Memories warm fans against cold
500 turn out to remember Anita Mui with candle-lit ceremony at temple
The cold failed to cool the passion of fans of Anita Mui Yim-fong last night, with more than 500 attending a memorial service for the Canto-pop siren on the first anniversary of her death. Fans huddled around candles in a playground behind Shang Sin Chun Tong Buddhist temple in Kowloon Tong, while footage of Mui's performances floated across two screens to the strains of her songs.
Taiwanese sisters Pan Mei-ying, 26, and Pan Mei-zhu, 31, travelled to Hong Kong for the occasion. 'We were moved as much by her personality as her songs,' said the elder sister. 'She was such a sincere and caring person.'
Most fans dressed in black for the ceremony, organised by Mui's fan club. Before the service began at 8pm, fans ate a vegetarian meal at the temple and paid homage to Mui with Buddhist rituals.
Longtime fan Wilson Lam Wai-fung, 32, said: 'It's already been one year. It went by so fast. I still miss Anita terribly, like it just happened yesterday.'
Mui's brother, Peter Mui Kai-ming, said he paid homage to his sister in Buddhist rituals at Po Lin temple on Lantau Island.
Fans also commemorated Mui by writing a song, Love With Infinity, and have put out a CD in memory of their idol.
A fan club spokeswoman said that although the CD would not be sold, it would be played on radio for fans.
A collection of extracts from interviews with Mui, compiled by her fans and entitled Living Under Fong's Words, has been published to mark the anniversary.
The fan club has also designed a series of commemorative t-shirts and calendars.
RoadShow, Kowloon Motor Bus' on-board advertising channel, yesterday played two of Mui's classic, Sunset Song and Treasured Re-acquaintance, taped at her final concert.
Mui died on December 30 last year after a long battle against cervical cancer. She was 40.
