Blowing Water | Does Hong Kong’s dual culture equip it to fulfil its potential?
- As some residents fight to find a new identity for the city, people must uphold the traditional Chinese value of putting the greater good above individual needs
On my arrival in the UK last week, the immigration officer at Heathrow Airport engaged me in conversation about Hong Kong, asking me: “What’s happening in your beautiful country?”
Without hesitation, I said the central issue was that some Hongkongers are fighting to find a new identity for the city.
This started to make me think about the root of Hong Kong’s problems – specifically the street protests which have entered their fifth month, the regular clashes with police growing more violent – and why things are the way they are. Many families have fallen out as a result of the protests and due to widely divided political opinions, and this train of thought eventually led to a more central idea: community.
A culture could be likened to a community and the core strength of a community lies in collectivism, something with which many Chinese people are familiar, whether they are in Hong Kong, China, Malaysia, Singapore, or in the many Chinese diasporas scattered across the globe. All Chinese families are brought up with this mindset, so much so that the importance of family is embedded in our DNA.
Traditional Chinese culture is known for its community-driven attitudes. We believe in the collective approach and that affects how we behave as individuals, drives our family functions, and defines our roles within the family.