https://mabellui.cargo.site Mabel Lui Tue, 01 Dec 2020 20:10:53 +0000 https://mabellui.cargo.site en https://mabellui.cargo.site/Home Sat, 28 Nov 2020 12:10:33 +0000 Mabel Lui https://mabellui.cargo.site/Home <img width="4931" height="3286" width_o="4931" height_o="3286" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/12526333cfc9a690f394c5046efade5c38697bf5f2e6f18ba0c0aac1e200d28c/fullsizeoutput_38cb.jpeg" data-mid="90726597" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/12526333cfc9a690f394c5046efade5c38697bf5f2e6f18ba0c0aac1e200d28c/fullsizeoutput_38cb.jpeg" /> <img width="5184" height="3456" width_o="5184" height_o="3456" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/af8927e7cd431a8f549403c0b19f6116797360077701c9a627af624804887d0b/fullsizeoutput_3979.jpeg" data-mid="90726405" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/af8927e7cd431a8f549403c0b19f6116797360077701c9a627af624804887d0b/fullsizeoutput_3979.jpeg" /> <img width="5184" height="3456" width_o="5184" height_o="3456" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/4e9d5ff2a755b7af09925ec1dae4002f373ff432f1c423bcb40ff586f43e349a/fullsizeoutput_3a39.jpeg" data-mid="90936376" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/4e9d5ff2a755b7af09925ec1dae4002f373ff432f1c423bcb40ff586f43e349a/fullsizeoutput_3a39.jpeg" /> <img width="5184" height="3456" width_o="5184" height_o="3456" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/1f35813d1af30f0e0f1d1fd58e3781ec88f90178dc32d36825ae7a1088282be4/fullsizeoutput_3968.jpeg" data-mid="90726404" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/1f35813d1af30f0e0f1d1fd58e3781ec88f90178dc32d36825ae7a1088282be4/fullsizeoutput_3968.jpeg" /> Documenting Hong Kong’s disappearing cultural practices Mabel Lui <img width="5010" height="3338" width_o="5010" height_o="3338" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/7d3ca86eae7a4a570bf0bc4a1da981af97463763f361668b6c754f1697421b33/fullsizeoutput_3a26.jpeg" data-mid="90936397" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/7d3ca86eae7a4a570bf0bc4a1da981af97463763f361668b6c754f1697421b33/fullsizeoutput_3a26.jpeg" /> <img width="5184" height="3456" width_o="5184" height_o="3456" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/ac0c0938272aa85b021b32b0aaacbbf4c6714ffd46129a72b3916f43dee1886b/fullsizeoutput_3a38.jpeg" data-mid="90936399" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/ac0c0938272aa85b021b32b0aaacbbf4c6714ffd46129a72b3916f43dee1886b/fullsizeoutput_3a38.jpeg" /> <img width="5149" height="3432" width_o="5149" height_o="3432" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a828f95540f6b5e0a3b7821b776c94ce37cdaba9c8d8688257de0c3c6b9c5f38/fullsizeoutput_3960.jpeg" data-mid="90717770" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/a828f95540f6b5e0a3b7821b776c94ce37cdaba9c8d8688257de0c3c6b9c5f38/fullsizeoutput_3960.jpeg" /> <img width="5008" height="3338" width_o="5008" height_o="3338" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/46bd2cd379a497b0aebb03be4681d3f24886dde0ab8087b68511a46271a8167b/fullsizeoutput_38d4.jpeg" data-mid="90726604" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/46bd2cd379a497b0aebb03be4681d3f24886dde0ab8087b68511a46271a8167b/fullsizeoutput_38d4.jpeg" /> Artist’s Statement Home is where the heart is, and my heart will always belong in Hong Kong. The vertical city is an effervescence of culture and history, of modernism and tradition, constantly thriving in the in-between. As skyscrapers dot the skyline with shimmering lights, behind the city’s urban landscape and glamour lies a distinct culture that is often forgotten or overlooked by outsiders—one that is embodied by Hong Kong’s disappearing artistic practices. In recent months and years, Hong Kong has been marred by future uncertainty and political turmoil, and through this project I seek to explore the meaning of documenting fragments of society and tradition as functions of fleeting time and place. After all, the products of the practices I’ve chosen to photograph—porcelain bowls, bird cages, and mahjong tiles—are embedded in my upbringing and life. I eat homecooked meals out of porcelain bowls every day; songbirds sang daily in my cousins’ home; my elders play mahjong at major family celebrations, cheering and sighing at won and lost games. It’s no secret, however, that the traditional handicraft practices associated with these items—hand-painting porcelain bowls, hand-making bird cages, and hand-carving mahjong tiles—are disappearing. The labourious nature of creating these products by hand, combined with Hong Kong’s socio-cultural evolution, mean that these traditions will likely fade from existence in years to come, and to me, this development mirrors an impending overarching loss of Hong Kong identity. Given the city’s imminent political shift, it’s undeniable that Hong Kongers must adapt and change over time. Simply put, this project is born out of my nostalgia for what will be lost in the future. The truth is that all the artisans I spoke to have already accepted this loss, but they remain committed to their practices out of sheer passion and dedication, or because they know no other livelihood. This project isn’t an argument for preservation; rather, it’s for personal and collective memory. My one hope is that you’ll follow along my footsteps and realize, ingrained in these photographs, stories, and interviews, Hong Kong’s inexplicable charm in the frame of its past, present, and future. Read and view the pages here: bird cages | porcelain | mahjong <img width="4832" height="7360" width_o="4832" height_o="7360" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/c5a90a1d55b5757cd8b42bddf744e46ecb5ff18fe37ad25bff28cfc47b1a5bb0/_DSC8319-min.jpg" data-mid="90387080" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/c5a90a1d55b5757cd8b42bddf744e46ecb5ff18fe37ad25bff28cfc47b1a5bb0/_DSC8319-min.jpg" /> About My name is Mabel Lui and I'm a senior at Scripps College, where I'm a media studies and art dual major. Frankly, this academic combination was rather unplanned, but it reflects my ongoing rediscovery of my love for art, especially through the lens of media. Since I was able to hold up a pair of scissors, I’ve been enamoured with using my hands to create things, including everything from friendship bracelets and pottery to origami and clothing garments. When my hobbies momentarily deviated from the creative realm, picking up a camera allowed me to revisit my artistic freedoms and curiosities, albeit through a palpably different perspective. This project, then, aptly combines my affinities for both crafts and photography, manifesting through my love and nostalgia for Hong Kong.In case you were interested in some other (arguably irrelevant) descriptors, I proudly call myself an ambivert as well as a fervent napper. Other ongoing loves include any and all food, bubble tea, and anything that evokes the feeling of childlike joy. 🇭🇰 https://mabellui.cargo.site/bird-cages Tue, 01 Dec 2020 20:10:53 +0000 Mabel Lui https://mabellui.cargo.site/bird-cages <img width="4947" height="3298" width_o="4947" height_o="3298" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/f155895d1804c91ef843f66cf51f25ab2a703990088152d034d598dd8b518c67/fullsizeoutput_3970.jpeg" data-mid="90768211" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/f155895d1804c91ef843f66cf51f25ab2a703990088152d034d598dd8b518c67/fullsizeoutput_3970.jpeg" /> Mr. Chan Lok-choi, Hong Kong’s last known handmade bird cage maker, repairs a broken bird cage at his stall in Yuen Po Street Bird Garden, Mong Kok. &nbsp;Handmade bird cages: a swansong for the ages A multi-coloured parrot perches on a wooden log; two snow white birds endearingly ruffle their feathers; other songbirds give high-pitched chirps of “hello” to unsuspecting passersby. This is Yuen Po Street Bird Garden, otherwise known as the home of the songbirds. It is here that I find dozens upon dozens of lively, energetic birds—albeit many in cages—and it is also where I find, quietly sitting in his stall, Hong Kong’s last known handmade bird cage maker. Around his waist he wears a half apron, and the concentration with which he works is simply unwavering. As I approach him, he’s working on adding a new piece of bamboo to fill the empty space in a broken bird cage, delicately but efficiently measuring and trimming. The bird cages in Mr. Chan’s shop, including ones that are&nbsp; repaired and awaiting repair. One bird cage houses a young green songbird. For those in the know, Mr. Chan Lok-choi isn’t an unfamiliar name or face; after all, the master craftsman, or 師傅 in Cantonese, has been sitting in this precise shop for over 20 years. And for two hours, I sit alongside him as he nimbly conducts repairs, which take up most of his daily practice nowadays. While many Hong Kong people still own birds, most people aren’t buying new handmade bird cages anymore, he says simply, but he thankfully equally enjoys process of both making and repairing cages. “There’s a level of satisfaction [in repairs]. When it’s broken in a difficult way, and I’m able to fix it in an ideal manner, I’m really happy,” he tells me. <img width="5184" height="3456" width_o="5184" height_o="3456" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/438c37d4d6113d9a7fc1e884b5b08c24b0411f7d1ab5983df822030f6ecca8b1/fullsizeoutput_3968.jpeg" data-mid="90768241" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/438c37d4d6113d9a7fc1e884b5b08c24b0411f7d1ab5983df822030f6ecca8b1/fullsizeoutput_3968.jpeg" /> <img width="5149" height="3432" width_o="5149" height_o="3432" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/28de069c832843248408764fb9a5f458fe6c29d7c9d360ee36c721889766d1bb/fullsizeoutput_3960.jpeg" data-mid="90768237" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/28de069c832843248408764fb9a5f458fe6c29d7c9d360ee36c721889766d1bb/fullsizeoutput_3960.jpeg" /> <img width="5184" height="3456" width_o="5184" height_o="3456" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/db83aa07298c8aef0f2bcafcb1ea7e2c1a29950b5c48d6f3aef1e60752316290/fullsizeoutput_395f.jpeg" data-mid="90768236" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/db83aa07298c8aef0f2bcafcb1ea7e2c1a29950b5c48d6f3aef1e60752316290/fullsizeoutput_395f.jpeg" /> “There’s a level of satisfaction [in repairs]. When it’s broken in a difficult way, and I’m able to fix it in an ideal manner, I’m really happy.” <img width="3456" height="5184" width_o="3456" height_o="5184" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/c3abed0bdbf31a513e12593a2b405478e89f7418a6c70dd3c37d115a6f86dd37/fullsizeoutput_3973.jpeg" data-mid="90768246" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/c3abed0bdbf31a513e12593a2b405478e89f7418a6c70dd3c37d115a6f86dd37/fullsizeoutput_3973.jpeg" /> Below: Mr. Chan shapes a piece of bamboo to fix a broken leg on a bird cage.Left: Filing the bottom of the bird cage to make the surface even. <img width="5184" height="3456" width_o="5184" height_o="3456" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/c14631e597b66dd6cde0c533198eb4500cc61e45843c7431b6a7016f464875a2/fullsizeoutput_3979.jpeg" data-mid="90768245" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/c14631e597b66dd6cde0c533198eb4500cc61e45843c7431b6a7016f464875a2/fullsizeoutput_3979.jpeg" /> Mr. Chan first learned how to make bird cages by hand from his uncle in 1955, before following the footsteps of master craftsman Cheuk Hong. Back then, bird keeping was much more popular, with the tradition having begun during the Qing dynasty. The practice soon carried over from China to Hong Kong, and since birds were easy to take care of in small spaces, and were allowed in public housing estates (as opposed to dogs and cats, for example), many Hong Kongers adopted them as pets and would also bring them on walks, on public transport, and to dim sum restaurants. <img width="4989" height="3326" width_o="4989" height_o="3326" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/7da0a4432f659828cfccfb3e86320dcdd3ee839a343b4b830a1691fb4739b92e/fullsizeoutput_38ee.jpeg" data-mid="90768205" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/7da0a4432f659828cfccfb3e86320dcdd3ee839a343b4b830a1691fb4739b92e/fullsizeoutput_38ee.jpeg" /> I ask Mr. Chan if he has a favourite design, and he enthusiastically shows me one of his prized cages (shown left), which he says is the only one to exist in this world. Prized is an apt way to describe it: this bespoke creation features a top that likens it to a crown, an extra structural layer that doesn’t exist on any other bird cage I see in the Bird Garden. (For a less royal comparison, Mr. Chan jokes that it looks like a Mongolian ger.) But after the 1997 bird flu outbreak, the Hong Kong government instilled stricter regulations on birds, and their popularity as pets has since declined. Yuet Po Street Bird Garden, though still quite lively, is now one of the few places in the city where you’ll find as many birds chirping and squawking away, all day and all night long. The street offers a glimpse into old Hong Kong, a respite from the fast-paced urban life that the city is otherwise known for. Here, the elderly take leisurely walks with their winged companions, stop for card games, and casually chat with other bird owners as they pick out bird seeds. It’s clear that the population comprises mainly of the older generation,&nbsp; of uncles and aunties; while some schoolkids are seen playing with the birds, young Hong Kong people aren’t keeping up the tradition of owning pet birds anymore. Even as pet birds—and subsequently, handmade bird cages—fall out of favour in Hong Kong, Mr. Chan’s loyalty for bird cage making remains steadfast. While he once tried his hand at advertising and even made makeup products, he always returned to bird cage making. With his self-assured demeanor, he strikes me as an artist in its purest definition—someone who simply loves his practice. “There’s no one to teach. No one will learn.” As Mr. Chan painstakingly cuts and shapes pieces of bamboo—with a band-aid on his thumb, no less—he talks me through his processes and tools, all of which are custom made and ordered, he says. There’s his array of knives and carving tools, which he uses to widen and create holes in the bird cage frame, to file or trim away broken parts, and to shape the ribs. There’s the gas lamp (“You’ll have seen this type of lamp in movies, but they never show this design,” he affectionately says), which he uses to soften and bend the bamboo, and another tool that he uses as a manual drill to create circular holes in the bird cage door frame. Of course, he has another supplement: glue, which he actually chastises. He only uses it when it’s absolutely necessary: “If you use glue, you’re not a real craftsman,” he says. “If you don’t use glue, then you’re a real craftsman.” <img width="3456" height="5184" width_o="3456" height_o="5184" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/6ed29383ff6bcb3e796ddaae004d458feb90d2f14049c3ccfeee93a3ac1e89e7/fullsizeoutput_3906.jpeg" data-mid="90773249" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/6ed29383ff6bcb3e796ddaae004d458feb90d2f14049c3ccfeee93a3ac1e89e7/fullsizeoutput_3906.jpeg" /> <img width="3456" height="5184" width_o="3456" height_o="5184" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/6d8e90b7b2b8b2687e266cf48a98ccbba75d94c75781ce3b95ed1699ba795aae/fullsizeoutput_3905.jpeg" data-mid="90773247" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/6d8e90b7b2b8b2687e266cf48a98ccbba75d94c75781ce3b95ed1699ba795aae/fullsizeoutput_3905.jpeg" /> <img width="3456" height="5184" width_o="3456" height_o="5184" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d280813dc25eaeda540bdd538f08061a9afc919387783085667c8b3cbe8cdf7e/fullsizeoutput_3904.jpeg" data-mid="90773246" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/d280813dc25eaeda540bdd538f08061a9afc919387783085667c8b3cbe8cdf7e/fullsizeoutput_3904.jpeg" /> <img width="3456" height="5184" width_o="3456" height_o="5184" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/8e1592fc80efbc52050580ebe7163e3f26c609b8389231e3b96de45ff64a1c55/fullsizeoutput_38fe.jpeg" data-mid="90773244" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/8e1592fc80efbc52050580ebe7163e3f26c609b8389231e3b96de45ff64a1c55/fullsizeoutput_38fe.jpeg" /> <img width="3456" height="5184" width_o="3456" height_o="5184" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/74296ded7572a8255a752922281d8d426605fd410b9d1827a891268ed325d29b/fullsizeoutput_38fd.jpeg" data-mid="90773243" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/74296ded7572a8255a752922281d8d426605fd410b9d1827a891268ed325d29b/fullsizeoutput_38fd.jpeg" /> <img width="3456" height="5184" width_o="3456" height_o="5184" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/bba6a8da9ca61ff016f101399842f51db7097d4dec3e34fb2429dd536c3083e9/fullsizeoutput_3930.jpeg" data-mid="90773259" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/bba6a8da9ca61ff016f101399842f51db7097d4dec3e34fb2429dd536c3083e9/fullsizeoutput_3930.jpeg" /> <img width="3456" height="5184" width_o="3456" height_o="5184" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d9bd7065f0601c24dbe5682cc240d29d579420755341a1d4a5168cb2d184e782/fullsizeoutput_392e.jpeg" data-mid="90773257" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/d9bd7065f0601c24dbe5682cc240d29d579420755341a1d4a5168cb2d184e782/fullsizeoutput_392e.jpeg" /> <img width="3456" height="5184" width_o="3456" height_o="5184" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/f49d50ad51c10c29e4cdabb6fd98e8d3a60633befe1e2ccb1a1d53e7040b318f/fullsizeoutput_392f.jpeg" data-mid="90773258" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/f49d50ad51c10c29e4cdabb6fd98e8d3a60633befe1e2ccb1a1d53e7040b318f/fullsizeoutput_392f.jpeg" /> <img width="3456" height="5184" width_o="3456" height_o="5184" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/8795247345f1eff8a611f6880c21cff24cdb2d022ee87cd22f1d6ba8f5ec4f67/fullsizeoutput_392d.jpeg" data-mid="90773255" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/8795247345f1eff8a611f6880c21cff24cdb2d022ee87cd22f1d6ba8f5ec4f67/fullsizeoutput_392d.jpeg" /> <img width="3456" height="5184" width_o="3456" height_o="5184" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/bf9d693fce97af45690d30eff843226946f629d6589193ee9e1ce75df5d875d1/fullsizeoutput_392c.jpeg" data-mid="90773256" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/bf9d693fce97af45690d30eff843226946f629d6589193ee9e1ce75df5d875d1/fullsizeoutput_392c.jpeg" /> <img width="3456" height="5184" width_o="3456" height_o="5184" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a2a70aeeb4a4e52b8bc23d4bef6811f6d94c622c22d5dfc4b0c9d6af65fd3a80/fullsizeoutput_392a.jpeg" data-mid="90773253" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/a2a70aeeb4a4e52b8bc23d4bef6811f6d94c622c22d5dfc4b0c9d6af65fd3a80/fullsizeoutput_392a.jpeg" /> <img width="3456" height="5184" width_o="3456" height_o="5184" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/5148a1d031a3f322c7399ff75c49fd4e4af1e4c8d24bdb180af2a260271f04d8/fullsizeoutput_392b.jpeg" data-mid="90773254" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/5148a1d031a3f322c7399ff75c49fd4e4af1e4c8d24bdb180af2a260271f04d8/fullsizeoutput_392b.jpeg" /> <img width="3456" height="5184" width_o="3456" height_o="5184" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d39e3ac36016649ed675c597280a5e4bab9208fc4d784f609cc31273d97421ac/fullsizeoutput_3937.jpeg" data-mid="90773261" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/d39e3ac36016649ed675c597280a5e4bab9208fc4d784f609cc31273d97421ac/fullsizeoutput_3937.jpeg" /> <img width="3456" height="5184" width_o="3456" height_o="5184" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/9e57a9b32dcde7ceee58209af6d5e30aec978d6c95474bf712548897e661747f/fullsizeoutput_3938.jpeg" data-mid="90773263" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/9e57a9b32dcde7ceee58209af6d5e30aec978d6c95474bf712548897e661747f/fullsizeoutput_3938.jpeg" /> Three different repair processes: reattaching the handle; creating a hole in the bird cage door; widening the hole to make it fit the bamboo rib. Mr. Chan adapts his skills and techniques based on the type and levvel of repair each bird cage requires; no one process is exactly the same. While Mr. Chan answers all my questions with patience, it’s no surprise when he tells me about how he was quiet as a schoolkid. Indeed, he exhibits an introverted nature, one that is especially fitting for a profession that requires him to sit for hours on end, mostly in solitude, save for a few chats here and there with customers and neighbouring bird garden stall owners. Regardless, Mr. Chan comes across as very content, and it is abundantly clear that he is deeply engrossed in his practice, even though he clearly knows the tradition of hand making bird cage is dying. “There’s no one to teach. No one will learn,” he says. While hobbyists do take classes from him, he recognizes it’s near impossible to make a decent living doing the work that he does on a daily basis, especially to his standards of quality as well. Birdkeeping and handmade bird cage making, as we know it now, is inevitably going to fade with the loss of the older generation. 1 / Some of Mr. Chan’s many tools, including paintbrushes, screwdrivers, and other knives and carving tools. While there’s one ruler included in his kit, I notice that Mr. Chan actually never uses it—he opts to rely solely on his eyes and understanding of the bamboo frame to conduct his repairs. &nbsp; <img width="3456" height="5184" width_o="3456" height_o="5184" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/092ff39ba443fd250a3898bee45f68d9158d3ed493acb0465a35e042d6d19813/fullsizeoutput_3969.jpeg" data-mid="90768242" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/092ff39ba443fd250a3898bee45f68d9158d3ed493acb0465a35e042d6d19813/fullsizeoutput_3969.jpeg" /> <img width="3456" height="5184" width_o="3456" height_o="5184" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a190e5642422864896eace8d519f20addef710eaa8a32261f98cedb42115a580/fullsizeoutput_3948.jpeg" data-mid="90768231" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/a190e5642422864896eace8d519f20addef710eaa8a32261f98cedb42115a580/fullsizeoutput_3948.jpeg" /> <img width="3456" height="5184" width_o="3456" height_o="5184" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a24a788ce766b44ec4c08cc78a11da0489901530e2b857259e4070c0759f25f9/fullsizeoutput_390f.jpeg" data-mid="90768218" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/a24a788ce766b44ec4c08cc78a11da0489901530e2b857259e4070c0759f25f9/fullsizeoutput_390f.jpeg" /> 2 / A picture of the young Mr. Chan alongside his teacher, master craftsman Cheuk Hong. 3 / Mr. Chan uses the gas lamp to loosen the bamboo frame. <img width="5184" height="3456" width_o="5184" height_o="3456" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/dcfbf28f0217b1a2863bfc86d039204345c2f29d3e86aa13d4b12202e2768bc0/fullsizeoutput_38f6.jpeg" data-mid="90768197" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/dcfbf28f0217b1a2863bfc86d039204345c2f29d3e86aa13d4b12202e2768bc0/fullsizeoutput_38f6.jpeg" /> <img width="5184" height="3456" width_o="5184" height_o="3456" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/76a449986833e68ba7363130cdcff20121bdfac2ba15abf1c4c43d0d59a76714/fullsizeoutput_38e5.jpeg" data-mid="90768201" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/76a449986833e68ba7363130cdcff20121bdfac2ba15abf1c4c43d0d59a76714/fullsizeoutput_38e5.jpeg" /> <img width="3456" height="5184" width_o="3456" height_o="5184" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/223c548e51bab47f6ad1ac3428f4d972bcb4e671147bc43898212bf9d762c449/fullsizeoutput_38e2.jpeg" data-mid="90768198" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/223c548e51bab47f6ad1ac3428f4d972bcb4e671147bc43898212bf9d762c449/fullsizeoutput_38e2.jpeg" /> Snapshots from Yuen Po Street Bird Garden. “If you don’t work hard and suffer, if you just play around, you won’t achieve success.” Shortly before I leave his stall, Mr. Chan offers some wisdom as he reflects on how no one wanted to solicit his services when he was still an apprentice. In English, it doesn’t feel quite as poignant, but a rough translation of his remark goes: “If you don’t work hard and suffer, if you just play around, you won’t achieve success.” This comment is perhaps a light critique of today’s Hong Kong youth, but it makes me consider how Hong Kong’s economic and technological advancements have significantly altered our culture and society, and understanding of success. In the past, a chosen profession meant that you worked hard so that you could stay in that business for the rest of your life; now, that same determination isn’t nearly as widespread. Mr. Chan’s simplistic mentality embodies a dissipating ideology, one that values uncomplicated personal fulfillment over nominal achievements or society-set notions of apparent success. <img width="4953" height="3302" width_o="4953" height_o="3302" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a40f0088c4c63bacb3328db2527bc63b1e871fa2a1241996fe7367c16be5da16/fullsizeoutput_397d.jpeg" data-mid="90768208" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/a40f0088c4c63bacb3328db2527bc63b1e871fa2a1241996fe7367c16be5da16/fullsizeoutput_397d.jpeg" /> And with that, I say goodbye. The songbirds’ chatter sends me off, and Mr. Chan quietly continues his repairs. https://mabellui.cargo.site/mahjong Tue, 01 Dec 2020 12:52:07 +0000 Mabel Lui https://mabellui.cargo.site/mahjong <img width="5184" height="3456" width_o="5184" height_o="3456" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/54b37f3e69d79cceb774b26062e3bd0a22709c20375e21e61e7f2d7d759d5e8b/fullsizeoutput_3a39.jpeg" data-mid="90784855" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/54b37f3e69d79cceb774b26062e3bd0a22709c20375e21e61e7f2d7d759d5e8b/fullsizeoutput_3a39.jpeg" /> Carved in history: the last of Hong Kong’s hand-carved mahjong For someone who surrounds himself with mahjong tiles every day, it may come across as a surprise to learn that Mr. Cheung Shun-king doesn’t actually know how to play the game. “I don’t have time to play,” he reasons. That’s because he sits and works at his shop every single day—including weekends—from 11 in the morning to 11 at night. One of Hong Kong’s last mahjong tile carvers, Mr. Cheung has been at his Jordan shop for over 20 years, where he has made hand-carving cream and white tiles a quotidian practice. I watch as he moves swiftly, etching characters onto the mahjong tiles with finger-sized blades, dotting paint into the indentations of dice, and cleaning off imperfections with a scraper and remover oil. Above: Mr. Cheung Shun-king’s hand-carved mahjong tiles. Shown here are the character tiles representing numerals, painted with blue and red. This particular set features white tiles with a green backside, which is one of the traditional colourways of mahjong sets (the other is all cream). <img width="5184" height="3456" width_o="5184" height_o="3456" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/05a3f50d93a01f3704d91e937c1d2630dac3b1f0330d698ea6ac980d9298d77c/fullsizeoutput_3a53.jpeg" data-mid="90784856" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/05a3f50d93a01f3704d91e937c1d2630dac3b1f0330d698ea6ac980d9298d77c/fullsizeoutput_3a53.jpeg" />Above:&nbsp; A set of cream-coloured mahjong tiles, freshly carved. Right: Mr. Cheung’s makeshift carving tools,&nbsp; including several knives and blades. <img width="5184" height="3456" width_o="5184" height_o="3456" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d71d669e36c4a9d119f093a20ca875cf90a24c437a7e11ee51c53d42509f5572/fullsizeoutput_39ca.jpeg" data-mid="90784858" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/d71d669e36c4a9d119f093a20ca875cf90a24c437a7e11ee51c53d42509f5572/fullsizeoutput_39ca.jpeg" /> While he never officially followed a master craftsman, Mr. Cheung learned the trade from his father and grandfather, and has continued the generational legacy. But similar to other craftsmen I spoke to, he is unapologetically honest and pragmatic in considering the future of his business. “People aren’t playing mahjong [as much] anymore. Hand-carved is expensive, and China makes them really cheap,” he says. “Nowadays, most people choose to buy the cheapest sets, whereas in the past, most people chose to buy the highest quality set.” The game of mahjong has been ingrained in Hong Kong’s daily culture. Even when gambling was banned in China in 1949, mahjong continued to rise in popularity in Hong Kong, which manifested in the establishment of mahjong parlours and gambling dens. Now, mahjong exists in more private spaces, but it continues to make appearances everywhere from family gatherings and celebrations in hotels to loud street markets. <img width="5010" height="3338" width_o="5010" height_o="3338" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/0c5e56576417452f7c85ddd6a79972dd3093cdaa50ddd7ba51fd3946280975ae/fullsizeoutput_3a26.jpeg" data-mid="90784859" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/0c5e56576417452f7c85ddd6a79972dd3093cdaa50ddd7ba51fd3946280975ae/fullsizeoutput_3a26.jpeg" /> Mr. Cheung cleans up the paint on a custom order of hand-carved dices at his shop, Biu Kee Mahjong, which is named after his father. Here, he’s just finished scraping off the residual paint on some custom dice and is about to wipe the dice clean with remover. “People aren’t playing mahjong [as much] anymore. Hand-carved is expensive, and China makes them really cheap. Nowadays, most people choose to buy the cheapest sets, whereas in the past, most people chose to buy the highest quality set.” <img width="3368" height="5052" width_o="3368" height_o="5052" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/9b3369f4c365c01812fa3afd79f15439043bc8a0c6bc743ca494b8b8a481adc1/fullsizeoutput_3a47.jpeg" data-mid="90935225" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/9b3369f4c365c01812fa3afd79f15439043bc8a0c6bc743ca494b8b8a481adc1/fullsizeoutput_3a47.jpeg" /> Mr. Cheung works at his shop every single day, other than the first two days of Chinese New Year. <img width="3456" height="5184" width_o="3456" height_o="5184" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/b5cb8d4babdd0aff3e7e43620e0d75e58600a4e9de659ec2f978395e29264406/fullsizeoutput_399f.jpeg" data-mid="90784860" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/b5cb8d4babdd0aff3e7e43620e0d75e58600a4e9de659ec2f978395e29264406/fullsizeoutput_399f.jpeg" /> Carving the Chinese character for seven (七) onto a mahjong tile. <img width="3456" height="5184" width_o="3456" height_o="5184" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/2c7a1797b1b164a2ed24d9ba191431f9e0ddc54d5b76b2ff6cbd81ace04e55cf/fullsizeoutput_3996.jpeg" data-mid="90784862" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/2c7a1797b1b164a2ed24d9ba191431f9e0ddc54d5b76b2ff6cbd81ace04e55cf/fullsizeoutput_3996.jpeg" /> Painting the grooves of a carved dice. Aside from mahjong tiles, Mr. Cheung also takes custom orders for dices of varying sizes. And though Mr. Cheung certainly has affection for the hand-carving craft, he isn’t precious about adapting with the times, which is why customers will be able to find machine-carved mahjong tiles that feature an array of untraditional colours and other mahjong-related items at his shop as well. Sometimes, people just want to pay less to play, and to Mr. Cheung, that’s okay. For him, the decision to sell both hand-carved tiles and machine-carved ones was a purely economic one; after all, he says, he has to earn money.I find the concession bittersweet, but I certainly understand the perspective, as Hong Kong’s sky-high rent mandates high profit margins for any business that hopes to survive. Mr. Cheung comments that Hong Kong’s youth are playing mahjong with their phones now, and naturally, with technological advancement comes less demand for traditionally handmade products. <img width="5184" height="3456" width_o="5184" height_o="3456" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/147d8aec3c79014276822d16327c86ce2557a3b520351865ee60f30a4df60c51/fullsizeoutput_3a38.jpeg" data-mid="90784864" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/147d8aec3c79014276822d16327c86ce2557a3b520351865ee60f30a4df60c51/fullsizeoutput_3a38.jpeg" /> “Surely, there are still people who play mahjong—but the young ones play on their phones, so they play individually. … They don’t play with the real tiles, so I’m making them less and less.” Mr. Cheung also fulfills many personalized orders and requests from clients, which are ordered as gifts or commemorations of special occasions. Each custom mahjong tile with a Chinese character goes for $100 HKD, while special designs go for $300 HKD and up. Shown above is his array of custom mahjong tiles for which he made mistakes and therefore couldn’t sell (though frankly, it’s very difficult to tell upon first glance). <img width="5184" height="3456" width_o="5184" height_o="3456" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/de9057ad1a65710df37a10d0c3cd814e97f0c4d8defa7eccdcf82f24b0ca4224/fullsizeoutput_3a46.jpeg" data-mid="90786081" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/de9057ad1a65710df37a10d0c3cd814e97f0c4d8defa7eccdcf82f24b0ca4224/fullsizeoutput_3a46.jpeg" /> <img width="5184" height="3456" width_o="5184" height_o="3456" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/64123d8c293e321dfa1d5cccca55bced7c7e162d86f1c2cbed5c9aca8eef6c71/fullsizeoutput_3a43.jpeg" data-mid="90786077" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/64123d8c293e321dfa1d5cccca55bced7c7e162d86f1c2cbed5c9aca8eef6c71/fullsizeoutput_3a43.jpeg" /> <img width="5184" height="3456" width_o="5184" height_o="3456" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/adfbc4552e4e155ddf7c2dd90bdef05a7090603a22ed5d35cd8ad5faafb0ce4b/fullsizeoutput_3a42.jpeg" data-mid="90786076" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/adfbc4552e4e155ddf7c2dd90bdef05a7090603a22ed5d35cd8ad5faafb0ce4b/fullsizeoutput_3a42.jpeg" /> <img width="5184" height="3456" width_o="5184" height_o="3456" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/10e691acf50afb1ad307fb7b5410f3a42749bd4c1496d65840e9f2878eac2bda/fullsizeoutput_3a41.jpeg" data-mid="90786075" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/10e691acf50afb1ad307fb7b5410f3a42749bd4c1496d65840e9f2878eac2bda/fullsizeoutput_3a41.jpeg" /> <img width="5184" height="3456" width_o="5184" height_o="3456" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/de9057ad1a65710df37a10d0c3cd814e97f0c4d8defa7eccdcf82f24b0ca4224/fullsizeoutput_3a46.jpeg" data-mid="90786081" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/de9057ad1a65710df37a10d0c3cd814e97f0c4d8defa7eccdcf82f24b0ca4224/fullsizeoutput_3a46.jpeg" /> <img width="5184" height="3456" width_o="5184" height_o="3456" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a5d199cd7a14c5111a78cfc52684d70910d6f353e46597670018cdf5394e52e1/fullsizeoutput_3a45.jpeg" data-mid="90786080" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/a5d199cd7a14c5111a78cfc52684d70910d6f353e46597670018cdf5394e52e1/fullsizeoutput_3a45.jpeg" /> In this vein, I ask Mr. Cheung if coronavirus has affected his business over the past months. Contrary to my expectations, he says that business was actually really good in the beginning of the year. “It had nothing to do with me though,” he clarifies. He offers the conjecture that people were spending more time at home during quarantine, so they were more willing to spend money to buy sets.Left: Mr. Cheung cleans up the paint on a hand-carved dice with remover. &nbsp;Below: Some of custom mahjong tiles Mr. Cheung has carved. Of these, he said the tiger was most difficult. <img width="5027" height="3350" width_o="5027" height_o="3350" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/5e41e3481732506506ade47bbbf6aac1dd911048b1e146ee416aeae1a5e6e32a/fullsizeoutput_3a1c.jpeg" data-mid="90784866" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/5e41e3481732506506ade47bbbf6aac1dd911048b1e146ee416aeae1a5e6e32a/fullsizeoutput_3a1c.jpeg" /> <img width="4953" height="3302" width_o="4953" height_o="3302" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a152c0694b7fc7a2990f04612a2ff1dd81b066f752ddd426da990476d2f36df3/fullsizeoutput_399c.jpeg" data-mid="90784865" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/a152c0694b7fc7a2990f04612a2ff1dd81b066f752ddd426da990476d2f36df3/fullsizeoutput_399c.jpeg" />Above: Miscellaneous mahjong-related items that Mr. Cheung also sells in his shop, including playing cards, gambling chips, and more. Perhaps, then, there is still hope for some remnants of this heritage to be preserved, but I can’t say that I’m holding my breath. After all, the admission that no youth are continuing to keep these cultural practices alive—and for that matter, all the craftsmen’s acceptance of this collective loss—feels directly indicative of what will happen to Hong Kong and its distinctive identity. To me, the gradual disappearance of these traditions mirrors our political trajectory, portending a forced acceptance of what will be, not necessarily what we wanted Hong Kong’s future to be. Just like how Mr. Cheung has resorted to selling both hand-carved and machine-made mahjong, it seems that Hong Kong will have to accept our imminent loss of this Cantonese identity, and succumb to integration with China.Personally, as someone who has grown up in this city and lived the values of a free society, my heart is constantly breaking from the processing the reality that Hong Kong’s independence, identity, and culture—whatever little of it we have left—is being subject to persistent erosion. <img width="5065" height="3376" width_o="5065" height_o="3376" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/0259d59c6d2f4dc68e045c35ec42ea1c578812dd8715441953e8d5a467879df5/fullsizeoutput_3a57.jpeg" data-mid="90786848" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/0259d59c6d2f4dc68e045c35ec42ea1c578812dd8715441953e8d5a467879df5/fullsizeoutput_3a57.jpeg" /> Miscellaneous mahjong paraphernalia displayed in a glass class at the front of Biu Kee. “Before, there was truly a lot of people who played mahjong, so there was business. Now, there’s no business.” Similarly, the city’s remaining artisans can’t escape from the knowledge that their craft will disappear. True resistance is futile, so Mr. Cheung has adopted a practical approach and outlook instead. His chatty persona has allowed him to become acclimated with media appearances and interviews, which has helped promote business and interest in the local craft from locals and foreigners alike. He teaches classes in schools to educate young students about the process of hand-carving mahjong tiles; he accepted my request for an interview and shop visit without an ounce of hesitation.And for now, that’s the most he can do: share his craft with as many people as he can, before the existence of hand-carved mahjong is limited to the pages of history books.