Writing Question
Recently the Hong Kong Government published a list of intangible cultural heritage items that the city should protect. Traditional egg tarts and mahjong are on the list.
Write a letter to the editor supporting the Government’s choice of these two features of Hong Kong culture, suggesting why they are worth protecting and how they can be protected.
Dear Editor,
I would like to make use of the column to express my views on the recent notion of intangible cultural heritage items that Hong Kong should protect. Hong Kong has long been acknowledged as Pearl of the Orient due to the fact that Hong Kong is a city with diversity. Also, a mixture of both Chinese and Western culture is the main reason tourists come to Hong Kong and convincingly, saving Hong Kong’s traditional intangible cultural heritage items is undoubtedly crucial for both cultural preservation and the development of the future Hong Kong. If we do not save local culture, nothing else can represent us anymore.
To obviate losing our culture, I am distinctly supportive of government’s action in saving traditional egg tarts and mahjong. Firstly, egg tarts originated in Hong Kong as a fact and it is popular among all Hongkongers whereas nearly every bakery is selling them. By reason of popularity of egg tarts and also collective memories it would be a pity to lose egg tarts or allow them to be replaced by other food. Therefore, I support protecting egg tart as a heritage.
Secondly, I believe no one has never heard of Mahjong, it is a tile-based game which was first developed in China and now, it has been a world-wide entertainment. The reason why it should be protected is that Mahjong is one of the most-played tile-games in Hong Kong and families love playing it during festivals such as Chinese New Year. Even if they can win money off playing it, they tend to look at it as a tool to pull themselves together and interact with one another.
In order to protect both egg tarts and Mahjong, it is crucial for the government to take action immediately, not to stop the selling of egg tarts, nor the playing of Mahjong, but to increase the knowledge of locals and to help the development of Hong Kong.
These are my points of views on the recently published lists from the government.
Yours faithfully
5A Oscar Fong Ka Long