Hong Kong Androgynous: Embodying Cultural Hybridity

Abstract

The story of Hong Kong reached its climax—or some might say, anticlimax—at midnight on June 30, 1997 when the trajectory of this crown colony of the former British Empire was forever altered. At precisely 11:59 pm of June 30, the whole world watched the British Union Jack being lowered down the pole. At 12:01 am on July 1, the Chinese five-star banner went up. As these two national flags changed place, we also saw the old Hong Kong flag being replaced by a new Hong Kong flag. The page of history was literally turned over, in a seemingly elaborate slow motion, in front of the eyes of the world. I remember how emotional I felt when the British flag disappeared in the air: more than a century long of Western colonialism in China was finally over. But as soon as the red Chinese national flag went up, my patriotic feeling was quickly taken over by a shiver: authoritarian rule over Hong Kong! My thought then turned to Taiwan, my native country, and I shivered at the idea that the fate of Hong Kong will become Taiwan’s some day. I did not want to think any more of it, so I turned off the TV.