Magic, Canto-pop, a French author, and the Hong Kong performer looking to recreate an age of innocence in her shows

Holding onto both sides of a yellow rag wrapped around a green ukulele, Hong Kong magician Jane Kong Sui-ching remains still while the instrument seemingly levitates of its own accord.

 This is a new trick the 24-year-old has created, drawing inspiration from one of her favourite books, The Little Prince – a novella by French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupéry in which the author discusses the nature of grown-ups and their inability to perceive important things through a golden-haired young boy clad in green.

“Growing up is not the problem. Forgetting is,” Kong says, quoting a line from the book that touched her heart.

Kong says most people lose their curiosity and forget their heart’s desires after growing up.

“Everyone has a side of innocence at the bottom of the heart. I hope I can use my magic to help them find their own ‘little prince’,” she says.

For Kong, who has been practising magic for five years, there is more to the art form than conjuring a rabbit out of a top hat.