This summer has been hot and restless. Watching what is happening across the sea in Hong Kong makes us in Macau anxious and worried. As the Chinese put it, “Three feet of ice is not formed in a single day.” The crisis in Hong Kong did not arise overnight. In fact, since “Occupy Central” in March 2013 (although things eventually calmed down), people’s dissatisfaction has continued to brew in the city till this day.
It is important to know that the current dispute is not just between civilians and police, or pro-democracy and pro-establishment camps. At a deeper level, it is a collision of values and an ideological conflict. Such collision and conflict are not just found in Hong Kong, but also in Macau: fierce debates and even quarrels constantly break out on Facebook pages, in online chat groups, and even in living rooms; family members get estranged and friends break off relations as a result of different political views. To a certain extent, it indicates that divisiveness is not an exclusive issue of Hong Kong; the roaring of the age transcends geographical boundaries.
But for a writer, what’s needed the most at this moment is to calm down, step back, observe, and think. Amidst the whirlpool of a major historical event, trying to see the truth is by no means easy, but it’s all the more meaningful. And the best way to do it is through reading. My recommendation, Our City, Our Decades, is a collection of short stories published by Hong Kong Kubrick Publishing in March 2016. The publisher invited seven local authors, Wong Yankwai, Chan Wai Yee, Wong Leung-wo, Lam Chiu Wing, Allan Au, Mak Shu Kin and Hon Lai Chu, to each write a story on the seven decades from the 1950s to the 2010s. Based on their own experiences, writers selected various aspects of the decade as the subject, be it the urban landscape or people’s daily life. Through fiction, the writers expressed their feelings and attachments to the city at different times. The book is very helpful for us to learn more about Hong Kong – not just the metropolis today, but also its history and culture.
According to Siu Man Wai, editor-in-chief of the collection, the conception of this book dates back to the 15th year after Hong Kong’s handover (2012), when she began to feel that Hong Kong had become very different. Therefore, she wanted to find local authors of different backgrounds and styles to work together and write stories about the years Hong Kong had gone through. It is indeed a moving proposal – responsible writers should keep a record of the land where they live, the age they experience, and the history they witness. The record is not necessarily mind-blowing or blood-boiling but should always be sincere and genuine. It is probably the only way to make one’s life in an era worthwhile.
