BREATHE NEW LIFE TO OUR HERITAGE Proposing Cha Chaan Teng to be on list of World Intangible Cultural Heritage was once a hot‐button issue in 2007. Yet, it soon died out since dissidents, perceiving this culture is still vibrant, disagreed on this idea. They limited heritage worth protection only to the marginalized species. In effect, neither static stone nor stagnant slough is our heritage, but traditional and living. Therefore, heritage with significant value, including living culture, should also be safeguarded. On the other hand, heritage conservation goes beyond just preserving the pivotal elements and values. We have to rejuvenate it, raise its contemporary value, let it “flow” in society and pass on to future generation. Moreover, owing to globalization, heritage conservation is another universal act. Promoting indigenous culture abroad is also significant. Unfortunately, our bastion of heritage is not firmly‐built. In default of a comprehensive legal framework, only Declared Monuments take refuge from the law [1], but what about other graded buildings? Besides, our government appears like a toddler in this respect. Not only conservation for the Central Market seems to be the only community‐based project at hand [2], but we lack a proper listing of our intangible heritage as well. So far only Cantonese Opera and herbal tea are on list of the World Intangible Heritage. Moreover, proactive measure for identifying the heritage in need of safeguard is in shortage. People usually voice out only when strife between economic development and heritage conservation emerges [3]. Not until the announcement of removing the Queen Pier due to Central and Wan Chai Reclamation did the public protest. Being a novice in heritage conservation, Hong Kong certainly has to spare strenuous efforts to plant a warranted root. We have to try everything under the sun. 1. Legislation Any conservation work is predicated on comprehensive and coherent policy. First of all, clearer instruction should be set in deciding what to conserve [4]. Proper listing of intangible heritage can also be undertaken for identification. Besides, laws had better be as stringent as that in Japan to protect all heritages on list. Even the design of buildings, like building height and site coverage area, is complied with the law in the buffer zones in Kyoto [5]. 2. Revitalization Despite legislation, there are other means to conserve heritage. Revitalizing the whole district beyond doubt is a correct approach. Some embellishments can help further project the indigenous culture and characteristics of a place. Alongside the La Saone in Lyon, France, for instance, four buildings stand erect with oil‐painted wall featuring rituals of the local residents. Lampposts in Jingdezhen, a capital in China prominent for pottery production, are made of porcelain as well. Likewise, in our conservation projects, instead of creating another oasis of greenery, can we depict the characteristic and history of a zone better? We could have delineated the past fishing village life of Tsuen Wan on walls of buildings. 3. Revival of endangered intangible heritage To revive our marginalized intangible cultural heritage, on the other hand, we can integrate it with our existing cultural context. Take Cantonese Opera as an example. From our stereotyped impression, it is the elderly’s tinny trifle; based on Chinese history and classics, the content is so conventionally insipid. In short, it is no pleasure for teenagers. Yet, is it impossible to ignite their interest? A revolution in plot development may pacify our worries. We can indeed include some controversial issues mirroring phenomenon in our current society, such as the dimming filial piety, augmenting divorce rate and political indifference of the public, into the script. If reflection on virtues of Chinese people does not tailor to the juveniles’ taste, then such innuendo about Hongkongers may be piquant enough for them to relish watching Cantonese Opera. 4. Public’s participation Beyond all these feasible measures, public’s participation forms the prerequisite for heritage conservation. Without citizens’ concern, identification for their own heritage will probably fail. To such lengths did they abandon their tradition, history and other qualities that the heritage would be no more able to survive in contemporary life or sustain to the next generation. As a result, public awareness has to be raised. This can be done by granting them more opportunity to involve in the process of conservation, eliminating their helplessness in the matter. With the people‐oriented approach, Community Renewal Plan is a well‐illustrated project amply practiced in foreign countries like Australia and America. It amalgamates input from residents, government, business and community who undertake planning to recognize the top priorities in each zone. After identification, they submit a plan towards the place they live out of heartfelt care. More importantly, initiated from the local people rather than the government, the planning is a voluntary action [6]. In Hong Kong, all 18 districts have their own uniqueness. If our government promotes this project, our ladder to public’s participation in heritage conservation will be no more obscure. 5. Digitalization and Documentation In reality, not only the local’s enthusiasm for bulwarking heritage should we spark, but also the worldwide one. Nowadays internet culture is cosmopolitan and prevailing. Blogs preside over written diaries; Forums become bridges to connect different people to share their interests; the Internet is another cultural space on which all people endow attention. We can use this podium in a clever manner. For the sake of promoting our culture to foreigners, we should record our heritages in a systematic way such as digitalization and documentation, and exhibit them online. The website titled ChengDu Intangible Heritage Library is one of the exemplifications [7]. If words, pictures, audios and videos online can already draw the website visitors like a magnet, they may really step onto our land and appreciate our culture. Then, our aims will be attained; dreams will be realized. Myriads of lighthouses are already here, guiding the lost child who has been blundering through the dark forest the correct pathway home. Therefore, Hong Kong, don’t falter in your resolve now. It is never too late to embark on the heritage conservation work. Someday, we will forge our firmest fortress of heritage. Tomorrow, we will. (1000 words) Notes& References: [1] The grading of the building per se will not put the building under statutory protection under the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance (Cap. 53). FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON ASSESSMENT OF 1,444 BUILDINGS WHICH MAY HAVE HERITAGE VALUE. Antiquities and Monuments Office. http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Monument/form/AAB_brief_faq_en.pdf [2] "Conservation Package" for Central is announced by Donald Tsang Yam‐kuen in his 2009 policy, but critics still comment a genuine advancement of heritage policy rather than just individual buildings could have been implemented. Joyce Ng, Law may be needed to stop historicCentral area being overdeveloped. SCMP. Oct. 16 2009 [3] ‘The Victoria Harbour protection and Star Ferry Clock Tower removal incidents have awakened the conservation awareness of the Hong Kong people…but in the past decades, many of them have been demolished for redevelopment, resulting in the special attention received by the surviving buildings,’ Policy balance tilts towards conservation. SINGTAO DAILY. Oct. 16 2009 [4] The Antiquities Advisory Board has a set of criteria on choosing monuments but they have never made the criterion public. Policy could have included intangible elements such as a site's social value and the role it plays in our collective memory. A losing battle. SCMP. Jan. 1 2007 [5] Yuichi Ishikawa, 'PROTECTION OF THE "BUFFER ZONE" OF THE WORLD HERITAGE SITE,"HISTORIC MONUMENTS OF ANCIENT KYOTO" AND THE URBAN PLANNING POLICY OF THE CITY OF KYOTO'. 7th Seminar on the Conservation of Asian Cultural Heritage. http://www.tobunken.go.jp/~kokusen/ENGLISH/MEETING/SEMINAR/7SEMINAR/ishikawa.html [6] Community Renewal Plan will include not just redevelopment but heritage preservation as well, as insinuated in the definition ‘for the elimination and for the prevention of the development or spread of blight’. WASHINGTON’S COMMUNITY RENEWAL LAW. http://www.design.asu.edu/apa/proceedings03/WOLFE/wolfe.htm#renewal [7] The click‐through rate of the website (http://www.ichchengdu.cn) is claimed to exceed 200000, and it at the same time arouses oversea professionals’ attention. 讓非物質文化遺產“活＂起來 '.CHINA CULTURE DAILY. Nov. 16 2009 Key Sentences: 1. Our heritage is traditional and living. 2. Heritage with significant value, including living culture, should also be safeguarded. 3. Heritage conservation goes beyond just preserving the pivotal elements and values. 4. We have to rejuvenate it, raise its contemporary value, let it “flow” in society, pass on to future generation and promote it abroad. 5. In default of a comprehensive legal framework, our government appears as a toddler in this respect. 6. Proactive measure for identifying the heritage in need of safeguard is in shortage. 7. Legislation Clearer instruction and proper listing of intangible heritage should be set in deciding what to conserve. 8. Revitalization Revitalizing the whole district beyond doubt is a correct approach. 9. Revival of endangered intangible heritage To revive our marginalized intangible cultural heritage, on the other hand, we can integrate it with our existing cultural context. 10. Public’s participation Beyond all these feasible measures, public’s participation forms the prerequisite for heritage conservation. With the people‐oriented approach, Community Renewal Plan is one of the well‐illustrated projects. 11. Digitalization and Documentation Nowadays internet culture is cosmopolitan and prevailing. For the sake of promoting our culture to foreigners, we should record our heritages in a systematic way such as digitalization and documentation, and exhibit them online. .