Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 2000

Tsimshatsui, Yaumatei, a nd Mo n g k o k Yaumatei is one of the districts awaiting urban renewal. Prof. Kwok Siu-tong of the Department of History, wh o grew up and received his primary and secondary education there, is very familiar w i t h the Tsimshatsui , Yaumatei, a n d Mo n g k o k districts. Last year, he launched a project entitled 'Into the Community: An Exploration of Historical Cu l t u re by Secondary Schools' with the sponsorship of the Quality Education Fund, and invited over 40 students and teachers f r om Pu i Ch i ng Mi dd le School and Kowloon Yah Yan College to participate. They attended lectures given by professors of the University about the history and cultural characteristics of these districts. Then, in groups, they made site visits to uncover old businesses and lifestyles that are fast disappearing. On the topic of food, there were traditional Chinese cake shops, banquet caterers, and herbal tea shops; on the topic of small businesses, there were cinemas, pawn shops, the fruit market, the jade ma r ke t practitioners of Chinese medicine , operators of walla-wallas, and letter-writers; on the topic of traditional customs, there were fortune-tellings night- time flea markets, and dragon boat races; on th e topic of community service and education, there were the out-patient clinic at Kwong Wah Hospital, free schooling organized by the Tung Wah Group, and the Yaumatei Kaifong Association. The participating student s completed 38 reports and produced some 200 pieces of journalistic fiction. The reports will be included in the book In Search of Nostalgia in the Community, soon to be published by the Tsimshatsui, Yaumatei and Mongkok District Boards. The rest of the work will also be published as a collection. The project has helped students understand Ho ng Kong' s changes over the de c ade s and appreciate the precious cultural assets through the search and rediscovery of things old. It can also strengthen the sense of belonging amon g the new generation, promote exchange among local scholars, and d r aw pub l ic attention to the need to preserve the cultural heritage inherent in old communities in Hong Kong.