In terms of architecture, Hong Kong people are generally more interested in the future than the past. Land is valued primarily for what can be built on it. With limited space, pressure is always there to redevelop. Many graceful or historic buildings fall victim to bulldozers, leaving a handful of relics to remind local people of how their ancestors lived.
The SAR has inherited very little in terms of bricks and mortar. Few places in the world have so completely expunged the domestic traces of their history and development, and it will be surprising if a fraction of the population know that 1997 is Year of Heritage in Hong Kong.
There has been sustained criticism of the lack of official commitment to preserve the past. The Antiquities and Monuments Office has been accused of standing by as potential treasures were lost in the scramble for development. But it faced an uphill battle trying to persuade owners not to build on archaeological sites, or to agree to have buildings listed for preservation. Without real authority, or the financial means to compete against construction companies, the office had an almost impossible task.
But attitudes are changing. There was a major breakthrough a year ago when the Year Best Enterprise company agreed to preserve one of the last remaining Hakka houses at Yuen Long. There may be more backing for the plan to save the tunnels built as air-raid shelters under Kowloon Park. Pupils are at last being taught their own history, and will take more interest in it as they learn of days gone by. The Government is keen to encourage that identity, so it should support heritage schemes. There is no surer way of building pride in the past than by taking effective steps to safeguard Hong Kong's cultural heritage.
