PASSTIMES
FROM BRUCE LEE TO GUY FAWKES SYMBOLISM IN HONG KONG PROTESTS 2019 was perhaps one of the most turbulent years Hong Kong has ever seen. Following the announcement of the extradition law, over 2 million HongKongers took to the streets to express their discontent with the law. As the protests spanned over 6 months, many symbols have emerged as favourites among demonstrators. Bruce Lee In recent months, Bruce Lee’s “be water” quote has become a city-wide mantra throughout the protests. Taking the concept further, protestors have adapted the characteristics of water’s different forms to symbolize different modes of resistance: • • • •
Be strong like ice; when confronted by armed police and opposition groups Be fluid like water; when escaping through the city’s narrow streets Gather like dew; to create flash-mob attacks Scatter like mist; to avoid being arrested, and to be able to fight another day.
“Being water” allows protesters to quickly gather and scatter, then immediately flow to a different area of the city. Formless like water, they also adapt to whatever situation they are placed in; like Bruce Lee said “when placed in a cup, it becomes the cup; when placed in a teapot, it becomes the teapot”. This resonates with the meaning of the traditional Chinese saying (以柔克剛), as protestors must overcome rigidity with softness and fluidity. This puts the concept of water at the core of protesters’ presence and the city’s decentralised movement. These interpretations of the original quote are what defines the spirit and unity of Hong Kong’s protesters. Guy Fawkes To protect themselves from surveillance, protestors often use face masks and scarves to safeguard their identities. In an effort to discourage people from taking on to the streets, the Hong Kong government announced a ban on face masks on October 4th. However, not only did this legislation prove to be ineffective, but it also added fuel to the fire, as protestors replaced face masks with the Guy Fawkes mask from the novel and film, V for Vendetta Many also created posters and decorated graffiti “Lennon” walls with quotes from the film, such as“people shouldn’t be afraid of their government” and “beneath this mask is an idea, and ideas are bulletproof”.
The Four Principles of Be Water
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Yellow, blue or red? Amidst the demonstrations, a selection of coloured “ribbons” have emerged to represent different camps in the debate. The yellow ribbons have become synonymous with Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests over the years, starting with the umbrella revolution in 2014. It all started when protestors used Tony Orlando and Dawn’s song “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree” during protests. Since then, the yellow ribbon has been a symbol of support and solidarity with the movement in Hong Kong. In contrast, people of the pro-government camp usually sport blue ribbons, to represent the colour of local police uniforms and their wish for order to return to the city. Less common are the selfproclaimed “red ribbons” – the red colour symbolising the Chinese national flag and their patriotism and support for the mainland’s opposition to the protests. “Red ribbons” are most common among those who are originally from the mainland but live/work in Hong Kong.
“Be water” poster used by protestors in Hong Kong.
Nonetheless, as a symbol of anarchism and anti-totalitarianism in the novel, the mask has been embraced by several movements such as 2011“Occupy Wall Street”movement and 2013 anti-government protests in Thailand. Picking up momentum in Hong Kong, it has come to represent the push for communist China to grant democratic freedoms in Hong Kong for many protesters. That said, the Guy Fawkes mask worn by V, the main character in V for Vendetta, is not only a representation of anti-authoritarianism, but also a form of selfpresentation and protectionIn fostering identity and solidarity, as well as provide anonymity, masks have greatly helped protesters build strength in the face of political oppression.
Protestors boycott “blue” shops and restaurants due to their political stance.
