Nostalgia rules
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a surge of popular interest in Hong Kong heritage by default. But can the momentum be sustained and the reinvention of tradition taken to the next level? Joyce Yip weighs the pros and cons.
He argues that there are several instances of "successfully commodified" heritage sites in Hong Kong. Tai Kwun, he says, serves as both a compound of preserved monuments as well as a public space, visited by cultural tour groups. Photos of the grand architectural facades of its buildings are often posted on social media.
He says that the successful commodification of heritage depends heavily on capturing the attention of the younger generations. "Otherwise they'll remain as just another relic from the past."
Yeung emphasizes the need for tasteful presentation. At his bar, cliches like neon signs have been replaced with stylish Chinese calligraphy that was a staple of Hong Kong signboards in the '50s. The obvious fish balls and egg tarts have been dropped from the menu to make way for lesser-known traditional Cantonese culinary delights like tea-smoked quail eggs and lap cheong, i.e., preserved Hong Kong-style pork sausage.
