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Rebecca Tsui

Hong Kong is paying a heavy price as heritage sites and traditional Chinese shops become victims of the city's modernisation drive.
A student organisation is determined to focus on our 'vanishing culture' amid the redevelopment projects that are changing Hong Kong's skyline.
HKFS (Hong Kong Federation of Students) Social Movement Resource Centre is arranging a series of tours to help participants experience life in the old towns.
The visits to four areas - Central, Kwun Tong, Sham Shui Po and Western District - will be led by  youngsters.
Altogether, there will be five tours, including two to Sham Shui Po, which will take place every Sunday.    The theme of the  project - which was launched on March 2 with a trip to Kwun Tong - is  the influence of redevelopment  on the old towns.
Yuen Chi-yan, a student at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology,  is in charge of the Kwun Tong tour.
'When I was small, I lived in Lei Yu Mun [near Yau Tong] which was not developed at the time,' said Mr Yuen. 'So I spent a lot of my childhood in Kwun Tong, where my family went for marketing and other things. This developed my interest in the  district.'
To prepare for the tour, he spent almost a year talking to the residents in Kwun Tong and found out lots of interesting things about the district.
According to Mr Yuen, there are  many well-known streets and by-lanes - like 'haircut street' and 'sweet soup street' - which are likely to disappear after redevelopment.
Design graduate Subo Sham  will guide people around Sham Shui Po. 'The district  has the human touch,' said Mr Sham.
'For instance,  some residents will gather in a shop and have a chat like a big family.  It's hard to find this [type of atmosphere] in new public or private [housing] estates.
'Lots of traditional Chinese businesses were forced to close down due to redevelopment, such as Chinese tea shops and  handicraft shops.
'It is hard for the owners  to find  another place to re-open their shop. This means places with significant cultural importance may vanish forever. It's a pity. Once the community network is broken, it's difficult to restore.'
Lee Ho-yin, the Western District tour guide, predicted similar problems for the area.
'A new MTR line is going to be built in Western District,' said the University of Hong Kong student.
'There will be a sharp rise in rent,   forcing lots of tenants to leave. Also, the residents' lifestyle will change.
'The aim of redevelopment should be to provide better living conditions for residents. However, redevelopment in Hong Kong always forces the original residents to move to other districts, where they  cannot enjoy the same benefits.'
For more details about the tours, contact Phoebe Wu at 6596 0906
Cultural landmarks
Central
An interesting place that combines eastern and western cultures.  You can find  wet markets and traditional  Chinese shops  along with pubs, cafes and western restaurants. In addition,  there are heritage sites, such as Victoria Prison.
Kwun Tong
A famous industrial area, with a great diversity of cultures and traditions. People from different nationalities and backgrounds, such as Indonesians, Pakistanis and people of Chiu Chow origins,  live here harmoniously.
Western District
Hong Kong is known for its fast-paced lifestyle, but this district on  Hong Kong Island is not so busy.  It is famous for handicraft, Chinese medicine and dry seafood shops.  In addition, the streets form an interesting pattern, with many by-lanes dotting the district.
Sham Shui Po
This old urban area in Kowloon  has many traditional outlets which serve as a meeting place  for the residents. Besides, the cloth shops in the district attract  lots of designers and students.



A peek at a cherished lifestyle