I refer to the report on Nga Tsin Wai ('Residents fight on to save walled village', South China Morning Post, February 6) and Patrick Hase's letter headlined 'Developer must not be allowed to ruin old village' (Sunday Morning Post, January 26). I would like to make some points about the issue of heritage conservation.
Like so many other old buildings that have been bulldozed to make way for development, Nga Tsin Wai, the last remaining walled village in urban Hong Kong, appears to be just another losing battle in our ad-hoc conservation effort: An undeclared historical site situated on a piece of valuable land wanted by developers.
Despite repeated calls from villagers and historians to conserve this ancient village, most people, even though they are sympathetic, do not feel it is necessary to save it, but see its going as a matter of fact.
What is reflected here is not simply a matter of land values, but a problematic mindset that sees tradition as being at odds with modernity. Conservation of our cultural heritage is, after all, still perceived as being an obstruction to economic progress. It is seen by some people as being an expensive, altruistic exercise with no economic benefits except, perhaps, in those few areas promoted as tourist spots.
What we fail to see is that the value of conserving our cultural heritage lies not only in preserving past memories, but also in ensuring diversity and versatility which can play a crucial role in enhancing cultural and economic prosperity. As we can see in many countries, the conservation of historic assets is considered to be a key part of any strategy aimed at retaining the unique character of a city and securing its long-term sustainability.
What we require urgently is a shift of perception, one that sees our cultural heritage as valuable social capital that contributes to Hong Kong's vitality at a much higher level. Decisions in conservation should not be based only on the physical qualities of our heritage assets, but also on their historical and cultural associations for the community. In other words, we should not only look at the most monumental and most attractive buildings, but also at areas and neighbourhoods with intangible assets that enrich them.