Author Archives: Tongyu Zhou

The top of the bird tower in Yuen Long Park grants its viewers an entire 360 panorama of the surrounding New Territories area. To the left are the more modest establishments, colorful and stout, almost flooded with middle aged women … Continue reading →

The war god sits in an altar between two pots of incense, silhouetted by red light. His painted black brows remain arched, driving invaders away from this Punti walled village for centuries. Despite his angry demeanor, he is a modest … Continue reading →

There is a short bridge that marks the border between Hongkong and Shenzhen. Sunken cages filled with fish occupy the waters on either sides—economical, yet a bit comical as from a distance, they almost resemble fuzzy black caterpillars. A few … Continue reading →

There are various names by which they refer to the women of this city. The foreign domestic workers are mui-tsai, an ironically endearing substitute for bonded servants, but they are not considered in the annual census. If the family was … Continue reading →

A commonly practiced skill unique to Hongkong, or more specifically to the frequenters of the flea markets on Temple Street. Mastery may perhaps take a couple more days. My friend tells me the trick is to go through a specific … Continue reading →

100 dollar bill: The one I own was printed from the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, at the probability of 25 percent. The profile of the lion that proudly gazes into the distance from the sheet of cotton is … Continue reading →

i. At first glance, a highly efficient, pedestrian city. Across busy highways, crosswalks are substituted for land bridges, plastered all over with advertisements for laundry detergent, a new film about growing pains, unpopular slogans for the socialist party. The Octopus … Continue reading →