Hemlock
The enigmatic Hemlock has been offering his acerbic take on politics and current affairs in Hong Kong since 1996. His first blog, the semi-fictitious Hemlock’s Diary, ran from 2002 to 2009, before turning into Big Lychee (www.biglychee.com), which today mostly offers commentary on the city’s political landscape. In his own words, the mysterious blogger talks about Beijing’s role in shaping Hong Kong, his favorite politicians and why he prefers to remain anonymous.
I’m the “company gweilo”—a barbarian running-dog for a Chinese family-run firm. Many tycoons have one, tucked away in an office in the corporate HQ. It’s a strange job: part-advisor, part-confidant, part-court jester.
It’s a pleasant existence: you’re the sole alien—a Westerner reporting directly to the big boss in an organization full of traditional, obedient employees. You’re completely immune to office politics, Confucianism, or rules.
You can do what you want. Being a nice guy, I don’t abuse it. Honest.
Officially, I write my blog anonymously because of my job. Good excuse. The real reason is that it’s so convenient not having to check facts or be accountable. I can see why some real journalists resent bloggers for that. They also hate people who write for no pay.
Lots of people know who I am (a nonentity you’ve never heard of).
No Beijing official is going to read or care about an English-language blog in Hong Kong. Same goes for Hong Kong government officials—unless you count a few expat police who are readers.