Key words Search–Talk on Chinese Classics: Chinese Garden Culture
| Date: |
2025/11/16 (Sunday) |
| Time: |
2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Venue: |
Hong Kong Central Library (Lecture Theatre, G/F)
|
| Description: |
Hong Kong has been a place where East meets West since the 19th Century. On this piece of land, tea culture has a long history and has stood the test of time and integrated into the lives of local people. From teahouses in earlier times to the trend of tea drinking today, not only has the tea culture of Hong Kong captured the essence of the traditional Chinese tea culture, it has also established its own unique style under a pluralistic cultural environment. Changes in the habits of tea drinking have also truthfully reflected the changes in our society and lifestyle. Whether you are having tea with your family and friends or enjoying a cuppa by yourself, tea has become an important medium through which people connect and exchange with each other. This talk will explore the changes in the tea culture of Hong Kong over the past hundred years and how the culture has integrated into the lives of Hong Kong people. |
| Date: |
2024/11/16 (Saturday) |
| Time: |
3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Venue: |
City Hall Public Library (Extension Activities Room)
|
| Description: |
This subject talk is one of the events of The 4th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area Culture and Arts Festival. Hong Kong is hosting the festival for the first time, organising and coordinating 260 performances and exchange activities to be held across the "9+2" cities of the Greater Bay Area. The festival aims to showcase the vibrant and diverse cultural richness of the region and foster cultural exchange and cooperation among the cities. For detailed information about the festival, please visit www.gbacxlo.gov.hk.
The popularity of Hong Kong’s cheongsam culture can date back to the early 20th century when politicians, merchants, teachers and students, ladies of prominent families as well as singers, film stars and Chinese opera performers began to wear the dress. With a large number of tailors coming to Hong Kong in the late 1940s, the cheongsam became a fashionable garment that was highly sought after in the 1950s and 1960s. Today, after a century’s passing down and changes along the way, the cheongsam remains hugely popular in Hong Kong. In this talk, you will learn more about the cheongsam for men and women in Hong Kong, including its history, craft, legacy, the change and continuity in terms of social practices, as well as its preservation as an intangible cultural heritage. |
| Date: |
2025/7/27 (Sunday) |
| Time: |
2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Venue: |
Hong Kong Central Library (Lecture Theatre, G/F)
|
| Description: |
“Gongs and drums beaten aloud with streets and alleys packed with people” is the memory of the Lo Pan (Master) Festival in the past. Venerated as the deity of the construction industry, Lo Pan is worshipped in shops and offices as well as temples purposefully built for this master. The Lo Pan Festival is still considered a major event of the industry today. By introducing how different districts of Hong Kong celebrate the festival and the ups and downs of celebration activities over the years, this talk will explore the changes in the culture and beliefs of the Hong Kong’s construction industry. |
| Date: |
2026/9/13 (Sunday) |
| Time: |
2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Venue: |
Hong Kong Central Library (Lecture Theatre, G/F)
|
| Description: |
The technique of making painted porcelain by applying overglaze decoration to white porcelain before firing is known as jiacai in the industry. During the 20th century, jiacai was a booming industry in Hong Kong. With a history spanning nearly a century, painted porcelain produced in Hong Kong, also known as Gangcai, is mainly made for export. Not only has Gangcai been influenced by painted porcelain making techniques from Guangdong, but it also represents a fusion of Hong Kong’s local culture with traditional Chinese culture and the cultures of various export markets. Drawing on oral history records, the speaker will share the development, distinct characteristics and technical highlights of Gangcai. |
| Date: |
2026/12/5 (Saturday) |
| Time: |
2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Venue: |
Hong Kong Central Library (Lecture Theatre, G/F)
|
| Description: |
A considerable portion of Hong Kong’s intangible cultural heritage is closely related to food and drink. In particular, the everyday Chinese-style tea restaurants, better known as cha chaan teng, have earned a special place in the city’s heritage. The making techniques of Hong Kong-style milk tea, pineapple buns and egg tarts have been included in the Intangible Cultural Heritage Inventory of Hong Kong, underscoring their precious historical and cultural value. The rich aroma of Hong Kong-style milk tea speaks of generations of refined tea-making skills, while its silky smoothness tells the story of the dedicated masters who have perfected it. The pineapple bun, a creative product of cultural fusion, carries a history of changing names and evolving identity. Meanwhile, egg tarts have long offered a choice between flaky puff pastry and crisp “cookie” pastry, accommodating different tastes and connecting deeply to our daily life. Together, the intangible culinary heritage of cha chaan teng weaves an intriguing story of Hong Kong, one that lingers on with a lasting aftertaste. |
| Date: |
2025/9/21 (Sunday) |
| Time: |
2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Venue: |
Hong Kong Central Library (Lecture Theatre, G/F)
|
| Description: |
Following the Japanese Occupation of three years and eight months, Hong Kong experienced a sharp fall in population and a breakdown in the economy. Post-war reconstruction was imminent in the 1950s. At this juncture, a large number of mainlanders travelled south to Hong Kong for opportunities and brought with them capital and technologies. However, the Korean War followed and a trade embargo was imposed on China. Hong Kong was forced to transform from an entrepôt to an industrial city, thus laying the foundation for Hong Kong’s economic development. In this talk, the speaker will join us in revisiting the history of the War of Resistance and give an account of the post-war economic changes that Hong Kong underwent, providing a picture of Hong Kong’s metamorphosis from a war-ravaged city to an international metropolis. |
| Date: |
2024/4/21 (Sunday) |
| Time: |
11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. |
| Venue: |
Tai Po Public Library (Extension Activities Room)
|
| Description: |
Conducted in Cantonese. Free and limited admission by reservation. Reservation through telephone or in person starts from 7.4.2024 (Sunday), on a first-come-first-served basis. |
| Date: |
2024/4/7 (Sunday) |
| Time: |
11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. |
| Venue: |
Tai Po Public Library (Extension Activities Room)
|
| Description: |
Conducted in Cantonese. Free and limited admission by reservation. Reservation through telephone or in person starts from 24.3.2024 (Sunday), on a first-come-first-served basis. |
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