Pre Trip Paper

Emma Basilone
Hong Kong Pre-Trip Paper
Dr. Eric Hong and Shunzhu Wang
January 1, 2008

The “handover” or buigui of Hong Kong from British control to Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People’s Republic of China has affected many aspects of Hong Kong culture. One of the most notable areas affected was dress, style and shopping. The music, performances, and culture shown by the media at the Handover ceremonies indicate the diverse cultures that were coming together. The Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra preformed in their usual concern dress which include traditional Chinese robes (Witzleben [123]). Dancers in colorful costumes preformed with both the Western and Chinese orchestras (Witzleben [123]). In the ceremony of lowering the British flag and raising the Chinese flag, both National Anthems of the respective countries were played by people in their traditional dress (Witzleben [124]) The British band wore red jackets and tall fur hats and the Chinese band wore the military green of the People’s Liberation Army (Witzleben [124]). The handover ceremony was just the start of the changing Hong Kong culture and these changes have made Hong Kong a combination of Western style and traditional Chinese style.
Another example of the Hong Kong style and shopping culture is seen in the promotional video influencing people to visit Hong Kong. This video shows Hong Kong as a diverse place full of exciting shopping experiences infused with Chinese culture (Hong Kong Tourism). In one frame the video shows monks and other seemingly religious people dressed in traditional garbs (Hong Kong Tourism). Another frame shows the modern shopping with advertisements for high-end brands in the background. The video shows Hong Kong as a cosmopolitan area with its culture combination of east meets west in a very appealing light. For example the brand Louis Vuitton is shown in the background of one shot of the video and a few seconds later the women are show trying on traditional Chinese vests at what looks like a local store (Hong Kong Tourism).. The women also shop in a huge mall that almost looks like a skyscraper with amazing circular architecture complete with windows on the ceiling creating a bright inviting lighting. Many other customs are displayed in the promotional video including a dragon performance and performers dressed in bright colors wearing a large amount of the color deep red (Hong Kong Tourism). Traditional face paint and other customs are also displayed in this exciting and very attracting video.
Popular culture and music always has a huge effect on the culture of a countries image. An example many people can relate to are the many genres of American music culture of the 90s, on one hand we had the grunge era led by Nirvana and the other the Spice Girls movement in the late 1990’s. The same changes can be seen in countries all over the world, and Hong Kong is no exception. Popular music, also known as Cantopop by the Western world, in Hong Kong has an almost cult like following (Witzleben [241]). One of their biggest artists Anita Mui is included in this visual and musical movement. Anita Mui is known for being a chameleon in her performances, which keeps peoples attention (Witzleben [247]). Hong Kong’s fusion of western and eastern cultures has played a big part in the success of artists like Anita Mui and Chinese versions of American artists (Witzleben [243]). Music always plays a role in fashion, the two subjects are practically inseparable especially for younger people and teenagers. Music is naturally a visual process especially with costumes during performances, music videos and internet video resources.
From the papers discussed above and the promotional video on Hong Kong tourism, I have varied expectations on the culture and style. On one hand I believe they will be dressed in a pop culture style including pattern, bright colors, many layers and many characters such as Hello Kitty. On the other hand since their culture is an infusion of eastern and western culture, their style could be similar to the styles of many Americans and Europeans, ie jeans and tee-shirts. With the wide usage of the internet the style of countries across the world could be almost mainstreamed by constant communication.
I am excited to experience the traditional and cultural aspects of Hong Kong through the public and the performances, which include many costumes and robes. This trip will open my eyes to the way other countries cultures and traditions affect the way people dress. Hong Kong is a hub for fashion and trade, which leads me to expect many high end brands both in stores and as counterfeits in markers. I hope to see a balance of western and eastern cultures and be able to experience the eastern side to the best of my ability. I hope to experience traditional dances that include the symbolism of dragons and other elaborate performances.
Although I have done quite a bit of traveling, I have never experienced Asia. With Hong Kong being renowned as a global city, it should be nothing short of a stepping stone of my travels into that side of the world. Some writers and critics state that Hong Kong’s mishmash of cultures has led to a disappearance of individuality, but I feel instead that the mixture has a huge appeal. I can not wait to form my own opinions and memories about this amazing culture and its people.

Works Cited
Hong Kong Tourism Promotional Video . YouTube.com. 3 Jan. 2009 .
Lung Man Wai. Asian Musicology Gaidong in Hong Kong: The Ecology of Commercial Chinese Instrumental Music Preformance. Hong Kong: n.p., 2006 (vol. 9) .
Witzleben, Lawrence J. Cantopop and Mandapop in Pre-Postcolonial Hong Kong: Identity Negotiation in the Performances of Anita Mui Yim-Fong. N.p.: Cambridge University Press, 1999.
Music in Hong Kong Handover Ceremonies: A community Re-Imagines Itself. Illinois : University of Illinois Press on behalf of Society for Ethnomusicology , 2002.