From: wong@m.cs.uiuc.edu (Angeline)
Subject: HK "roots"??  << was: "I love Hong Kong, too!  But why? >>
Organization: University of Illinois, Dept. of Comp. Sci., Urbana, IL
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1992 22:14:54 GMT


A while back I posted a note on why I love Hong Kong and ended it with a
statement about Hong Kong having no "roots".  Needless to say, it riled up 
quite a few people who immediately jumped to HKers defense, and argued with 
me concerning the "roots" question.  I feel that I should post once more to 
clarify my views on the topic.

For the record, I am an ABC.  Being abc has its difficulties, the obvious
clashes that came from my traditional Chinese upbringing, yet in a liberal
American environment.  Despite my parents efforts, I have been influenced by
American society, and I think this is inevitable, nor do I necessarily think
it is wrong.  Unfortunately, this dichotomy in my upbringing, also causes
a similar rift in my identity, bringing up an age old abc dilemma: am I 
Chinese or am I American?  My parents and all they have passed on to me is
Chinese, and my current circle of friends are HKers; I feel almost Chinese
as I speak the language, adhere to the traditions, and try to abide by the 
customs.  Unfortunately, I can never say I am truly Chinese.  Ethnically I
am, but I don't think this is the point here; the point is what identity I 
choose to identify with, or feel most identified with.  Yet I feel no ties
to the mother land; how can I when I have never been there?  When I see
someone from China, can I honestly say, "I feel this person is my brother or
sister"?  No, I cannot.  Yes, I feel an overall bond with any Chinese person,
but I feel much closer to an HK person, than someone from the mainland.

But then, I grew up in the States, am endoctrined in its ways, and have spent
95% of my life on its land; I have a legitimate tie here.  Yet, am I American,
and am I accepted as such?  I think that my appearance immediately sets an
obstacle here; will I ever be accepted by the white majority as a true equal?
Perhaps in the future, but not now.  

Therefore, I really have a difficult time identifying with either culture.  I
would _like_ to be Chinese, but do I really have a right to claim as such?
But back to the roots topic: I have no roots.  I am neither Chinese nor
American, yet by the same token I am both.  In this way I think that Hong
Kong people have no roots.  Oh, of course you have roots in Hong Kong, but I 
have received email to the effect that, "Yes, we are Chinese, same as the people
on the mainland." Do you really feel an allegiance to China?  Are you willing 
to give your life and fight for Hong Kong?  Do you feel any connections to 
the British?  HKers are HKBCs, and are a different entity as such, despite
your close proximity to the mainland, just as I am Chinese, but I am American
Born Chinese, and differ as such.

I mean to accuse noone, and am not trying to belittle Hong Kong or its people
in any way; I am merely trying to state that I feel Hong Kong is...displaced,
and in an interesting position because of that.  Someone sent me email saying
"The gap you mentioned between mainland Chinese and Hong Kong Chinese is 
merely economic."  Is this the majority view?  When you go to the mainland,
do you feel the same as the people there, and that the only difference is
economic?  There are no integral diffrences in culture, or in outlook on 
life?  If this is the case, then I have misinterpreted what I have observed,
and I apologize profusely.

Again, this is not an attack on Hong Kong people at all, just a viewpoint
on the fact that when Hong Kong goes back to China in 1997, Hong Kong
will still remain a separate entity, if not geographically, then at least
culturally; over a century of being a British colony will not smoothed
over that easily.

At least, that's my opinion, and yes, it could very well be wrong.

@angi


-- 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
angeline wong		"Emancipate yourself from mental slavery,
    UIUC		 none but ourselves can free our minds"
wong@cs.uiuc.edu			- "Redemption Song", Bob Marley
Newsgroups: soc.culture.hongkong