bodyType

customContents

entityId

printArticlePageQuery

filter

article

body

urlAlias

articleSectionsContent

articleSeoArticle

articleSourceHeaderArticle

contentSchemaRenderContent

contentSubHeadlineContent

contentHeadlineContent

mainImagePrintArticleArticle

authorBlockPrintArticleArticle

contentSponsorTagContent

articlePianoPaywallContent

scmpYoutubeContent

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

query printArticlePageQuery(
  $entityId: String!
  $customContents: [CustomContentInput]
  $bodyType: BodyFormatTypeEnum
) {
  article(filter: {entityId: $entityId}) {
    entityId
    body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
      json
    }
    urlAlias
    ...articleSectionsContent
    ...articleSeoArticle_3o8td4
    ...articleSourceHeaderArticle
    ...contentSchemaRenderContent
    ...contentSubHeadlineContent
    ...contentHeadlineContent
    ...mainImagePrintArticleArticle
    ...authorBlockPrintArticleArticle
    ...contentSponsorTagContent
    ...articlePianoPaywallContent
    ...scmpYoutubeContent
    ...hooksTrackPageViewArticle
    id
  }
}

fragment articlePianoPaywallContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksPaywallPromiseContent
}

fragment articleSectionsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      ...helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection
      ...entityLink
      name
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment articleSeoArticle_3o8td4 on Article {
  ...hooksArticleSeoArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersGetArticleTypeArticle
  entityId
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
  summary {
    text
  }
  subHeadline {
    text
  }
  body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
    text
  }
  keywords
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  topics {
    name
    entityId
    id
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  images {
    style(filter: {style: "768x768"}) {
      url
    }
  }
  readingTime
}

fragment articleSourceHeaderArticle on Article {
  urlAlias
  ...entityLink
}

fragment authorBlockPrintArticleArticle on Article {
  ...defaultArticleDateContent
  ...authorNamesArticle
}

fragment authorNameAuthor on Author {
  ...entityLink
  name
  entityUuid
}

fragment authorNamesArticle on Article {
  authorLocations
  authors {
    entityId
    location
    ...authorNameAuthor
    id
  }
}

fragment blockquoteQuoteContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment contentHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  socialHeadline
  ...contentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
}

fragment contentNewsletterWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
    id
  }
  sections {
    value {
      relatedNewsletters {
        ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
        id
      }
      id
    }
  }
  ... on Article {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment contentSchemaRenderContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...blockquoteQuoteContent
  ...imageContent
  ...inlineWidgetContent
  ...photoGalleryWidgetContent
  ...scmpYoutubeContent
}

fragment contentShareWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  shortUrl
  socialHeadline
  headline
}

fragment contentSponsorTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentSubHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  subHeadline {
    json
  }
  summary {
    json
  }
  ...contentSchemaRenderContent
}

fragment defaultArticleDateContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksArticleDateUtilsContent
}

fragment entityLink on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  __typename
  entityId
  entityUuid
  urlAlias
  urlRedirect {
    toUrl
    id
  }
  application {
    entityId
    id
  }
  ... on Section {
    fullSectionPath {
      entityId
      id
    }
    parentSection
  }
  ...helpersAppBarVariantBase
  ...helpersApplicationBase
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersAppBarVariantBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsLiveArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...helpersSectionContent
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersApplicationBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
}

fragment helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection on Section {
  name
}

fragment helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle on Article {
  entityId
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  disableOffPlatformContent
  sponsorType
  published
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment helpersCheckIsLiveArticle on Article {
  flattenTypeIds
  liveArticle {
    status
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    paywallTypes {
      entityUuid
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsStyleArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersGetArticleTypeArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        entityId
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter on Newsletter {
  entityId
  name
  alternativeName
  description {
    text
  }
  summary {
    text
  }
  homepageDescription {
    text
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle on Article {
  authors {
    types
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersStyleSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersUseContentSponsorContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    sponsor {
      ...sponsorTagSponsor
      name
      type
      id
    }
    id
  }
  ... on Article {
    sponsorType
  }
  ...helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent
}

fragment hooksArticleDateUtilsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  createdDate
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
}

fragment hooksArticleSeoArticle on Article {
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle
  entityId
  headline
  socialHeadline
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
  images {
    generic_og: style(filter: {style: "og_image_scmp_generic"}) {
      url
    }
    styles(filter: {styles: ["og_image_posties_article", "og_postmag", "og_image_style", "og_image_scmp_analysis", "og_image_scmp_explainer", "og_image_scmp_editorial", "og_image_scmp_fact_check", "og_image_scmp_debate", "og_image_scmp_live", "og_image_scmp_obituary", "og_image_scmp_opinion", "og_image_scmp_review", "og_image_scmp_series", "og_image_scmp_generic"]}) {
      url
      style
    }
    type
  }
  urlAlias
}

fragment hooksContentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        name
        entityId
        description {
          text
        }
        id
      }
    }
    ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  }
  flag
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  ...hooksContentHelperContent
}

fragment hooksContentHelperContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle
  ...helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle
  ...helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle
  flag
}

fragment hooksPaywallPromiseContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment hooksTrackPageViewArticle on Article {
  entityId
  publishedDate
  headline
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  entityUuid
}

fragment imageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  ...checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent
}

fragment inlineWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentNewsletterWidgetContent
}

fragment mainImagePrintArticleArticle on Article {
  images {
    title
    url
    isSlideshow
    size_652x446: style(filter: {style: "652x446"}) {
      url
    }
  }
}

fragment photoGalleryDialogContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment photoGalleryWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...photoGalleryDialogContent
}

fragment scmpYoutubeContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  publishedDate
}

fragment sponsorTagSponsor on Sponsor {
  name
  type
  images {
    url
  }
}


sections

types

disableOffPlatformContent

sponsorType

published

headline

socialHeadline

authors

images

publishedDate

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

keywords

topics

readingTime

authorLocations

entityUuid

Anson Au

Last month, an online forum in Hong Kong circulated a 2013 article written by a mainland Chinese scholar, for Chinese-language teachers here, suggesting that Mandarin, rather than Cantonese, should be Hong Kong’s mother tongue. What’s more, the scholar, Song Xinqiao, drew on resources published by the Hong Kong Education Bureau to back his assertion.
The article ignited a firestorm from all corners of Hong Kong, with commentators, writers and even celebrities, including Chinese-language teacher Benjamin Au Yeung Wai-hoo – more popularly known as “Ben Sir” – chiming in. 
The issue has touched a raw nerve in Hong Kong. For years, a group of Hongkongers have warned about the expansion of mainland Chinese influence in Hong Kong and how it would result in the displacement of local identity and culture, of which Cantonese is an important part; a displacement that Hong Kong people seem powerless to stop. 

Mandarin may be king, but it can’t sideline Cantonese in Hong Kong
But the imposition of mainland Chinese values on a vassal society is not without historical precedent. Taiwan’s experience offers some clarity as we grapple with our contemporary fears. 
In fact, this historical parallel suggests that Hong Kong identity will never disappear, and neither will Cantonese. Hong Kong is not nearly as helpless as it thinks.


When Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek and his followers fled to Taiwan following their defeat by Mao Zedong and the Chinese Communist Party in 1949, they implemented a set of policies in Taiwan within a larger effort of “re-Sinicisation”. The intention of these policies was to socialise the Taiwanese into Chinese culture and identity, purge deep-seated Japanese influences, and ultimately prepare for Taiwan’s anticipated reunification with the mainland. 
These policies, which were enforced with authoritarian brutality, led to discrimination and inequality in virtually every sphere of life. 

Local Taiwanese were discriminated against in employment for a lack of Mandarin proficiency or qualification requirements that followed those in China. Many Taiwanese ended up being replaced by mainland Chinese elite in industry, politics and the civil service, such as in the judicial offices.
Hong Kong is not nearly as helpless as it thinks
Other “softer” measures were implemented that tried to supplant Taiwanese characteristics with Chinese traits: Mandarin and other Chinese dialects became the national languages in education, television and films; buildings were reconstructed in northern Chinese architectural styles; street names in Taipei were replaced with ones that were associated with traditional Confucian values; non-Mandarin speakers were stigmatised and even portrayed as criminals in the media; and local, non-Mandarin cultural expressions were censured, with those judged guilty given corporal punishment.  
As brutal as these policies were, the Taiwanese identity and native languages did not die. 
In response to the repression, counterculture trends flourished across the spheres of literature, language, education and politics, in a widespread movement for Taiwanese localisation. New political parties were formed that were dedicated to defending local Taiwanese interests, social movements were born to protect local rights and localise textbook content, and a new wave of writers emerged who actively tried to define a Taiwanese identity.  
Why Chinese Malaysian writers go to Taiwan to find cultural identity

Despite facing oppressive conditions far worse than Hong Kong, the Taiwanese succeeded in maintaining their identity. Opinion polls continue to indicate popular identification with some kind of Taiwanese ethnicity, even if in combination with Chinese ethnicity.
What has been essential to the Taiwanese identity is a shared resentment against mainland China
Taiwanese history and its native languages have been successfully preserved in museums and daily life. Discrimination against locals has also been pushed back. 
Over the years, different groups of Taiwanese have bonded over their common history of national suffering and experience of marginalisation. The Taiwanese identity that has emerged continues to unite its people. 
The Taiwanese created for themselves a repertoire of cultural norms, values and practices that is collectively understood and drawn upon for empowerment. And the tools with which they did this – political parties, social movements, literary discussions, public speech to defend localised education and protect heritage – are also present in Hong Kong. Hong Kong has its own common experiences to unite its people and it certainly isn’t powerless to defend its language.  
Hatred is a powerful source of strength. What has been essential to the Taiwanese identity is a shared resentment against mainland China. Motivated by a history of oppression to protect their sense of belonging, the Taiwanese conceived of a national identity to clearly demarcate outsiders.
An increasingly assertive China is pushing Taiwan closer to the US
Taiwan is not ethnically homogeneous. But for all the differences between the ethnic groups, the re-Sinicisation policy directive united the people and forged a Taiwanese identity. 

Like Taiwan, Hong Kong can draw on its antipathy towards mainland encroachment into local culture and norms to differentiate Hongkongers from mainlanders, to preserve the “purity” of its people. Mainlanders are “outsiders” here as much as they are in Taiwan. And being less ethnically diverse, Hong Kong may find it even easier to foster a sense of unity.
Cantonese will never die as long as the people are united in their defence of the local language and culture. And unity will not die as long as hatred lives.
You could never replace Cantonese as the language of Hong Kong
But, still, there are better ways to move forward. Hatred breeds unity, but in fragmented camps that will lead to war. 
Under the current conditions, Cantonese will live on but so will conflict. To help ease Hong Kong-mainland relations in at least one key area, the Hong Kong Education Bureau should do its part to heed Hong Kong sensitivities and work to preserve a balance between Cantonese and Mandarin instruction in the local school system. 
Anson Au is a visiting researcher in the Department of Sociology at Hong Kong Baptist University
 


Any attack on the Cantonese language will only strengthen Hong Kong identity – just look at Taiwan’s experience

Cantonese will never die as long as the people are united in their defence of the local language and culture. Illustration: Craig Stephens

This picture taken on October 20, 2017 shows a boy stamping a Chinese character during an exhibition in Taipei. Concerns in Taiwan are growing over the survival of the traditional Chinese characters used only in Taiwan and Hong Kong as the system of simplified characters created by China in the 1950s has been adopted by all other ethnic Chinese societies and become the predominant way of writing Chinese. / AFP PHOTO / SAM YEH / TO GO WITH STORY: Taiwan culture language tech China, FEATURE by Amber WANG

TAI01D:FEATURE:TAIPEI,29SEP99 - FOR RELEASE WITH STORY BC-CHINA-ANNIVERSARY-TAIWAN - Framed by images of China's 20th century arch rivals -- Communist Chairman Mao Zedong (L) and Nationalist Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek -- bartender/co-owner Lin Yu-chieh shakes a cocktail in Taipei's Chairman Mao Cafe Bar Bistro. The democracy that has sprouted in Taiwan over the past decade has widened the political chasm between the Nationalist-ruled island and the Communist mainland, but also has ushered in a freewheeling, freethinking era in which old truths about Taiwanese and Chinese identities -- and the rival China's themselves -- are being shaken. The 50th anniversary of communist China's October 1, 1949, founding puts such differences in sharp focus, as such a cafe would have been unthinkable in Taiwan during the martial law era that ended only 12 years ago. Picture taken September 28,1999. jkp/Photo by Simon Kwong REUTERS

Calligraphy and paintings displayed in an exhibition to celebrate the 90th anniversary of PLA's founding (People's Liberation Army) at HK Central Library in Causeway Bay. 30AUG17 SCMP / Nora Tam

A black and white picture of Taiwan in the 1950s photographed by Yang Chih-hsin.

Opinion

Comment

Anson Au says Taiwan’s experience with the ‘re-Sinicisation’ policies of Chiang Kai-shek’s time shows how such cultural oppression will only lead to hatred, and an awakening of local identity 


Taiwan’s experience with the ‘re-Sinicisation’ policies of Chiang Kai-shek’s time shows how such cultural oppression will only lead to hatred, and an awakening of local identity.


Cantonese