【This is Hong Kong】2024 Spring Issue

This Issue at a Glance: This issue comes with a large poster 🏞️ Community Map Illustrator, Kat Chan, "Redraw The Hong Kong Sea" The sea is intimately connected to us, yet for many, the sea equates to Victoria Harbour, which is seen as a backdrop influencing property prices or a symbol of Central's prosperity. But through the reimagined and redrawn "Hong Kong Sea" map by local picture book illustrator Kat Chan, hidden stories emerge from the seemingly vast blue expanse of the ocean. Featured Content: REmap// Hong Kong on the Sea Chart Maps are records of mountains, rivers, nature, and even boundaries. Simultaneously, they reflect political, social, economic, and cultural perspectives. By examining Hong Kong sea charts drawn by different people in various historical periods, we can trace the evolution of surveying and cartography techniques. The information presented on these charts also helps us to re-understand Hong Kong's role and status at different stages. REmember// Remembering Fishing Lights and Sails Since the 19th century, drawings and images have documented Hong Kong, with fishermen and sailing boats consistently present, even witnessing the city's development over the past 180 years. But amidst the fishing lights and sails on the water, how many people still know about the once-ubiquitous floating communities, the sophisticated fishing techniques, the vital industry that once supported Hong Kong's economy, and the culture and lifestyle of the water-dwelling people? REdiscover// Where Light Shines – Hong Kong Lighthouses From ancient times to the present, lighthouses have often been built near the most dangerous waters, imbued with a sense of mystery. They are also vital for the lives of seafarers. Five pre-war lighthouses in Hong Kong are declared monuments. However, due to their locations on offshore reefs and restricted access, few people have the chance to visit them, making the lives of lighthouse keepers almost unimaginable. REcord// Documenting Hong Kong's Fish Over a thousand species of fish have been recorded in Hong Kong's waters, accounting for one-third of all fish species in the entire South China Sea, fostering a rich seafood culture. Yet, many fish species have disappeared due to overfishing. Since secondary school, Pui Bing-shan has meticulously recorded the appearances of local marine fish, stroke by stroke. These fish illustrations also serve as evidence of the disappearance of Hong Kong's fish species and fisheries. REfuge// The Water Dwellers and Typhoon Shelters Living without a fixed abode, making a living from fishing, from the perspective of land dwellers, fishermen seem to lack lineage, household registration, identity, history, and culture. After the new millennium, a new generation began to connect fishermen with Hong Kong's history and cultural identity. However, in the present day, tracing the historical traces of the water-dwelling people is like searching for fragments of a "history that never existed," a task that is fragmented and arduous. REserve// Neither Here Nor There, At the Confluence of Old and New — Deep Bay Since the 1980s, as the Shenzhen Bay coastline transformed with mainland China's reform and opening up, Deep Bay on the Hong Kong side still held oyster fields, Bai Ni (White Mud) retained fishing villages, migratory birds still visited the Mai Po wetlands annually, and large fish ponds remained nearby. But all of this has undergone significant changes over the past twenty years with the accelerating integration between Shenzhen and Hong Kong, and the development of the Northern Metropolis... More Featured Content: REshoot// Sai Kung's Waters The completion of the High Island Reservoir in Sai Kung in 1978 was a monumental project, making it the largest reservoir in Hong Kong and simultaneously altering Sai Kung's original landscape. Adjacent to the reservoir, including Sharp Island, Kau Sai Chau, Basalt Island, and Yim Tin Tsai, the Sai Kung Volcanic Rock Region is part of the Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark. Many photographers strive to capture these world-class scenic views. REroute// Waterways Numerous waterways are distributed across Hong Kong's waters. Many of these existed even before Hong Kong's urbanization, testifying to the time when this small city was sea-centric, with waterways serving as its primary connections, presenting a starkly different landscape. The disappearance of the Kai Mun Waterway and Lam Tei Wan Village due to the construction of the High Island Reservoir has submerged the history and human stories of some Hong Kong villages and fisheries. REcreate// Gazing at the Sea from a Cave Although Hong Kong is surrounded by mountains and seas, it is often interspersed with countless traces of urbanization. It is no easy feat for Hongkongers, living at a rapid pace, to immerse themselves in the spiritual realm of traditional mountain and water ink paintings. In the context of this era, what does Hong Kong artist Shen Junyi, born in 1995 and trained in Chinese ink painting, choose to paint? What message does she wish to convey? REgret// Whale Fall in Hong Kong Waters In different eras, Hong Kong people have had various encounters with whales. Regardless of how many of these "Hong Kong whale sightings" are real or legendary, whether stranded in Cheung Chau a century ago, or seen lingering on the surface of the sea in Sheung Wan in the last century, or mobbed by yachts in Sai Kung last year, none of them ultimately swam alive out of Hong Kong's waters. Why? ISBN:978-988-74818-2-9 Price:HK$160 Printed and Produced in: Hong Kong Publication Date: End of April Online Store Spring Issue Exclusive Offer: Comes with a sketch postcard of Aberdeen's Sky Market fish market. Aberdeen boasts a long-standing fishing culture. Besides its typhoon shelter and the largest fish wholesale market in Hong Kong, it also has the Sky Market fish market, which operates only in the morning. Fishermen bring their catch to shore stalls for sale, with some even mooring their boats by the shore to sell live seafood. Not only are the prices more affordable, but it has also become a unique characteristic of Aberdeen. Ben Luk, co-founder of "Sketch Hong Kong," uses his brush to capture the distinctive atmosphere of the Sky Market fish market, extending from the water to the land. (Limited quantities, while stocks last)