incoming travelers, as back then the street was still positioned by the waterfront. Although the original building was torn down and rebuilt as a modern business hotel and conference center that serves customers to this day, the glimpses of its infamous history can still be found in the novels and Hong Kong movies.

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But this district has also an intangible heritage, as it happens to be the background for a classic Hong Kong love story, “The World of Suzie Wong” by Richard Mason and its 1960s movie adaptation. It tells a story of Suzie Wong, a young prostitute who pretends to be a high class woman and falls in love with a British artist who came to Hong Kong to start a new life.

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▲Nam Koo Mansion Illustration: @slothysketches

Not all stories associated with Wan Chai are supposed to be romantic and moving. Some of them awaken our fears and anxieties. Take for example the blood-freezing story of Nam Koo Mansion. Located at No.55 Ship Street, Nam Koo Mansion is better known as the Wan Chai haunted house. With over a hundred years of history, it is one of the most protected heritages in Hong Kong. It was initially owned by a rich family from Shanghai, during the Japanese occupation it became a military brothel and it was abandoned in 1945.

▲Gloucester Luk Kwok Hotel Illustration: @slothysketches

It is said that until this day it is possible to spot the ghosts of the Japanese soldiers and the “comfort women” who died in the Mansion.

Some people reported seeing ghostly flames and hearing screams from the house. The scary atmosphere is magnified by a unique architectural mix of Eastern and Western architecture.

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If There’s an Extra Ticket... Would You Watch With Me?

「如果有多一張戲飛, 你會唔會同我一齊睇？」 Decidophobia. The irrational or prolonged fear of making decisions. From picking a lunch set, to choosing a cover photo for Instagram posts, I always take a few more moments beforeresorting to a random decision. Hence, to navigate you through the endless rummages in the sea of Netflix recommendations and exaggerated reviews, this snippet, a.k.a FILM 1000 “Introduction to East Asian Culture Through Movies,” serves to relieve your distressed concern on movie-picking.

Happy Together《春光乍洩》 [cheun1 gwong1 ja3 sit3] (1997), Dir. Wong Kar Wai Made in Hong Kong.

As a highly acclaimed filmmaker and probably the most famous one in Hong Kong, Director Wong Kar Wai’s films are the ones to start with.

Accompanied by handpicked soundtracks, lifestyle in 90’s Hong Kong projected under his lens seems exceptionally aesthetic and melancholic. Happy Together showcases the turbulent relationship between a homosexual couple, Po-Wing and Yiu-Fai. For non-Chinese speakers, the English title failed to do the movie justice, as their relationship is neither as shallow nor vibrant as the title makes it seem

Karen Tang

title makes it seem. The Chinese title, a proverb, can be described as “the blooming spark of light in spring has just been leaked out.” Spring (春 [cheun1]) does not only represent the colour green, it also signifies a spark of hope, and a rekindling love between the two.

Released much earlier before blockbusters like Brokeback Mountain (2005) or Call Me By Your Name (2017), Happy Together stirred up numerous controversies among conservative regions. One is notably named as the ‘steamy sex scene’ which captures the intimacy between Po-Wing and Yiu-Fai under black and white lens. Another highlight of the movie is how Dir. Wong portrays the main characters Fai and Po-wing, to be insanely in love. This does not mean the movie is filled with swoony dialogues or skinships. Instead, their love is rather crooked, with Po-wing being the violent dominator, and Fai as a pitiful masochist. After several break-ups and makeups, the development of characters leads us to reconsider, what does love mean? When Powing suggested the two to part ways because he felt bored in a relationship, has their love died down? Or would the feelings rekindle once they meet again? An extreme version of love, known as domination, always seems to destroy affectionate feelings between a couple, and this

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is no exception for the two. Arguments, mistrust, disbelief, lies, violence become scars of pain, sadly leaving the two soaking in blood. Being plunged into a whirlpool of scattered memories, both Fai and Po-wing were losers in this game called love.

The year 1997 is significant in Hong Kong’s history, as it symbolises the transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to China. In that period of political instability, Dir. Wong carefully selected this couple to express his ideas on self-identity and the future of Hong Kong. After being awarded as Best Director in the 1997 Cannes Film Festival, he also emphasised his determination to continue producing local movies. Dir. Wong captured the uncertainty of one’s social identity by highlighting British National (Overseas) (BNO) passports in the couple’s quarrels. From the Extradition Bill (2019), National Security Law (2020), to the recent Immigration (Amendments) Bill, this brewing political turmoil has provoked fear and conflicts in many Hongkongers. Coincidentally, with UK’s lenient BNO policy and Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s welcoming attitude towards BNO passport holders, more than 27 thousand applicants are determined to escape from their hometown. [1] Revisiting Happy Together in the midst of such instability clearly proves that Dir. Wong never fails to mix social issues in his artworks. However, if you wonder how ongoing disputes between Hongkongers will end up, I am sorry that this movie doesn’t shed light on what Hong Kong will turn into. Still, just like Fai and Po-wing’s journey, a destination is always there, awaiting for our arrival, someday.

You are the Apple of My Eye 《那些年，我們一起追的女孩》

[na5 se1 nin4 ngo5 mun4 yat1 hei2 jeui1 dik1 neui5 haai4]

(2011), Dir. Giddens Ko Made in Taiwan.

With COVID-19 taking over the globe, our ordinary campus life seems like nothing but a blur. To brush up memories of our ‘historical’ school life memories, You are the Apple of My Eye takes the audience on a time machine to Changhua county, Taiwan in the 90’s.

Just mentioning this movie, many would instantly think of the theme song “Those Bygone Years”, sung by Taiwanese singer Hu Xia. Between the lines of lyrics like “those years where we missed the rainstorm, those years where we missed our love. I want to embrace you, to embrace the courage that I missed” unfold the bittersweet moments between Ching-teng and Chia-yi. Earlier parts of the movie records how Ching-teng was attracted to his ‘goddess’ Chia-yi, and how they eventually got together. However, when the couple were accepted into different universities, their love withered and the two slowly drifted apart. If only time could take them back… sadly, there are no alternatives in life. So what makes Chingteng and Chia-yi’s relationship memorable but painful? It is about all their regrets as a couple.

The incomplete dates, the unspoken words, these reflect how life is never perfect and flawless. Unlike any other generic romantic comedies with “pink bubbles” almost floating out from the movie screens, You are the Apple of My Eye captures humans’ vivid and rawest emotions. That is what makes it such a heart wrenching piece.

Why does this movie appeal to such a large crowd of audience? Its enchanting theme song, its heartbreaking plot, its portrait of everyone’s childhood memories, and its realism. In fact, the plot is based on Dir Ko’s semi-autobiography, which shares the same title with the movie.

Coincidentally, directors seem to prefer using their own products as platforms to unleash their raw feelings towards a specific person.

Dir. Richard Linaklater created the megahit Before Sunrise (1995) (and the Before trilogy) to search for his Celine after their fleeting encounter in a toy shop in Philadelphia. Back

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to this movie, Dir. Ko’s movie is to deliver his feelings to his highschool crush, who shares the same name as the female character Chiayi. When Dir. Ko revealed his story as the blueprint of the movie, Chia-yi in real life was exposed to be a wife of a businessman. Of course, he knows that adapting his experience means that factual matters should be clearly communicated to the audience, to prevent harming others by people’s fantasies. Still, he insisted on keeping the last 10-minute segment in his production, which is a bittersweet and imaginative scene. Some may say that is unnecessary and weird to watch. But after all, movies are places for people to pour out their creativity.

“travel agency,” before his true occupation was found out. The tension built up when his wife, feeling disgusted and disappointed, threatened Daigo to move out until he quit his job.

Departures not only portrays the misconceptions brewed in society, but also brings out the message of celebrating life and acknowledging death. Funeral traditions are important in Asia, especially for Buddhists and Taoists. Daigo’s job includes dressing the body in white, putting on makeup and performing rituals before putting the body in a casket to be sent to the afterlife. Daigo gradually feels his job is not only about completing procedures, but soothing the heart-stricken ambience by bringing calmness. The goal of a nōkanshi is to let families of the deceased bid farewell to the deceased in his or her best appearance.

When all the rituals come to an end, family members of the deceased greet the nōkanshi with a thankful smile. Frankly speaking, no one knows how the afterlife functions, or whether an afterlife actually exists. But solemn procedures captured in Departures serve as a recollection of memories, before keeping the departed in people’s heart.

Departures《禮儀師之奏鳴曲》

[lai5 yi4 si1 ji1 jau3 ming4 kuk1]

(2008), Dir. Yojiro Takita Made in Japan.

While the topic of death itself may still be perceived as a taboo in some East Asian regions, producers tend to incorporate the theme of life and death in movies. Departures is a well-received film telling the story of Daigo, a cellist-turned-nōkanshi. Nōkanshi is a Japanese-based traditional ritual mortician, who plays a key role in funerals by applying cleaning and applying makeup to the body.

When someone in a family has passed away, other members of the family normally treat funeral service workers humbly with respect, so their relatives can be sent to the afterlife in peace. Otherwise, the job nature of these workers may be labelled as “dirty and indecent.”

Due to the social stigma of the industry, Daigo was ostracized by his friends and social circle.

He also told his wife that he was working for a 15

Silenced《無聲吶喊》 [mou4 seng1 naap6 haam3]

(2011), Dir. Hwang Dong Hyuk

Made in South Korea.

Movies serve as a point for us to reflect on our community through adapting events in society.

Silenced (Dogani in Korean) is adapted from a novel by the writer Gong Ji Young, and the novel is based on real events in Gwang Ju, a province in South Korea.

Silenced tells a story about a school for the hearing-impaired in Mujin. Young disabled students are the victims of malicious sexual assault by the school principal and several teachers. As much as the audience is disgusted by sexual abuse, they are also outraged by police corruption and the inefficacy of Korea’s judicial system. Although the plot may seem absurd, this is accurately reflected by real-life figures. With a staggering 23 thousand arrests for sexual assault in the country last year, the poor kids are only a small portion of many more helpless victims. [2]

The protagonist once said, “We should fight not to change the world itself, but to stop the world from changing us.” In the movie, when protestors advocated justice for the victims, they were dispersed by merciless police and cannon trucks. This is sadly, a vivid image associated with heartbroken memories of many Hong Kongers. At this devastating moment, the urge to fight for criminal justice is rekindled in many South Koreans’ hearts. This emotional ride sparks off national sentiment around the country, and even prompted lawmakers to introduce legislation to convict sexual offenders. Korea’s parliament passed the ‘Dogani Bill’ which raises the punishment of sexual criminals to life imprisonment. The physical and mental trauma scars forever, but amendments in the law means that culprits like the principal have to compensate heavily for their unforgivable wrongdoings. In this way, movies like Silenced serve as an alarm for people about societal affairs and the importance of upholding justice.

Besides shedding light on sexual assault, Silenced infers different characters staying silent throughout the movie. The young victims initially remained silent out of fear and horror of threats. Surrounding teachers and citizens kept their mouths shut for the reputation of their community. On top of that, executive officers who violently obtained evidence to prosecute the perpetrators, were muted by money laundering. In reality, victim-blaming is sadly a common phenomenon in sexual assault cases, especially when two parties show a significant difference in social status.

Despite the young victims crying desperately for assistance, none of them received any aid. Instead, they were viewed as ‘seducing’ the principal and consenting. The misty fog of Mujin traps rumours of the school from leaking out, while social stigmas bars victims from seeking help. Although the protagonists were determined to rescue the kids, they could hardly fight against the institution and the corrupt police.

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Still Human《淪落人》 [leun4 lok6 yan4] (2018), Dir. Oliver Chan Made in Hong Kong.

The Chinese title of Still Human means people who encounter misfortune. This comes from a famous line by the Tang dynasty poet Bai Juyi (白居易): “Those who bear the same illness sympathise with each other” (同是天涯淪落 人). Starring best actor Anthony Wong and Pilipino rookie actress Crisel Consunji, this movie dives into the ordinary lives of a disabled old man and his domestic helper.

turn Evelyn’s photography ‘spark’ into his own, by buying her a digital camera to participate in competitions. Taking photos seems like an easy hobby for most of us, but it almost seemed like an impossible aspiration for Evelyn. Just Human tells a simple but easily forgotten message, and that is to follow your heart and chase for your dreams. It doesn’t matter whether your aspirations are as ambitious as becoming a millionaire, or simply being healthy and safe.

Once you have sorted out what sparks joy in your heart, work towards it, and that will be the cure to your illness.

Unlike Western countries, it is common for people in Asian regions to hire domestic maids who are mainly Indoenisan or Filipino. When Evelyn, Cheong-wing’s domestic helper first entered his home, they would bicker on minor issues like cleaning the floor or the pronunciation of Cantonese slang. As the season changes and time slips by, they gradually develop a strong bond. Reflecting on real-life scenarios, minor conflicts are unavoidable within families.

Hins Cheung, a famous Hong Kong singersongwriter, has been hilariously sharing his snippets of life with his newly hired domestic helper. His Instagram updates about breakfast meals to the use of cooking utensils precisely reflect the ‘adjustment period’ in households.

While this topic hilariously becomes the talk of the town, posts on a Facebook group called “Support Group for HK Employers with Foreign Domestic Helpers (FDHs)’’ show another side of arguments between employers and FDHs. Complaints from employers range from hygiene practices to daily attitudes, such as talking on the phone for several hours a day. Certainly, a few words of platitude may resolve this deep-rooted problem among many families, but Just Human portrays important elements for employers and FDHs to get along—compassion and respect.

No one should be deprived of their right to dream. Even FDHs who left their home country and work for six days a week, should be allowed to pursue their goals in life. In the movie, Cheong-wing discovered Evelyn’s passion and talent in photography. Being physically constrained in his wheelchair, Cheong-wing knew his daring hopes would most likely turn to ashes. So, he decided to 17

Photo: Steve Johnson

-Culture Between Us-

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Regardless of Our Backgrounds We Are All Elites Under Globalization If we can understand how universities place us within a competitive sphere, we may better comprehend the issue of estrangement within CUHK. Written by Lam Siu-bun Translated by Leung Chun Hei & Tan Hou Yuan From the 2014 Orientation Issue of CUHK Student Press

The estrangement may be ubiquitous Among the undergraduates of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) during 2013-14, there were 14,109 locals and 1,780 non-local students, a majority of the latter group—1,374 to be precise—were elite students from mainland China. In other words, there was about one mainland student in every ten students on campus.

However, I observed that both mainland and local students know rather little about each other, as if they are living in two parallel universes. No one initiates any conversation at class, let alone back at the dorms; they seem to never cross paths. Yet it only takes a few scrolls on local websites or social media like CUHK Secret to witness some stereotypes. For instance, local students believe that “mainland students like to steal from the communal fridges,” “mainland students don’t shower,” and mainland students think most locals are “angry youths” [1].

Why are we so divided when we are living on the same campus? Maybe, it is because we speak different languages, or it could be the varying habits and unique cultural backgrounds. However, this article cannot address all of these issues, so what I want to examine is: why are we so indifferent towards this sense of division, and even believe it is a matter of course? The most common answer might be that mainland students are only here for their studies, and since they are not staying for long, the division is not that big of a deal. Worse still, some local students even assume that mainland students come to Hong Kong to “snatch resources.” They are not genuinely schoolmates, but competing rivals. Thus, the division is not unexpected, it is bound to happen.

However, if this is solely a confrontation between mainland and local students, the estrangement should only occur between these two communities. Yet, I noticed that local students are estranged from one another as well. In contrast to secondary school, university life is much more eventful: there are orientation camps, student organizations, and all sorts of courses

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from different departments for students to bond with each other. When we first enter the university, it is easy to meet dozens of new people in a single day, but that is exactly why most relationships are no more than a nodding acquaintance. These are vastly different from the friendships formed during secondary school, when everyone was together all the time. Local students might be able to make few good friends through O’camp or student organizations, but most people who leave the classroom right after classes are not expecting to get acquainted with anyone else. They will only reluctantly talk with others “voluntarily” during group discussions, but purely for the sake of finding group members, as they had no choice but to do so. As time passes, even previous project group members or hallmates may stop talking with each other, and gradually lose touch. But it does not

matter to most people—it is not really a big deal.

These indifferent attitudes towards the ongoing division are not too different from the situation with mainland students. Yet how exactly should we go about understanding these apathetic attitudes?

“Universities are actually just training institutions to meet society’s demand for talents.”

Universities degenerated into For-profit Schools What is the nature of the university? Many would tell us that the university is a place for you to pursue ideals, a place for you to pursue knowledge, and a place to cultivate independent personality…

To be frank, this kind of empty talk may only appear on the official website for publicity or public speeches made by school officials. But in fact, even the official words may not be so “glamorous” at all.

Former Financial Secretary and Chairman of the first University Grants Committee (UGC) Antony Leung Kam-chung, repeatedly emphasized how, in view of the increasingly fierce competition under globalization, education should complement the transformation of the global economy (from an industrial economy to a knowledge-based economy), and how Hong Kong’s own “competitiveness” should be strengthened. He had even written, “It is very clear that education is to nurture talents, and that the future is unlimited, and this future includes both future prospects and money.” [2] To put it bluntly, in the eyes of Leung, a senior official who has absolute power in the education sector in Hong Kong, universities are actually just training institutes to meet society’s demand for talents. At the extreme, universities in his mind were actually no different from “learning shops.”

Students pay an annual tuition fee, and then receive several years of training in exchange for a beautiful graduation certificate. On one hand, the university is certainly providing labor to cater for market needs, on the other hand, it is also a hen that lays golden eggs, earning hundreds of millions of dollars worth of “investment” each year

(direct quote from Leung) [2]. The differences between universities and normal stores are that the groups involved in the interests of universities, and their way of transfer, are far more complicated than our general understanding of that of enterprises.

(This point will be elaborated later.) With such an understanding, it is not difficult for us to imagine that many universities produce the best “goods” (i.e., diplomas) in order to make the most profit.

One of the most effective ways, of course, is to improve their own reputation and image, and to improve the school’s international ranking. The higher a school’s ranking, the more likely its graduates will be recognized by companies. This is evident from the salaries of graduates: according to the UGC, among the eight UGC-funded universities, except for the Faculty of Education, the top three graduates’ salaries are HKU, CUHK and HKUST, at HKD$236,000, $227,000 and $186,000 respectively, which is a significant gap from the $140,000 of LU and CityU [3].The naked truth is that some companies, especially large multinational companies such as investment banks, international accounting firms, and companies listed on Fortune Global 500, etc., generally only consider students from the “Big Three” [HKU, CUHK, and HKUST], while graduates from other institutions may not be accepted at all.

One effective way to improve international rankings is to improve internationalization indicators, where the university’s first priority is to put emphasis on professors’ papers and research. This is because it is a major concern in international rankings. In one of the most popular international rankings, QS,

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In addition, the admission of foreign students is an important part of driving the internationalization of universities. This is because the proportion of international students and teaching staff (international orientation) also accounts for 10% of the QS ranking. The government is certainly supportive of this, as it is evident by the massive increase in the percentage of non-local students at the UGC-funded universities: 2% before 1998, 10% in 2005 when Donald Tsang (former Chief Executive of Hong Kong) took office, and 20% now (2013). Therefore, the higher the percentage of non-local students, the higher the score in the ranking. The higher the ranking, the better the reputation of the school, the easier it is to get fundings. The whole logic of “school governance” is actually a set of business logic. A university is no different from a store, so it is not an exaggeration to call it a “learning shop.”

SALARY UPON GRADUATION (2014) 250

THOUSAND HK$

citations per faculty account for 20% of the total weight. In other words, the more citations professors receive for their research, the higher QS ranking the university will be. Therefore, universities require professors to publish regularly in international journals to increase their chances of being cited by other scholars and thus improve the universities’ ranking. Therefore, for many professors, teaching is at best a “side job,” while research is their “main job.”

If they do not conduct enough research, they could lose their jobs at any time. But isn’t the university a place for students to learn? Why is the main job of professors now becoming research and thesis publication that has nearly nothing to do with students?

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200

236 186

150 100

140

140

50 0

CITYU CUHK

HKU

HKUST

LU

Why particularly enroll mainland students?

Unlike ordinary businesses, the interests of this “learning shop” are far more complicated, the stakeholders do not tuck money straight into their wallets like business owners. For example, any professors’ research project requires funding; from the university’s administrative perspective, its bureaucrats only consider how to facilitate their work, which will benefit from extra backing; as for the president and the school’s executives, they might take advantage of their accomplishments in office to increase their political capital. This can be recognized by observing the current occupation of two of Chinese University’s previous presidents--Arthur Li is the non-official member of the Executive Council, and Lawrence Lau is a Member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

Furthermore, money is not the only interest of this learning shop; attracting “elites” is equally important. Not only do the professors wish to be granted funds, but they also want to enlist top students who are more efficient and do better research.

As for the university, recruiting elites improves the school’s reputation. For example, in 2012,

The University of Hong Kong became the topic of discussion in mainland China for admitting 21 top-scoring students from different provinces and took over major news headlines in Hong Kong.

But the question is: why does CUHK attract elites who are mainly from mainland China when it targets top students globally?

Frankly speaking, international students have such minimal understanding of local universities that, not only are they unfamiliar with the respective cultural backgrounds of the universities, but they also might not have even heard of CUHK--despite it being one of the top 100 universities in the world. This is similar to Hongkongers not knowing many foreign universities, such as the Humboldt University of Berlin, and the ESSEC Business School in France.

These are some of the best universities in Germany and France, and yet most of us have never heard of them. However, this is not limited to international students, in fact, students from mainland China are pretty unfamiliar with universities in Hong Kong too.

Mainland students may have heard of some names at most, but largely ignorant about the strengths

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and weaknesses of each school--certainly not as well informed about Peking and Tsinghua University or other universities in their home country. Therefore, the aforementioned question carries greater significance: why does the CUHK still manage to attract so many elite students from the mainland?

The support from China’s Ministry of Education (MOE) is certainly the most important. In February 1999, the MOE and the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office of The State Council jointly declared that universities in Hong Kong had agreed to entrust mainland universities to enroll freshmen [on behalf of Hong Kong universities]. These entrusted universities are some of the most prestigious ones, such as Peking and Tsinghua University.

Naturally, every admitted student was the cream of the crop. The following year, several prominent high schools such as Shanghai High School, Beijing No. 4 High School, and the Affiliated High School of Peking University actively promoted Hong Kong universities to students and parents, claiming it is equally reputable to be enrolled in the University of Hong Kong as in Peking and Tsinghua. This sort of support is unlikely to be provided from any other countries, it is difficult to imagine Harvard or Cambridge willing to partner with CUHK and allow it to enrol students on their campus.

Moreover, many top students from mainland China wish to pursue their higher education abroad, but are self-conscious that their English language proficiency, especially their speaking skills, may not meet foreign universities’ standards yet. When this is factored in with the lack of information about universities abroad, many considered universities in Hong Kong as a springboard for further studies. Mainland students generally believe that Hong Kong is more in line with international standards in various aspects, which is beneficial for studying overseas in the future. Take the academic environment as an example, universities in Hong Kong are quite similar to those abroad, the empha-

sis is being placed on holistic learning, exams are not the only assessment criteria, there may be reports, tutorial discussions, tests, exams and more to evaluate multiple aspects of students’ learning.

Of course, as a learning shop, CUHK is more than delighted to enrol top students from the mainland. As mentioned, the enrolment itself already improved the reputation of CUHK. In fact, in 2012, among the students whom CUHK admitted from Beijing, the lowest score was 134 marks above the admission score for first-tier (key) universities. Entry requirements for few other Hong Kong universities were also higher than Peking and Tsinghua University’s average enrolment score. Additionally, just as previously stated by Leung, education itself is a kind of “investment business.” CUHK alone admitted about 5,000 post-graduate students from the mainland in 2013, if we calculate with the minimum tuition fee of RMB ¥130,000, these 5000 post-grads would yield a total revenue of RMB ¥650 million for the school.

However, for CUHK, what is even more important than the RMB ¥ 650 million, are the elites and world university ranking. When this batch of elites graduates, most of them would likely enter good companies and get a good job, which naturally further improves CUHK’s ranking. This is because “Recruiter Review” weighs 10% amongst the indicators QS World Universities Ranking use. In other words, if this batch of elite graduates enters distinguished enterprises like investment banks or Global 500, CUHK’s international rankings will no doubt rise again. A higher university ranking will aid the university’s fundraising. In 2013, HKU and CUHK raised nearly HKD $600 million under the Sixth Matching Grant Scheme, which was significantly higher than other universities. Under this scheme, the more funds the school raises, the larger the government grants are (hence the term “matching grant”), making CUHK even wealthier. This shows the importance of international university rankings.

QS WORLD UNIVERSITIES RANKING METRICS

5%

5%

10%

20%

40% 20%

Recruiter Review

Citations per Faculty

Faculty/ Student Ratio

Academic Reputation

International Faculty Ratio

International Student Ratio

2 3

Source: topuniversities.com

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We are all elites - estrangement and anxiety of the elites in the “learning store” Let us return to the question in the beginning: beginning: why is the separation, either between mainland and local students or between local students themselves, “a matter of course”? Through the detailed analysis I have just written on the nature of university, what I was trying to point out is that under the fierce competition of globalization, the university positions itself as a store [for-profit school in some sense], and the ability of students is still the primary admission criteria. Students’ ethnicity is only the secondary concern (of course, it is also willing to take in more non-locals as they can help with international ranking). So as long as you are in the top 18% of local students or the top 0.1% in

the mainland, you will have a chance of getting into CUHK. As an analogy, it is actually the same as the 7-11 convenience store in the Shatin MTR station: it does not just sell stuff to people in Shatin, it also sells things to Americans. Compared to the 7-11, CUHK does not sell soda and chocolates, instead, it sells graduation certificates. Therefore, there is no geographical restriction on who can buy the certificates. Local students can make a purchase, so can mainland students—as long as you are an elite.

Being an elite not only indicates having exceptional capabilities, but it also implicitly guarantees a livelihood. Living in a capitalist society, the reward we get is positively correlated with our proficiency and ability. There may be many reasons why we wish to become elites. Some of us want a high-paying job, but for others, it may well be that we cannot risk failing or being “derailed” from life. We cannot ensure survival without a degree in the era of a knowledge-based economy. (Do you remember the above-mentioned salary scale of the top eight local universities? If people with a university degree are already under such financial pressure, one could only wonder how challenging it is for people who only have a high school qualification.)

hard to understand why we could not let social life disrupt our studies even if we dislike loneliness at the same time. While the majority of us are not knowledge-craving, we still spend so much time to prepare and “study” whenever tests and exams are around the corner, to aim for good grades. We are clear that all this effort is to get a strong, competitive graduate certificate after four years. Instead of claiming local students are indifferent toward the estrangement within themselves and mainland students, the real issue is how local and mainland students have both overlooked the nature of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. It has nothing to do with communities, but the key concern is what kind of university, and what kind of future we want.

Therefore, what we ultimately need, is a graduation certificate. This has become a deep-rooted anxiety for university students, who see other activities in university such as dating, joining student organizations, and living in halls merely as a prop while they are “gearing up” for graduation. If we really want to have fun, why not dump our degrees and party somewhere else? If we want to travel and go on an adventure, why not just apply for a working holiday when we are still young, and earn money as we play? This is not to say all university students only have their eyes set on future salaries, but I believe everyone clearly understands that whether to have fun or to follow our dreams, we still need money.

Therefore, the previous explanation that “mainland students are only here for their studies, since they won’t be staying for long, and the division with local students is only a matter of course” is partially correct. A more elaborate and precise explanation should be: “We are all here for a graduate certificate to ensure getting better opportunities when we enter the labour market, and thereby lead better lives.

We will be gone when we are done.” Hence, it is not

The key question is, why do we want to become elites?

[1] Young people who are extremely nationalistic and patriotic. 憤青 Cantonese Jyutping: fan5cing1/ Putonghua Pinyin: fen4qing1 [2] Excerpt from “The Idea Behind the Education Industry Debate” Hong Kong Economic Journal 2009-12-01 Cover Story [3] Excerpt from “The Idea Behind the Education Industry Debate” Hong Kong Economic Journal 2009-12-01 Cover Story [4] Apple Daily. http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/news/ art/20131003/18448156 [5] The cutoff line of the admission score for first-tier (key) universities. Putonghua Pinyin:Yi4ben3xian4 /Jyutping: jat1bun2sin3.

[6] Openness to the outside world, reform from the inside Mainland colleges and universities deal with the loss of quality students. http://www.infzm.com/content/79175/

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It started out just like any other day, I met a white girl on the football field and I did not want to befriend her, I looked the other way. Why? Because I just did not like foreigners. The place I grew up in was half-full of foreigners, mostly white and southeast Asians. They were nothing but arrogant and ignorant. If that was not enough, another reason could be that they just did not look the way we did, and that we were different. Most of the time it seemed to me that this feeling must be mutual, otherwise how come we all live in the same area but act like fish living in two different bowls? If we are all living in the same tank, is there a wall to separate us?

Before accusing me of having stereotypes or not trying hard enough, trust me, I did my best and none of the “friendships” worked out. The first time my mom invited a cute little American boy to our home, he tried to poke and feed my hamster to death with the eraser tip on a pencil, yes that eraser you use to rub out the things you wrote. Well, I guess it did traumatize a kid, considering I was still in my kindergarten age. Clearly the very first effort at diplomacy failed and maybe, maybe this irrational stage of mine was the turning point where I started to get a little hostile to foreigners. I wish my other experiences with foreigners had different story lines. But sometimes, we are all fortune’s fools. When I grew older, I met the meanest Canadian on earth, years later, the rudest Dutch and the list goes on and on. Since then, I began to limit myself to not swim to the other side of the tank, with the belief that it would not do any good to either “us” or “them.”

Do You Mind If We

But what eventually constituted the wall was the education I received. Just like most of the teens in Hong Kong, I went to a local school nearby where I lived.

In English lessons, although we were “encouraged” to speak in English, by the time we opened our mouth, fears creeped in. The English language was not what frightened us, but rather the stares we got every time when we uttered the words.

You were seen as pretentious if you tried to speak in English and kids just did not like you. You would also be mocked if your pronunciation was not perfect--kids were picky. You also probably did not have the flawless grammar, which stressed you a lot. When all the worries and anxieties piled up, we chose to seal our lips. Dear non-Cantonese speakers, please do not have hard feelings when we are reluctant to speak to you in English, it is never personal. The glue that sealed my lips ultimately filled up all the gaps in the intangible wall, making it even more impenetrable.

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share thethe samesame tank? share

tank?

Megan Photo: Martin Bulla MEGAN Picture: Martin Bulla

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What changed my mind and made me question the necessity of that wall was the June of 2019—a series of protests against the extradition bill to China. Even though I tended not to keep foreigners as friends, I realized there were some overseas acquaintances of mine who were completely clueless about what was going on at the time. Claiming itself to be global metropolis, Hong Kong had failed to provide first-hand information to all of its citizens. If you were here during that period, you know what a mess it was.

If you are new to Hong Kong, trust me and every other non-Cantonese speaker, you would not want to experience the confusion. When I was busy explaining what happened during those days, I could not help noticing how weak the connection was between Cantonese and non-Cantonese speakers, which could be the root of ignorance.

I suppose it did make things easier when we could separate our lives. But it does not take an Elon Musk to know how precious it is to have instant and accurate news in this era, especially when all our destinies are intermingled. The longer you stay in the tank, the urge to swim to the other side will only grow stronger. And the fun thing is, by the time you swim to the border, the wall shatters. Your world gets bigger and you realize not every foreigner is insane, just that you spent more time with your side that you forgot how crazy your people also could be.

Everyone has their own drive to swim near the barrier. Do you still remember the football girl? One day on the field, I took the courage to talk to the girl, and she became a very good friend of mine. For me, a flame was lit during the protests and was fuelled by friendship. Later, it brought me to the student press to contribute to an English publication primarily to provide crucial and survival news of Hong Kong with the further aim to foster inclusion.

For you, the drive might be to at least know someone on campus or even just as simple as practicing your English. If you are new to Hong Kong and do not know where to start, welcome to the right place.

Even if you have spent some time here, we will not fail to surprise you with firsthand local and CUHK news. And if you are a local, we need you to help by bridging the gap. We are more than a cog in the machine: our baby steps actually shape our culture.

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The Tourist and the Toddler Abigail Soryal

My first real experience of tourism took place when I took time away from a stay in Prague to accompany an older woman on her three-day whirlwind tour of Budapest.

The first day’s marathon wore me out completely.

CastleHillMargaretIslandNewYorkCa fé TheParliamentOfBudapest TheFis herman’sBastionSzechenyi ThermalB athsandHeroes’Square!

(GASP!) By the second night, after we had sped through Matthias’ChurchGellé rtHill T heCitadellaShoeOn TheDanubeMuseu mOfFineArtsSt.Stephen’sBasilicaV ajdahunyadCastleDohányStreetSyna gogue...

(OH GOD, MY FEET!) ...I had already lost track of the previous morning.

When I finally returned to Prague, I was in semi-shock and could wear only slippers.

It might have been unexpected for me, but this kind of tourism is typical for many.

Globalization, and the advent of cosmopolitanism has inspired in many of us a value for the intercultural. Intercultural skills, multilingualism and cultural fluency are not only becoming increasingly prized in the workplace, but they are also becoming themes in our personal lives. And, because family and friendship shape us as individuals, in our world of increasingly intercultural businesses, families and friendships, we are more and more likely to be shaped by more than just one culture. I am no exception.

Born to parents from different continents, in a country in which neither of them claimed citizenship, I was, one could say, destined for cultural curiosity. As I was growing up, the cultures at home mixed, clashed and melded. Although I still do not fully comprehend the full impact of that mixture, I watched my parents come out of their own cultures, challenge the assumptions, norms and values that they once took for granted and choose what was important to them. It was that process that made them some of the deepest, most thoughtful, open-minded, yet principled people I know. It was the desire to deepen myself, to see the world through another lens, to satisfy my curiosity about how culture had shaped me and could change me that brought me around the world to Hong Kong.

But when I arrived, I was not sure how to pursue the transformation I wanted. I felt instinctively that tourism wasn’t going to cut it for me.

Tourists? You can spot them. They stand out like sore thumbs. Think selfies, backpacks, walking shoes, loud voices. They are always on the move. They don’t speak the language. They come and go. They’re insensitive. They aren’t really interested in anything more than a fast-food version of your culture... Tourism is pretty much intentional—but controlled—exposure. It makes for stories, photos and a whole lot of receipts. But it is just one step beyond ignorance. What I was looking for, however, was something more like the transformative cultural experience I had witnessed at home, something that was created through more than exposure: the fruit of prolonged, whole-hearted, cross-cultural interaction.

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"Tourism,

or exposure, is kind of like the toddler who goes about collecting as much experience as possible."

Don’t get me wrong. Exposure is important—important enough to bring me 13,000 kilometers out of my comfort zone.

But it is also almost entirely useless if that is where I stop. It’s just the first step, or the first layer of understanding. Exposure is not likely to give anyone much by way of understanding, appreciation, or wisdom. It doesn’t educate you on what to do or how to do it or in what context. It just lets you know that something, whatever that thing might be, exists.

Tourism, or exposure, is kind of like the toddler who goes about collecting as much experience as possible—using all his senses—inadvertently inflicting his parents with near heart attacks and trips to the emergency room as he “tastes” anything that will fit in his mouth and touches everything he can get his hands on. He’s been exposed to an electrical outlet before.

He’s watched his parents plug and unplug chords. But his exposure is useless. He still does not understand that if he were to put his hand where his parents put chords, he could die.

How does a child grow up to be culturally fluent? Fluency is not the product of nature but of nurture, and nurture is inherently relational. In other words, the purest form of cultural fluency must be transmitted through relationships. It is through his observations and interactions with those closest to him that this child becomes aware, correlating what he observes and experiences with the advice of his parents. He follows his parents around, attempting to mimic their behavior, gestures and speech until one day it comes naturally. This is where tourism falls short. Tourism does not involve creating relationships and therefore it can neither foster cultural fluency nor provoke transformation.

I decided to approach Hong Kong like a toddler, without foreknowledge or expectations—to move naturally from exposure to appreciation and hopefully, one day, to understanding. I don’t know about you, but I want to be more than an isolated expatriate or a casual passerby. I want to do more than just consume or commodify a culture; I want to know a people, appreciate them and their culture, and be changed and challenged in so doing. For me, just like for the toddler, friendships come first. Period.

But friendship isn’t merely the means to an end. It is the means and the end.

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Photo: Joe Liu

-Bridging the Gap, building the future-

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The Chronicle of CUHK United Cooperative Store 2015 Special Edition | Written by CUHK Student Press | Translated by Hang Yu NG

Managing a store is about profit maximization.

Everything that favors capital accumulation is acceptable—even if there is frequent employee turnover or a lack of interpersonal relationship.

Apart from this mainstream approach, do we have another choice? Alternative economic models do exist, but as transnational capital and local financial groups control industries from different sectors, the room for survival of alternative models is often throttled as they could hardly withstand market competition. However, a cooperative store in CUHK, which has been operating for over ten years, is a model of applying the concept of a people-oriented economy.

groups, which the Committee later passed. In the following summer vacation, the original successful bidder withdrew, and the second choice HKWWA took over and signed a 5-year contract. HKWWA and the students started fundraising; they received donations and interest-free loans, allowing them to successfully gather the $200,000 initiative funding. The members of the Cooperative bought shares and nervously prepared for the opening 3 months later. The members recalled that they were delighted to have successfully opened the business, but they never imagined that the Cooperative would still exist after more than a decade.

The United Cooperative Store, located at LG, Benjamin Franklin Centre, was founded by the Hong Kong Women Workers’ Association (HKWWA) in November 2011. In 2000, the University renovated the Benjamin Franklin Centre and reserved a place for setting up a convenience store that the Student Union (CUSU) had long been fighting for. Meanwhile, some students from the CUHK Grassroots Concern Group discovered the concept of “cooperative” and were interested in it. They thought that apart from having a spirit of embracing social equality, the University also enjoyed preferential rent, which provided suitable soil for developing cooperatives. More importantly, they understood that cooperatives implement employee autonomy and economic democracy,which hold a fundamentally different relationship from the general production relationship—one in which an enterprise may exploit the employees. They hoped cooperatives could counter the trend of monopoly. At the time before The Link REIT (now renamed as the Link Real Estate Investment Trust) had been listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange and Starbucks had not yet entered CUHK, this kind of thought was undoubtedly radical. The Grassroots Concern Group tried to persuade the Staff-Student Centres Management Committee through the CUSU and proposed priority tendering for community

Women as Laborers: Cooperation and Empowerment Give Strength This group of grassroots women was unemployed workers due to the relocation of the manufacturing sector outside Hong Kong during the economic transformation or housewives who did not work outside. How did they come together, work hard, and start their business? Women who apply for a job in the United Cooperative Store are required to attend a series of workshops with themes including the Cooperative Store, food manufacturing, store management, and language training.

They even have to go through an internship period and pass an assessment before becoming an official member. The key is how the freshmen understand the “Cooperative Store” and whether they are willing and suitable to work together for the long term. A Cooperative member said, “They cannot come in as they want, but they can leave anytime.” If recruiting new members is not an easy task and a substitute cannot be immediately found to fill a vacancy, why would they allow someone to leave anytime? The reason is that the Cooperative Store respects individual freedom, and does not force anyone to sacrifice life for work.

If one withdraws, she can take her money paid for shares back. If one comes back within a year, she will even be accepted as a member again.

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女 女工 工 Neoi5 Neoi5 Gung1 Gung1 ▲Photo from the Student Development and Resource Section, CUHK

Apart from the conditions of joining and quitting, there are more special features of the Cooperative.

The Cooperative does not have a boss; instead, it is managed by the employees equally. Collective democracy decides all matters including wages, working hours, division of work, and product configuration. Compared to general enterprises, employees are subject to the boss’s will regarding the duty, the pay, and whether one will lose the job. Employees have low status and are treated as production machines. The consequences are overworking, being outsourced, wages arrears, unjustifiable dismissals, and damage to employees right through the use of grey areas in law. It is imaginable that compared with the general employees, Cooperative members can preserve their own dignity.

Cooperation in practice, of course, is way more complicated than in theory—do grassroots women really know about management? Are housewives (師奶 si1 naai1)[1] capable of working outside?

They themselves were also doubtful at the beginning. Unlike enterprises that have hierarchy and job descriptions, every member in the Cooperative Store needs to have a basic understanding of different routines and what exactly they need to do. This offers them a considerable degree of autonomy. Although they have equal rights and responsibilities, it is impossible for everyone to immediately master the skills of keeping the store, ordering products, and accounting, so sometimes able people do work more.

As they have various personalities—some are strong and some are shy—sometimes conflicts are unavoidable. Members who seldom deal with workplace conflicts may feel a bit uncomfortable—economic autonomy seems to be an unattainable concept. The regular meetings of the Cooperative provide a communication platform where members can raise any opinion— they do not need to take orders from a boss or be scared of dismissal. People who sat in the regular meetings would realize that the members need to discuss the Cooperative Store’s operation and persuade one another so as to reach a consensus. The voting system under the majority rule is only adopted when a consensus cannot be reached for a long time. Once, some students suggested the Store sell stirred noodles. While members who agreed thought that satisfying students’ expectations should be prioritized and that may also increase profit, the opposers pointed out that stirred noodles were not as healthy as other products, which did not meet students’ nutritional needs. After repeated discussion and careful consideration, all of them finally agreed to include this new product. Members who had seldom voiced out found that they were respected and could influence the store’s development.

Therefore, they have become more confident to raise their opinions even if their change is slow.

Grassroots women who used to have no right to speak in public discussions have found strength in the deliberations, “Our insights are broadened, and we are more able to express ourselves.”

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Affection for the Students and CUHK The Cooperative Store opens at the earliest and closes the latest of all services in CUHK, which has benefited many teachers and students. Apart from the normal opening hours 7:30 am to 11:30 pm, special shifts are available every weekday after midnight. After the first contract renewal, some suggested the store should open overnight.

Members of the Cooperative Store and Grassroot Concern Group discussed it, believing the customer flow after midnight is too low for overnight service. However, some students may stay up late at night, so it would be best to take care of their needs. To extend the opening hours without affecting the Cooperative members’ working hours, the Grassroot Concern Group suggested letting students take up voluntary duty late at night, which resulted in the initiation of the Special Shift Plan.

Unlike typical enterprises, the Cooperative Store has always been people-oriented. Making money is important, but it is not the only or ultimate goal. In a world in which alienation pervades and man becomes an economic animal, the Cooperative thinks that customers should not be materialized as purchasing power and amount of revenue. Unlike enterprises that do charity only when having sufficient surplus, the Cooperative Store members made a decision: every link of production and sales must care for people and the environment with a healthy and friendly attitude. Therefore, they pay special attention to the ways of getting along with students and helping one another. Not only has the Grassroot Concern Group assisted in the foundation of the Cooperative Store, but it also helps survey teachers and students with questionnaires regularly so that the Cooperative Store members can understand customers’ expectations and opinions and make improvements. The Cooperative is not merely a shop. It is also a place that involves students in its planning. The Grassroot Concern Group has posted information about Cooperatives’ notions and social movements at the storefront. The Cooperative and the Grassroot Concern Group work together to hold distinctive activities like “Night Talk @ the Cooperative” and “Poolside Concert.”

Stand Up for Social Advancement The Cooperative Store also pays close attention to the labor issues outside the university and has a voice in labor movements. HKWWA often gathers its members to learn about the recent hot topics in society, labor legislation and fiscal policy; every Labor Day and 1 July, the women laborers join the demonstrations together. Before the Statutory minimum wage came into force[2], the Cooperative had taken the initiative to increase the hourly wage to $33 as suggested by community labor associations; a year after the raise, the Cooperative was not “brought down” by the minimum wage, which proved a reasonable raise brings no harm but good.

As their knowledge and participation increase, they gradually realize that apart from the identity of a shop assistant in their own store, their destinies are so closely tied with other laborers that they should work together to promote social advancement. “Our awareness of social issues has increased and we would stand up and contribute our efforts. It is not only about a particular individual. It relies on collective power.” They opposed the outsourcing of school bus drivers and janitors of the Estates Management Office (EMO), set up street counters and distributed leaflets in Kwun Tong in support of the APM janitors whom Sun Hung Kai Properties’ contractor exploited[3]. When workers of the university were in accidents, steel benders or dock workers went on strikes, or huge natural disasters such as tsunamis and earthquakes in Southeast Asia occurred, the Cooperative held a one-day charity sale and donated the income of that day to the needy. As they can feel that the democratic policies in the Cooperative have empowered them, they care about the democratization of Hong Kong.

They discussed the reform of the political system and Occupy Central with other grassroots women, started the charity sale of “Democracy Soap” and glutinous rice ball to raise donations for the “Occupy Central” movement in 2014.

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A Store Sparking Hope These years, the Cooperative Store had gone through lots of changes: the previous narrow storefront had been renovated and expanded; a sink, a refrigerator, storage space, and a printer were added; to support fair trade, new fair trade products including coffee and chocolate were stocked. They started to use environmentally friendly detergent and hand sanitizer and sell eco-friendly soaps and lipsticks handmade by friendly partners to promote a green life; they also paid visits to local farms and sold vegetables from organic (local) family farms nearly at a cost price. Improvements are made in response to the constructive feedback given by teachers and students and facilitated by the support from social groups.

The United Cooperative Store is committed to promoting the cooperative movement. Every year, the Cooperative Store cooperates with CUSU and the Grassroot Concern Group on occasions like Labor Week and Fairtrade Week to introduce labor rights and promote economic concepts including democracy and equality. The success of the CUHK United Cooperative Store has inspired and guided the cooperative experiments in other institutes: cooperative stores founded by women’s associations blossomed in Lingnan University, the City University of Hong Kong (CityU), the University of Hong Kong (HKU), Hong Kong College of Technology (HKCT), and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). Outside the campus, the Cooperative Store allied with its friendly partners such as the Greenwise Workers Co-operative Society Ltd. and Kwan Fong Caretakers Cooperative. In 2012, the International Year of Cooperatives, the Cooperative Store held a promotion day in Mongkok to introduce their unique experience to the citizens. Setting up cooperatives is a global movement; while HKWWA would study the development of cooperatives under different cultural backgrounds and political and economic systems, organizations from mainland China and overseas would visit and learn from CUHK United Cooperative Store.

While the Cooperative Store continues to grow, monopoly is becoming more and more common in Hong Kong. The interest of a small group of people has dominated the environment of the majority. Streets and malls have become similar in appearance; the world’s highest working hours per capita is no longer news; and the large number of citizens donating to the strike fund reflects that we can no longer stand the exploitation. The approach of cooperatives is becoming more precious. CUHK is the forerunner of supporting social economy among the institutes in Hong Kong.

Without the humanistic spirit and the tradition of student movements that we are proud of—which are like soil and air to nourish this social experiment started by the grassroots—it would be difficult for the United Cooperative Store to blossom.

From the Cooperative Store’s example, we see a possible picture of a beautiful society—this is the life experience we originally should have. May this spark, which represents the hope for change, continue to burn in our hearts.

[1] si1 naai1 is a colloquial Cantonese word meaning housewives, and is commonly used between neighbors to address each other.

[2] Statutory Minimum Wage (SMW) has been effective since 1 May 2011. Find more at https://www.labour.gov.hk/eng/news/ mw [3] In 2007, the contractor was accused of exploiting the APM janitors. For example, the janitors were given HK$18 per hour only. Although HK$18 was not against the law, it violated the standard hourly wage of minimum HK$24 promoted in the Wage Protection Movement, a movement that Sun Hung Kai Properties had joined. https://hkwwa.org.hk/cwnews2007/#62

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Makeup Like a Man! Upon our arrival at Ricky Kazaf ’s makeup academy, the receptionist signalled to us to wait for a moment before starting the interview.

On the big day, I was matching my go-to outfit while freshening up. As the weather gets cooler, a denim jacket is the perfect choice for the autumn breeze. What should I wear inside my jacket? It would end up being a white Breton shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Besides keeping me warm in this chilly season, this outfit is also eternally trendy. For the rest of my outfit, I chose a bright top and matched it with a pair of black jeans. I put on my burgundy Dr. Martens ankle boots, combed my hair, and finally left home.

Sometimes, I happen to keep my friends waiting on a date. The forty-five-minute delay between “I am leaving home” and actually stepping out of my doorstep makes them complain after my late arrival. “Can’t you get changed and leave in a split second?Do you have to take so much time, just like a woman?” Well, no offense taken for the comment “like a woman.” This may in fact illustrate others’ impression of me, instead of being a derogatory phrase.

The academy is surrounded by mirrors. This reminds me of Narcissus in Greek mythologies, the metrosexual who was deeply in love with his own reflection.

Interview: Louie Yan, Wong Pak Hei Written by Wong Pek Hei Translated by Karen Tang (article from Novemeber Edition,2017)

Drifting Away From the “Schmuck” Hairstyle Sunlight shone on Ricky’s face while I was interviewing him by the window. His hair was neatly combed back, naturally dyed after a few bleaches. Even the bright highlights were mostly covered by solid brown, and his eyes were gleaming while talking about his passion for makeup.

Ricky Kazaf is a male makeup artist in Hong Kong.

He has established an academy to teach men about makeup and styling. On top of that, he has a whopping 130,000 subscribers on YouTube. His series of transforming males from “schmucks” to photogenic guys itches his subscribers to give it a try.

“I cared about my appearance a lot in high school, and I even had long hair. But my teacher would think that my hair covered my brows (which is typically frowned upon in Hong Kong schools).” Ricky recalled his memories as a student, to which many teenage boys may relate. “Teachers would never know how much I cared about my looks, and self awareness was important for my teenage growth.”

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Most high school students are bound by countless confining rules on their physical appearances. One example is that boys are not allowed to grow their hair below their brows. Once they are caught, disciplinary teachers transform into Sweeney Todd in “The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.” After trimming your hair in a flash, an unbreakable connection builds between you, the victim, and the D-word[1]. Ricky commented, “We are all born unique, and everyone can style themselves as presentable youngsters. Why must we go to school in the way we look when we get up? Why can’t we look more confident simply by changing our hairstyles?”

“I believe smart kids like you and I won’t be threatened by some ridiculous school rules. To avoid the scissors, toilets are the best hide-out spaces. While fixing my hair with hair paste in front of the toilet mirror, I always think of Kimura Takuya’s “Can Give You Gatsby” (hair gel) advertisement. Even by mirroring Kimura’s gestures, I cannot escape making a d***head out of myself with only a slight error in applying hair gel.

Ricky said, “I think most of us have tried to use hair gel in high school, because that was highly popular among classmates. Although it was important to master the art of applying hair gel, it was surprisingly difficult to style your hair with it. We ended up following others’ steps instead of learning advanced techniques.”

Pure mimicry of an action, without grasping the ideas behind, is to make an arse out of oneself. Regardless, the partly covered brows of rebellious teenagers indicate a strong intention to go against rules.

Makeup Maketh Man Ricky embarked on his makeup journey eight years ago. His mother was very supportive of this decision, and even opted to let him style her hair. However, cold responses like “Why are you learning makeup as a man?” were expected from his relatives.

“Makeup is definitely not confined to girls. In fact, it serves as a hack to enhance your first impression by looking energetic and presentable. I have to clarify that makeup is not a girls-only activity.” Ricky added, “Everyone has his or her freedom to put on makeup.

The only issue is whether you think you have the need to do so.”

Makeup enchants Ricky because it beautifies and polishes people’s appearances. By drawing an analogy between the change of words from ‘firemen’ to ‘firefighter,’ makeup does not entail any sex or gender.

To put it in simple terms, women’s visuals are always judged in the limelight, but men are unlikely to be criticised simply because of how they look.

As ideas on gender and sex gradually evolve in society, it is perfectly normal for males to carefully style their outfits. This extends to enhancements on their appearances and impersonation of their favourite idols.

Besides sharing makeup techniques through YouTube or classes, Ricky holds talks at schools and various organisations for makeup newbies. “I start with teenagers… as a way to contribute to society. I hope to boost confidence among youths with makeup.

Confining oneself to regulations is definitely not the key to surviving in society.”

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A Touch Up of Confidence Will disciplinary teachers be offended by anyone like Ricky? “Most teachers now tend to agree that makeup is necessary. As the saying goes, ‘all roads lead to Rome.’

If one does not perform well in academics, he can build up his confidence in other ways to gain opportunities.”

Ricky also gave another example, “In an episode of my makeover series, the guest was a real estate agent who looked older than his actual age. Makeup boosted his self-esteem and his customers skyrocketed. Men can be more confident with makeup, and this is definitely life changing.”

Makeup is a long process of learning and trying for people of all genders. To style different outfits for different events requires substantive knowledge and experience. Ricky claims that men’s makeup styles are less complex than females’. Males do not put on a hot red lipstick, eye shadow, or blush to enhance their features. Instead, the focus is on skincare, fixing brows and drawing brown eyelines. To design a perfect look, it requires coordination between makeup, hairstyle, and outfit. So, men can style their hair differently, and put more effort in choosing their everyday clothes. “The art of makeup is a wide spectrum. Even if you can’t score a full mark, with only 70% of the work, transformation is already apparent.”

It is indeed not a requirement to wear makeup 24/7.

Still, with a lip balm in hand, and by mixing and matching, small steps can lead to progressive changes.

If you stop by a mirror, look closely at your reflection, you may discover something new about your body! If changing your appearance brings confidence, why not give makeup a try?

If your male friend tells you “I’m almost leaving home” one day, do confirm whether he will take forty-five seconds or forty-five minutes. He is most likely to be pondering his outfit of the day, drawing his eyelines, putting on hair gel or using setting spray. If makeup maketh a man, I aspire to be the man who is loved tenderly.

Ricky Kazaf ’s Go-to Tips for Male College Students!

0

-Four steps of skincare: cleansing moisturising → sun protection

→ toning

→

-Tips for makeup: base makeup → trim your brows → lip balm → setting spray -Perfect eyeliner colour: brown eyeliner pencil for the natural look -Hair-styling techniques: use base products such as salt water → wash and blow-dry accordingly → style according to your head size and shape

[1]The D-word, “ 柒 頭 Jyutping: cat6tau4” is a Cantonese slang, literally meaning “dickhead.” The term, in this context, is used to describe someone as a stupid, ugly, awkward and lacking good taste (eg. the strange hairstyle).

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Photographer: Nathan Liu

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The University, General Studies, and Education 2019 Orientation Issue of the CUHK Student Press Written by CHENG Chun-Yin Translated by Lisa Tse

“

It was in July when I was writing this series on University General Education, and Hong Kong was experiencing uncertainty in the grip of a storm. In the afternoon of July 21, 430,000 Hong Kong people went on the streets to protest against the corrupt and incapable government.

The protesters suffered retaliatory attacks of tear gas and rubber bullets. I was doing news coverage work at the university and could not go to support the protest. In the evening of the same day, a terrorist attack by white-clothed people occurred in Yuen Long. Innocent citizens fell victim to violence. The triads were on the rampage, while the police stood by without any attempt to rescue[1]. I learnt the news when I was busy writing articles. At that moment, anger and helplessness rapidly overwhelmed my mind. I asked myself, “Should I continue to prepare the orientation special issue and write about General Education while countless Hong Kong people are fighting against totalitarianism and tyranny with their flesh and blood?”

”

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I did not feel like writing, so I turned my attention to the bookcase and my eyes fell on John Dewey’s Democracy and Education. Flipping through pages, I read Dewey’s words,

“A democracy is more than a form of government; it is primarily a mode of associated living, of conjoint communicated experience. The extension in space of the number of individuals who participate in an interest so that each has to refer his own action to that of others, and to consider the action of other to give point and direction to his own, is equivalent to the breaking down of those barriers of class, race, and national territory which kept men from perceiving the full import of their activity.”

What kind of relationship exists between democracy and education?

Democracy is not just the practices of “one person, one vote’’ and universal suffrage. It is more than a kind of system: democracy embodies a belief in community relationships and an imagination of a political community. This belief is based on our notion that everyone is born free and equal, with the ability to think rationally.

Therefore, we are willing to respect, understand, and communicate with each other in the hope of finding an ideal way to get along in an environment where everyone has a voice. However, we are not born with a critical mindset. Rather, we are nurtured to think critically, understand others’ perspectives and make value judgments.

The importance of General Education is clearly revealed through the past interviews of this series. At this critical juncture, it has never been more important to discuss General Education, because education is the mechanism by which communities pass on their values and beliefs to

the next generation. Forming an education that trains our critical thinking is the first step of resisting ignorance, foolishness and absurdity. The ideas of “becoming a man of freedom” by Dr. Wong BonWah[2] and “respecting differences” by Dr. Ng KaiChiu[3] are exactly the messages General Education should bring out, especially in this deteriorating era.

There are thousands of words in this series, but in the end, what we want to convey is just one simple original intention: we hope that the University General Education is not merely 15 course credits of “gaining nothing but a pass.” If you are equipped with a mindset ready for exploration and experimentation, you will certainly discover a brave new world through the University General Education.

The Great Learning[4], [an ancient Confucian classic,] pointed out that “The Great Learning consists of the illustration of bright virtues, the renovation of people and the endless pursuit of excellence.” The Chinese University of Hong Kong may not have the best General Education, but it has sound ideas, enthusiastic teachers and abundant resources. Since its founding in 1963, CUHK has been an important base for promoting social progress and education development in Hong Kong. Like what it has been in the past, CUHK certainly will continue to be so in the future.

[1] On 12 July 2019, at the Yuen Long MTR station, triads of over 100 rod-wielding men indiscriminately attacked pro-democracy protesters and passers-by. The police were criticised for arriving at the scene 39 minutes after the initial reports and were suspected of colluding with the triads. Public opinion felt that the incident reflected badly on the police.

[2] Dr. Wong Bon-Wah（黃邦華博士）: Former Lecturer, General Education Foundation Programme at CUHK, he is currently the Assistant Professor of Social Science in the Hang Seng University of Hong Kong, specialized in ethics and political theory.

[3] Dr. Ng Kai-Chiu（吳啟超博士）: He is currently the Senior Lecturer at Department of Philosophy in CUHK, specialized in the history of Chinese philosophy and Confucianism.

[4] The Great Learning《大學》(Cantonese jyutping: daai6hok6; Putonghua pinyin: da4xue2): Is a classic and foundational Confucianism text, and a recommended source for learning Confucianism. It consists of a short main text attributed to the teachings of Confucius and ten commentary chapters accredited to Confucius’ disciples.

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CUHK: Becoming an International University?

Doraemon According to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings (THE), Hong Kong has become the base of the most international universities, including the City University of Hong Kong (1st), the University of Hong Kong (2nd) and the Chinese University of Hong Kong (5th). In 2021, CUHK's ranking even went up to 3rd. Our university seems very proud of the result and posted it on the “CUHK Rankings” website to tell all visitors: “We are one of the most international universities in the world.” However, does the honour of “the most international university” mean that CUHK is becoming an international university? THE introduced CUHK as an international university like this, “Students from over 50 countries study at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. The university has exchange partnerships with more than 282 institutions in 36 countries and regions. Some 6,000 students study abroad or participate in an apprenticeship abroad program or internship.” The dazzling numbers have painted a picture of a campus similar to that of the "United Nations" in the reader's mind. However, is this the case? Could living in CUHK be portrayed as “life in the United Nations”?

The answer is uncertain. Different cultures coexist in the era of globalization. students could form their social circle. People tend to speak with those with similar cultural backgrounds: local students speak Cantonese; Mainland students speak Mandarin (some of them speak their dialects); Russians speak Russian; Arabs speak Arabic; other internationals speak English. The various communities in CUHK give rise to a very interesting situation, that is we can all speak English but we rarely speak to each other.

It's like a hotel for tourists to stay, but not a campus, which is a place full of the legacy of student activities. Students come to CUHK as a tourist for four years and sometimes some may complain: “This is not what I expected…” The question here is: what is an “international” university? Maybe it is time to ask ourselves, "Is it possible for a university to be 'international? Is there an international culture?"

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Decontructing “International” University The word “international” was first coined by

The article Regardless of Our Backgrounds, We

Bentham, “The word international, it must be

Are All Elites Under Globalization written by

admitted, is new; however, it is hoped, sufficiently

Lam Siu-bun (and translated in this publication

analogous and intelligible. It is calculated to

by Leung Chun Hei and Nauyuoh) illustrates

express, in a more meaningful way, the branch

the fading nature of university education.

of law which is commonly referred to as the law

Globalization and neoliberalism collaborate to

of nations.” Thus, the word "international," at

turn education into a commodity for sale in the

the very beginning, appeared with the intention

market. People with different backgrounds can

of collaboration among nations. Therefore, the

thus study on the same campus. We are learning

word "international" is a liberal term because

culture on the campus, yet culture also needs

it conveys an image of collaboration between

contribution from its community members to

people. However, when it comes to campus

be sustainable. It is not necessary to interact,

life, local students, international students, and

or to cooperate with each other in order to get

mainland students have their own orientation

an education aimed at providing service. Lam

camps and their own, separate, social circles with

mentioned the intention of the globalization of

people from similar backgrounds. Shifting the

CUHK like this: "[it is] one of the most effective

spotlight to the student organization, it is still rare

ways, o f c ou rs e, i s t o i mp ro ve t h e i r o w n

to see international students being part of student

reputation and image and improve the school's

bodies. I still remember that during the promotion

international ranking." The question is, do we

period of the student union by-election, a local

really want to study in an institution by constantly

student came to us and told us that she was

consuming the culture and the reputation of

quite surprised that there was an international

the university? How could we contribute to the

student in the candidate cabinet. There was also

campus culture, deepening the spirit and culture

an international student who came to see us and

of the university (which is a unique and integrated

said, “I'm a 4th-year student, and this is my first

campus life for CUHKers only) and making it

vote,” he added, “it's good to see the presence

sustainable?

of international students in the main student bodies.” Many of them think it is quite surprising to include international students in major student associations, and such a situation has occurred in one of the “most international universities.”

Apparently, there is not really an “international campus culture” at CUHK. Therefore, not trying to throw a wet blanket over the waves of enthusiasm over internationalization, but calling CUHK “an international university,” seems a bit of an exaggeration.

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The internationalization in progress: What did the university do?

When we queue up at the bus stop in front of the

T h e a c t iv i t i e s p ro v i d e opp o r t u n i t i e s fo r

MTR station, it is difficult to ignore the colourful

interaction, yet, barely do the local students

flying flags written with Diversity and Inclusion

notice it. Local students are not paying attention

Office, a newly initiated office of CUHK with the

to the activities. The activities which are eye-

intention of “striving to embrace diversity as an

catching to locals are usually organised by main

essential element of excellence in all aspects

student bodies. Perhaps student associations

of the university community and cultivate

are truly where culture is being produced—the

inclusiveness throughout the campus in which

campus culture, like dem beats, the random talks

students and staff are able to realize their full

in society rooms, all of these happen among the

potential”(excerpt from the DIO office website)[1].

student bodies. The question for an “international

The university is putting effort into the integration

university” is, therefore, not how many activities

between people from different backgrounds. They

are provided, but how many activities are created

organised a series of events for better integration,

inclusively (which is being friendly to every

the below calendar shows the activities organised

cultural group regardless of language barriers

by the university and the colleges in April.

and cultural differences) where the student organisations play a pivotal role.

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The student associations: exclusive or inclusive?

Student associations are the key component of campus life. Students organise and participate in the activities. According to the previous description, the main student associations are exclusive of international students. One of the examples is college O-camps. The four old colleges are dominated by Cantonese, hindering the international students from integrating with the locals. However, if we look at the diverse backgrounds of the student organisations, we could still find some organisations with students from different countries, like AISEC and ISA. Why are they only a small proportion of the student organisations? The answer is probably language. The majority of student associations is Cantonese speaking. Meanwhile, for mainland students, there is Mainland Undergraduate Association (MUA), for international students, there is International Student Association (ISA). The cultural separation of students is a reason that CUHK communities are separated, leading to the absence of unified campus culture, or a sense of belonging to CUHK, hindering the development of the university community as our home rather than a hotel. The first step of creating a truly “international university” is to start conversation and collaboration between different student associations. For example, is it possible for MUA, ISA and CUSU to collaborate? Is it possible for locals to speak more English and internationals speak more Cantonese?

Future: The international CUHK Organizing “cultural exchange activities” and changing the medium of teaching to English could only build a facade of an international university. (Sometimes it does not even work at all.) To be an “international university,” is about the campus culture. Culture shapes people, and most importantly, we shape culture as well. Only this way could a truly integrated culture, which is the way of life of the social groups, be sustainable. It is high time for us to know, to work and to make history with each other.

[1] According to a student who has been part of the training programme of DIO office, DIO’s emphasis is not particularly on integration between different cultures but rather on race, gender and sexuality issues which do not really address what is perhaps the biggest diversity & inclusion issue at CUHK.

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Lazy Bag

Campus news CUHK removed some of its videos/talks

Szyzgia (CU Exco) members are deprived of

from 通識沙龍 (GE Salon).

all school duties and titles.

Include: talks about 1984 and Brave New World, Prof. Benny Tai’s* talk. *Prof. Tai is a pro-democracy law professor in HKU, initiated the Occupy Central movement in 2014.

Reverse Vending Machine Pilot Scheme Get $0.1 on octopus when you put in a plastic bottle.

Hong Kong news

RTHK A government-owned, pro-protest Hong Kong news source recently removed a larger number of Youtube videos related to the 2019 protests.

50 million HKD Kwun Tong waterfront musical fountain

Shut down after 5 days because a reporter took a shower there, according to the government that it caused water pollution.

Immigration (Amendment) Bill Airlines need to provide passenger and crew member information. The Director of Immigration has the authority to issue entry restrictions on the passengers or crew members

Dividing restaurants into different zones - ABCD Restaurant zones A Open until 18:00 Maximum people per table 2 Maximum capacity 50% Employees get tested?

No Employees take vaccine? No Use Leave Home Safe?

No

Customers take vaccine? No

B C D 22:00 00:00 02:00 4 6 8 50% 50% 75% Yes, every 14 days Yes, if staff mediaclly unfit for vaccination No Yes, all at least all get 2 doses 1 dose Optional Yes, leaving personal information is not allowed Yes, all at least 1 dose

Places to find more news It’s difficult to find a neutral news source in Hong Kong but combining reports from a variety of these sources could help create a fuller picture: SCMP: owned

by Alibaba, has an app HKFP: follows protest very closely, has an app

RTHK: owned by the gov, (previously) pro-protest, radio three is in English, has an app The Standard: pro-CCP

Things to get more involved in Culture: ViuTV’s Chill Club music awards show.

It’s a new but highly praised show because of its engagement between singers and audience, and the smooth rundown and high quality performances!

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[Call for contribution] - Be the lenses of CU students to observe current affairs and phenomenon - B e th e b r i d g e s b e t w e e n l o ca l an d international students - Provide a platform for all students to learn more about Hong Kong - Share your thoughts on current issues - Meet the fellow writers and strengthen your communication skills - Be a part of the historical moment – first English CUSP Team !!!!!

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The Chinese University of Hong Kong Student Press

“Culture”

Publisher: The 51st Publication Committee of The Chinese University of Hong Kong Student Press “Psithurism” Address: The Chinese University of Hong Kong Benjamin Franklin Centre Room 307 Email: custudentpress@cuhk.edu.hk Facebook: 中大學生報 - Chinese University Student Press Instagram: cuhk_studentpress Writers/Translators: Abigail Soryal, Aoife Black, Doraemon, Karen Tang, Leung Chun Hei, Lisa Tse, Marta Gramatyka, Megan, Nauyuoh, Ng Hang Yu Design: Abigail Soryal, Aoife Black, Chloe Ho, Dennis, Doraemon, Karen Tang, Kristen, Megan, Nauyuoh, Ng Hang Yu Printing Number: 1000 copies