 |
| 'Those who refuse to speak Mandarin, what kind of people are they? Bastard!' ' |
Yesterday the SCMP reports 'An ultra-leftist mainland academic branded Hong Kong people "running dogs of the British government" when commenting on a quarrel between Hong Kong and mainland passengers on an MTR train.' (news here)
This 'ultra - leftist mainland academic', 孔慶東 (Professor of Beijing University and alleged 73rd generation descendant of Confucius) added a number of points, saying 'All Chineses have the responsibility to speak Mandarin... Those who refuse to speak Mandarin, what kind of people are they? Bastard!' (video here)
On the attitude of the HK passenger in the MTR, he said 'I have never seen Hong Konger treating Hong Konger, American and Japanese like that.'
The answer is simple. American, Japanese or British, born in the advanced democratic rule - bound society and taught with civilized western etiquette, respect the rules of the area and simply do not eat in the MTR, along with a number of other basic things: not jumping the line and not excreting or urinating on the street.
Ming Pao adds 'Commentators point out conflicts between Mainland and Hong Kong have deepened, showing integration measures have not been effective'. (news here)
The worry is we can't integrate with the Mainland. If we can't get along well, then don't. Why so anxious about it?
What Anson Chan, the former Chief Secretary for Administration, has said 11 years ago still stands ' Some are so concerned about integration that they seem to forget that our strength lies in the separation which is fundamental to the success of One Country Two System - not just Hong Kong but for China as well' (In Retrospect and Anticipation, the luncheon address to the Asia Society Hong Kong Center)
The whole point of OCTS is the distinctiveness that Hong Kong should enjoy, from capitalism and rule of law to Cantonese and Traditional Chinese, instead of integrating with the Mainland.
The Europeans have long realized the unfeasibility of unification and have abandoned the idea of the Holy Roman Empire 500 years ago (officially dead in 1806).
In the 21st century, Sinologists in China, finding the notions of class conflicts and Chinese nation inadequate to justify the imperial rule in Tibet and One China doctrine, are anxious to develop the Tian Xia (天下, literally 'under heaven') concept - a return to the good and old Chinese imperialism under the Qing Dynasty. ( a fantastic analysis is available here)
Florence in Italy has her harmoniously symmetrical Renaissance art while Venice developed her own colourful painting. Similarly Quebec in Canada had her own rich French culture while the rest of Canada speak English.
I do not see any conflict for a tourist to see the grandeur of the Forbidden Palace in Beijing while he can submerge into the classic Greco - Victorian architectural design of the Peninsula Hotel.
Perhaps 孔慶東 and China still stand where the Europeans have already moved along - that is 500 hundred years ago. They first want Tibet, Taiwan and Hong Kong to kowtow, and then the rest of the world.
Well, perhaps, 孔慶東 is right. Having been separate since 1842, we are dogs, the ones who learn rule of law from British but inherit the beautiful Traditional Chinese writing - British dogs with dragon tattoo.
The worry is we can't integrate with the Mainland. If we can't get along well, then don't. Why so anxious about it?
What Anson Chan, the former Chief Secretary for Administration, has said 11 years ago still stands ' Some are so concerned about integration that they seem to forget that our strength lies in the separation which is fundamental to the success of One Country Two System - not just Hong Kong but for China as well' (In Retrospect and Anticipation, the luncheon address to the Asia Society Hong Kong Center)
The whole point of OCTS is the distinctiveness that Hong Kong should enjoy, from capitalism and rule of law to Cantonese and Traditional Chinese, instead of integrating with the Mainland.
The Europeans have long realized the unfeasibility of unification and have abandoned the idea of the Holy Roman Empire 500 years ago (officially dead in 1806).
In the 21st century, Sinologists in China, finding the notions of class conflicts and Chinese nation inadequate to justify the imperial rule in Tibet and One China doctrine, are anxious to develop the Tian Xia (天下, literally 'under heaven') concept - a return to the good and old Chinese imperialism under the Qing Dynasty. ( a fantastic analysis is available here)
Florence in Italy has her harmoniously symmetrical Renaissance art while Venice developed her own colourful painting. Similarly Quebec in Canada had her own rich French culture while the rest of Canada speak English.
I do not see any conflict for a tourist to see the grandeur of the Forbidden Palace in Beijing while he can submerge into the classic Greco - Victorian architectural design of the Peninsula Hotel.
Perhaps 孔慶東 and China still stand where the Europeans have already moved along - that is 500 hundred years ago. They first want Tibet, Taiwan and Hong Kong to kowtow, and then the rest of the world.
Well, perhaps, 孔慶東 is right. Having been separate since 1842, we are dogs, the ones who learn rule of law from British but inherit the beautiful Traditional Chinese writing - British dogs with dragon tattoo.
5 comments:
I think instead of trying to brand everything with a dogmatic label, one should think of Hong Kong people as people living in a system different to that of mainland China's system.
People should look at things more objectively and consider a couple of things. 'What model works better? Why? Where does it fail more?' As Deng Xio Peng said, 'Black cat, white cat, it doesn't matter. As long as it can catch the rat, it's a good cat.'
Have to emphasise again: branding people and being racist in the 21st century is just being immature. If you have that type of energy to call people dogs, why aren't you using it to contribute to society or change it for the better?
William,
Good observations. There is a comment from an anonymous reader in my blog relates to your article too. Take a look.
Bill
enjoyed reading this. HK would have been very successful (but for the ridiculous people in power Chris Patton left us with). It's unfortunate that our image is not as bright as it should be. This creates the opportunity for ppl such as Kong Qingdong to be successfully provocative.
I would rather look it as really a cultural clash. It seems to be that the Chinese nouveau - riches are dominated by a form of peasant culture where self - control and self - discipline are still lacking.
I think the comment i left somewhere else might help to explain what i mean:
"Of course, i wouldn't go as far as all Chineses jump the line or urinate on the streets because in the world of social science (if it can be called a 'science' at all), scientific methods may not be totally applicable. What i do say is that it is rather the culture that plagues Chinese.
Of course, I have been living in Canada for a while and have witnessed Canadian beggar urinating even in the subway but Canadian culture as a whole and at least the Canadians that are rich enough to go out and travel wouldn't have done that."
"Perhaps 孔慶東 and China still stand where the Europeans have already moved along - that is 500 hundred years ago. They first want Tibet, Taiwan and Hong Kong to kowtow, and then the rest of the world.
Well, perhaps, 孔慶東 is right. Having been separate since 1842, we are dogs, the ones who learn rule of law from British"
I think you should really learn your history otherwise you will be forever a "dog".
Decolonization only gained traction post WWII when there was a global left wing movement. Much of world's current conflicts are due to the mess created after the Western power left .. see Pakistan/India conflict, Palestine, Sudan ...
Also regarding what you have learned from your British masters, you sure would know the history of the of the ICAC http://www.icac.org.hk/new_icac/eng/abou/history/main_4.html
It was due to the PUBLIC OUTCRY of Peter Godber’s escape (a Chief Police Superintendent's -your British Master) and the work of people like 杜葉錫恩 the ICAC was established. I recalled she has an autobiography.
I hope you can talk to some old HKers who had lived through the dark periods of British rule.
All that you think you have gained from your British master was not given freely or willingly.
Post a Comment