Reimagine Hong Kong

CO-CREATING HONG KONG In Reimagine Hong Kong, Jia Jia explores the cultural identity of China s special administrative region, which began to emerge in the mid-twentieth century during its time as a British colony. His critique delves into the contradictions and dichotomies that have defined Hong Kong, weaving together history, philosophy, sociology, and economics. Jia Jia believes it is time to take a long, reflective look at his hometown, two and a half decades after its return to China. He started writing this memoir during the last wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022. His analysis of real estate, urbanism, popular culture, linguistics, literature, and food culture offers a unique and thought-provoking perspective on the global financial centre s past, present, and future. Reimagine Hong Kong addresses three fundamental questions: Does Hong Kong have an identity crisis ? Why has it been labelled a cultural desert ? Has Hong Kong fostered its own meaninglessness and tastelessness ? This compelling thesis reimagines the metropolis from a distance while addressing global universal issues through its local culture. The author takes readers on an unforgettable journey from London s theatres to New York s skyscrapers, Tokyo s nano homes, and back to vernacular heritage architecture, neon signs, and tea restaurants, alongside various social phenomena. This anthology is a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the unprecedented conflicts of the early twenty-first century, shaped by geopolitics and ideologies, including the woke movement. Accompanied by a captivating photograph by Wong Wei-him, each chapter serves as a study on the cross-cultural impacts of the digital revolution, postmodernity, postcolonialism, and late capitalism on social structure, human behaviour, aesthetics, and taste. Jia Jia concludes by reflecting on futurism and posthumanism.