The buzz
Philosopher and thinker Confucius taught the way to live a better life was to respect other people and honour the memory of the departed.
Along with duty, loyalty, honour and filial piety, Confucius believed that strong family relationships were key to a stable society, and these were achieved by showing respect to one's elders and ancestors.
While we may not be related to them by blood, historical figures and entertainers are being remembered in a series of events across Hong Kong that show their memories live on through their art or actions even today.
Fong Yim-fun was known as the 'Queen of Cantonese opera' in the 1950s, and appeared in more than 140 films that showcased her virtuosity and distinctive singing style.
Singer Nam Fung, who has also won acclaim for her versatility, will reprise some of Fong's most famous roles in performances from March 11-12, including Joyous Wedding and A Forsaken Woman.
The shows at City Hall, being held as part of the Arts Festival, will come after the singer and her male stage partners, Tam Sin-hung, Tam Wing-pong and Danny Li, discuss the famed opera star's singing style and performance methods at a seminar at Tsim Sha Tsui's Commercial Press bookstore at 3pm on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Patricia Lam Fung was one of the biggest stars of Hong Kong cinema in the 1950s and 60s, and by the time she retired in 1966, at the age of 27, she had starred in more than 100 movies.
The life and times of the 'Jade Girl' are being remembered at the Film Archive's Morning Matinee series, which is screening some of Lam's best-known films such as Sweet Girl in Terror and Two City Girls, until January 21.
Speaking of the Film Archive, those tireless champions of local cinematic history have been going through their vaults and selected 25 classics for the Best from the Archive Collection, a series being held to mark the organisation's 10th anniversary.
The screenings run until February 27 and will showcase many stars of yesteryear such as Patrick Tse Yin and Kwan Tak-hing.
Meanwhile, the performing arts are also looking back in time with two stand-out shows that celebrate the achievements of two famous historical Chinese figures.
First, Pants Production is staging A Variation of Zhang Xueliang, a dramatic re-examination of the life of famed general Zhang Xueliang, at the Dr Sun Yat-sen Museum, from today until Sunday.
Then at Kwai Tsing Theatre on Saturday and Sunday, Utopia Cantonese Opera Workshop is presenting Arena: Kill the Future, which focuses on the final 24 hours of military commander Han Xin, who helped found the Han dynasty.
Finally, memories of Sham Shui Po's colourful past are being kept alive by the Centre for Community Cultural Development's popular walking tours. Participants are told various historical and alternative anecdotes about the district on a guided walk through Hong Kong's collective memory. The next tour is scheduled to take place on February 16. For inquiries, call 2891 8482.
We'll leave you with a quote from Confucius: 'The superior man, while his parents are alive, reverently nourishes them; and, when they are dead, reverently sacrifices to them. His thought to the end of his life is how not to disgrace them.'
