“Every man’s ability may be strengthened or increased by culture”- John Abbott
The Chinese philosopher, Confucius, outlined the importance of immersing oneself in, and learning about other cultures. He argued that it is through personal experience that we can learn the most from others in his famous quote: “I hear and I forget; I see and I remember; I do and I understand”. Heather and I both agreed that the tourist hotspots of the city were not going to be a fair representation of the people’s culture here, so we decided to venture off the beaten track, in an attempt to learn more about the Hong Kong culture.
One of my iPhone applications recommended a visit to the Kowloon Walled City Park, as it was a place steeped in history and heritage. It was a beautiful park modelled on Jiangnan gardens of the early Qing Dynasty, complete with small, tumbling waterfalls, and traditional Chinese buildings. We spent the afternoon walking around the park, and in the exhibition rooms learning about the city’s history. The former Kowloon Walled City was once a semi-lawless, high-rise slum, which was demolished in 1995. The pictures of the living conditions where shocking and it was hard to believe that people ever lived like this here, in the heart of such a modern city. It was such an escape from the busy hustle and bustle that is Kowloon City District which surrounds the park. The serenity of the gardens and the water features was a feeling which was also shared by the locals, as we noticed three individuals meditating at different spots around the park. As the only tourists at the park, it was great to just sit back and watch the Chinese families interact with one another. I have noticed that the families seem to have really close relationships with their grandparents here.
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| Heather and I at the Kowloon Walled City Park. |
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| Yuk Tong Pavilion at the Walled City Park. |
We walked to a nearby fishing village, Sam Mun Tsai on Wednesday. We sat on the harbour for the afternoon and watched some local men fishing. When I left Northern Ireland, I assumed that everyone here would have some sort of office job in one of the skyscrapers on Hong Kong Island, which looking back was quite a naïve assumption to make. It was a great experience though to really just watch the world go by in this quiet little village. It was hard to believe that we were actually in Hong Kong, a place which is typically viewed as a busy city, with everyone rushing from one place to another, 24 hours a day. Hong Kong, really is a place of opposites.
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| Heather and I at one of the beaches by Sam Mun Tsai. |
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| Sam Mun Tsai. |
On Friday, along with the other international exchange students, we travelled to Aberdeen, a town famous for its harbour and floating restaurants, namely Jumbo, a fantastic floating oriental palace. Beginning our day by spending some time in the Tin Hau Temple, it was interesting to observe how the people here respect religious sites such as this one. Walking along the harbour and looking at the amount of boats in the water was amazing. People driving traditional boats called sampans offered tours to the tourists, this highlighted to me how much the people here rely on the tourists for their income.
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| The international students outside Tin Hau Temple. |
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| Me inside one of the boats at Aberdeen Harbour. |
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| Jumbo: The floating restaurant. |
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| A traditional sampan boat. |
Trying as many new things as possible during my stay here in Hong Kong is definitely a priority of mine. Since arriving here, we have had the opportunity to taste new foods for the first time. This week, our buddy’s friend Vivianne invited us to her flat to try the Chinese delicacy that is “yuan xiao” which is a sweet rice ball dessert which is traditionally eaten around the New Year, as the round shape symbolises family unity and happiness. Getting used to the food has definitely been one of my personal biggest challenges since arriving here. As time goes on, and as I try more and more things, I am beginning to find the foods I like, and the food which I don’t, for instance I will not be trying durian ice cream again in a hurry!
As I spend more and more time in this fascinating place, and after really immersing myself in the culture this week, I can tell that I am going to love it here. Building closer relationships with the other international students this week was brilliant, and it was great to get the chance to find out more about their own cultures and also share with them, parts of ours. I don't think I will ever get tired of learning more and more about this place. Everyday literally brings with it new experiences which I will never forget!
Ngo Ngoi Hong Kong! (I love Hong Kong!)
Andrew Scott
