"Hong Kong Week 2014 @ Taipei" to showcase essence of Hong Kong culture (with photos)

Presented by the Hong Kong-Taiwan Cultural Co-operation Committee (HKTCCC) in association with the Hong Kong Economic, Trade and Cultural Office (HKETCO), "Hong Kong Week 2014 @ Taipei" was launched today (October 17) in Taipei. Under the theme of "Hong Kong Folklore • Literary Footprints", the event features an exciting range of programmes and extension activities to offer Taiwanese audiences a closer look at the essence of Hong Kong culture.

The Chairman of the Hong Kong-Taiwan Economic and Cultural Cooperation and Promotion Council (ECCPC), Mr Charles Lee, and the Vice-Chairman of the ECCPC and Convenor of the HKTCCC, Mr Fredric Mao, jointly officiated at the opening ceremony of "Hong Kong Week 2014 @ Taipei".

Mr Mao said, "Folklore and literary works are fine manifestations of humanity and spirit of a place. We hope to further introduce Taiwanese audiences to Hong Kong people's life and culture so that they can understand more about our collective memories and hopes."

Guests attending today's opening ceremony included the　Vice-Chairman of the Taiwan-Hong Kong Economic and Cultural Co-operation Council (THEC), Dr Lin Chu-chia; the Convenor of the Cultural Co-operation Committee under the THEC, Mr Lo Chih-cheng; the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Ms Michelle Li; the HKETCO Director, Mr John Leung; the Deputy Secretary for Home Affairs, Mrs Avia Lai; the Secretary-General of the ECCPC, Miss Charmaine Lee; member of the HKTCCC Mr Gabriel Pang; and participants from the cultural sectors of Hong Kong and Taiwan as well as guests from other sectors.

Mr Leung said, "Hong Kong Week has entered its third year and we are honoured to continue to take part in this major cultural exchange event as a co-organiser. This year, the HKETCO has also organised a Hong Kong Lantern Festival, which features 29 lanterns modelled on Hong Kong famous delicacies, bringing a rich visual feast for the people of Taiwan."

Programmes of this year's Hong Kong Week include "Indigenous Hong Kong - An Exhibition on our Intangible Cultural Traditions" organised by the Hong Kong Heritage Museum. The exhibition will showcase 13 items of Hong Kong's intangible cultural heritage to reveal the city's folk traditions. Another programme is "When Jingkun Met Cantonese Opera - A Chinese Opera Exchange Project", which marks the first collaboration between the Lung Fei Cantonese Opera Troupe of Hong Kong and the GuoGuang Opera Company of Taiwan. The performances will introduce Hong Kong's indigenous local opera, Cantonese opera, to Taiwanese audiences alongside their familiar Peking and Kunqu operas.

Other programmes include "Journeys of a Hong Kong Poet, Leung Ping Kwan (1949-2013)", an exhibition jointly organised by the Art Promotion Office and the Hong Kong Fringe Club. The works of Leung Ping-kwan, who was known by the pen name Yasi and was among Hong Kong's most influential poets and writers, will be introduced during the exhibition, allowing the public of Taiwan to get an insight into his writing, which fully embraced the culture of Hong Kong.

"A Poet and His Muse - Yu Kwang-chung's Poetry in Music" concerts will showcase works by Yu Kwang-chung, which, over the past 30 years, have been set to music by composers from Hong Kong, Taiwan and the Mainland.

The dance drama "Thunderstorm" by Tang Shu-wing Theatre Studio is a collaborative creation by three-time winner of the Best Director Award at the Hong Kong Drama Awards Tang Shu-wing and the award-winning dance choreographers Xing Liang and Mui Cheuk-yin. The production is based on Cao Yu's classic literature work "Thunderstorm".

The "Heart of Coral - A Chamber Opera after the Life of Xiao Hong", organised by the Hong Kong Arts Festival, will explore Xiao Hong's life from Hong Kong's point of view and pay respect to this major female literary figure, whose works have transcended the social and political contexts that she failed to break free from during her lifetime.

The exhibition "50 Years of Hong Kong and Taiwanese Animation" by the Hong Kong Arts Centre will feature animated films produced by the two places from the 1970s to the present day, while the "2014 Hong Kong Contemporary Film Showcase" by the Hong Kong Film Development Council will screen 13 high-quality commercial feature films produced in 2013, ranging from small to medium-sized productions, as well as three compilations of award-winning short films from the past two years.

In addition, the Po Leung Kuk will hold the "Creative Arts Market", inviting local Hong Kong handicraft artists to showcase their creative works and elaborate skills to Taiwanese people by presenting and selling their handmade arts and crafts items.

The "Hong Kong Lantern Festival" organised by the HKETCO will feature lanterns modelled on some of Hong Kong's famous local dishes, including Hong Kong-style milk tea, egg tarts, curry fish balls, rice noodle rolls, poon choi and cart noodles.

A wide range of extension activities such as workshops, arts and crafts demonstrations and academic forums will also take place in Taipei, allowing the people of Taiwan to fully experience the unique charm of Hong Kong's arts and culture.

Moreover, to celebrate the return of Hong Kong Week to Taiwan, a new issue of "Art & Culture @ Hong Kong" has been issued. The public will be able to get a free copy at the exhibition and performance venues.

"Art & Culture @ Hong Kong" reveals an array of fascinating details about Hong Kong. The attractively designed picture book presents the latest on the cosmopolitan city's art, culture, design, creative industry personalities and heritage revitalisation, as well as its unique blend of East and West. An e-book version will also be uploaded to the HKETCO website (www.hketco.hk).
 
Presented by the HKTCCC in association with the HKETCO, Hong Kong Week 2014 is also supported by the Hong Kong Tourism Board, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the Hong Kong Film Development Council.

For more information about Hong Kong Week activities, please refer to the official website (www.hongkongweek-taiwan.hk) or the official Facebook fan page of Hong Kong Week (www.facebook.com/hongkongweektaiwan.hk).

The HKTCCC was established as Hong Kong's counterpart of the Cultural Co-operation Committee under the THEC in Taiwan. It aims to foster exchange, liaison and co-operation between the two places in the development of arts and culture and the creative industries, as well as to communicate and exchange information on issues of mutual concern.
     
"Hong Kong Week 2014 @ Taipei" is the third series of activities launched by the HKTCCC in Taipei. The themes of the past two series were "Culture & Creativity @ Taipei" and "Legacies and Innovations". The exciting range of programmes for audiences in Taiwan showcased Hong Kong's creative energy as a cultural metropolis.

Friday, October 17, 2014