Searching for Sugar Man

I saw a segment on 60 Minutes the other day about an Oscar nominated documentary of a Mexican-American musician in Detroit who had struggled all his life in establishing his music career in America, only to find out that he is in fact a music icon, bigger than The Beatles, half way across the world in South Africa. The musician’s name is Rodriguez and the documentary is called “Searching for Sugar Man” (Sugar Man is the name of one of his songs). The director of this film is a young, down-to-earth Swede, Malik Bendjelloul. 

The story of Rodriguez is inspiring in so many fronts. He lived almost all of his life in poverty, working in laborious jobs, yet continued his passion for music throughout his life. His dedication to his art was obviously not in search of riches, but like any artist, he craved for an audience—someone to appreciate the lyrics he has written in his songs, someone to hum along to the tunes he has created. This recognition was never recieved in his homeland, where his records were huge disappointments. Unknowingly, however, his music was an enormous hit in South Africa. A generation of South Africans grew up to his music and all awhile, Rodriguez was unaware of this; until finally - when a ridiculous rumor spread in South Africa that Rodriguez had died burning himself live in a concert - some South African fans took it upon themselves to investigate the truth which brought them to Detroit, where they met the man himself and then revealed to him his celebrity status in South Africa. Still, he remained unknown in America until finally the release of the documentary when at the time, he was at the ripe old age of 70. 

Amidst this fascinating story of Rodriguez, is the story of the director of the documentary and his travails in making this documentary. Bendjelloul was searching for a story to make a film on and came across Rodriquez’s story which was too perfect to pass up. He spent four years of his young life making this documentary and in the words of 60 Minutes, “while making a documentary of a poor man, he himself became a poor man”. He had spent all his money working on his project and desperately needed to find a job to support himself. Consequently, he did not finish his project and had to delay it for some time before finally completing it.

In this day and age, when the only objective to making music or films are for a quick profit, and when anyone on the streets call themselves an artist, Rodriguez’s and Bendjelloul’s stories put those people in shame. Their dedication to their craft stems from their passion for their art, creating something that is special and unique in this world; and to this spirit and dedication, we must applaud. Their stories remind us that true artists are not in search of fame and fortune.

Vincent Van Gogh did not receive much accolade until after his death—it is nice to see that Rodriguez and Bendjelloul’s talents and perseverance did not come unnoticed.

Chinese Dog



Friendly neighborhood Tang gou

In Asia, and in China and Hong Kong in particular, there are a species of dogs that we locals refer to as “Tang gou” (唐狗). Literally, this means Chinese dog. Tang is referring to the Tang Dynasty, a period in imperial China where many historians viewed China to be at its utmost prominence: culturally, economically, and politically. Hence as time passed, "Tang" has become a synonym for Chinese. For example, Chinatown or Chinese people can be literally referred in Chinese as “Tang People Street” or “Tang people”.

When referring to Tang gou or Chinese dogs, I am not referring to the pure bred species of dogs originating from China, such as the Shih Tzu or Chow Chow. On the contrary, the Tang gous are mixed-bred dogs and therefore come in all shapes and sizes.  

The ones found in Hong Kong and south China are usually of short hair as they have evolved to cope with the hot, humid weather in southern China. Unfortunately, these dogs, because of their not-so-beautiful appearance, are neglected in society.  Many are kept as pets, like their purebred counterparts, but will rarely be given the same loving treatment as the purebred species.

Often, the Tang gous in Hong Kong are seen wandering the streets alone or in groups of two or three.  Just like any member in society, the tang gous have done well in integrating into neighborhoods of Hong Kong - adjusting to life in a bustling, urban jungle with crowds of people, cars, and buildings. In fact, the Tang gous in my area are so intelligent that they are capable of reading the pedestrian lights and thus, able to distinguish between when to cross the street and when to wait. They are not granted much attention however, and these impressive animals go on their way looking for food sometimes, or just hanging out.

If you are unsure if a dog is a Tang gou, one of the first signs to tell is that these dogs are on the streets unaccompanied by its owner. Rarely will you ever see a pure bred dog, kept as a beloved pet, wander around independently on its own. Moreover, if you do not recognize what breed of dog it is, chances are, it is some sort of mixed breed Tang gou.
                           
The sad part of Tang gous is that although very smart, they are not as pretty as the pure breeds and therefore are treated very poorly in society. They are viewed as dirty, infested animals and even if an owner keeps one as a pet, they are rarely permitted to enter the home.  Whereas purebreeds enjoy the status as a family member, with two meals a day and occasional trims and baths, the Tang gous are rarely given such treatment. They are fed scraps (for those that have owners) and since they do not enter the home, baths are not a necessity. Many, which do not have a home, are often seen scrounging around garbage bins in search of scraps to fill their bellies.

The plight of the Tang gou extends to them being the source for Chinese cuisine. Although Hong Kong has banned the slaughtering and eating of dog meat, this practice is still common in China and some parts of Asia. When you hear of Dog meat in Chinese cuisine, it is the Tang gous that are being slaughtered for, not your neighbor's friendly Golden Retriever.

In your typical dog slaughterhouse, a group of Tang gous will be rounded up in a caged area and then their brains are mercilessly bashed by men with bats before being shaved and roasted. The scene is extremely cruel and horrifying. 

Like all dogs, Tang gous are smart, loyal, and friendly. They, like the pure breeds, are also man’s best friend, and to be treated in this manner is a travesty. It is time we do more to recognize their suffering and help this group of dogs.

Warning: Below video may be disturbing to some audience

The Dark Knight

He is a mysterious figure who is seldom seen in public. Aside from his closest confidantes, no one really knows exactly what type of man he is and what he does in his idle time; his private life is a mystery, his public life a show. He is a controversial figure—beloved by many—but at the same time seen by his adversaries as a notorious villain. This man is none other than the leader of the hermit state North Korea—Kim Jong-un.

Kim Jong-un gives us the impression of a larger-than-life man; a figure resembling more of a character in the pages of a comic book rather than a leader of a nation in the twenty-first century. His past and present life is obscure to say the least, and he and his people prefer to keep it that way. Everything about him is secretive, much like his government and his country. Hence, he consumes the fascination of the world.

He carefully picks the time and place to be seen. His appearances are always brief, but spectacular; and when he does reveal himself, he is always in his full body black attire—almost costume-like: his slicked jet-black hair, his perfectly tailored black Mao suit, his full length black trench coat, and his black leather gloves. Similar to the impression you get each time you step in the theater to watch the latest installment of the Dark Knight franchise, every time Kim steps out, his appearance is more striking than ever. 

Like the Dark Knight, Kim has been left to inherit an empire. Like the Dark Knight, he’s got an unbelievable amount of resources at his disposal. And Like the Dark Knight, he is constantly trying to develop the most advanced weapons to use on and defeat his enemies.

And above all, like the Dark Knight, he is a character created by others. He is fictitious.

                              Latest image of the Dark Knight

Gui Ling Gao

I live in Tsuen Wan. It’s an area in the New Territories which is considered more affordable than areas in Hong Kong Island or Kowloon. The Hong Kong government decided to develop Tsuen Wan as a new town settlement in the 1960s to relieve the growing population in Hong Kong and Kowloon. Tsuen Wan began as an industrial area consisting of factories, but today has developed into a residential and commercial area similar to Hong Kong Island and Kowloon.

When you go to different areas in Hong Kong, you can expect different prices for similar products due to the location of the shop. The difference in price is mainly attributable to the difference in rent of that area.

I don’t know when this started, but I noticed that the price of coffee at MacDonald’s is different, depending on which area you buy it at. The price of their set meals are usually the same as consumers tend to remember those prices since they are purchased so often. Also, since the signs for the set meals make up most of the signboards, it would be pretty easy for someone to notice the discrepancy between two shops should they list different prices.

A coffee, bought a la carte, is different however. If you buy a coffee from a Tsuen Wan MacDonald’s, it would be a bit cheaper than one that is bought at a MacDonald’s located in Causeway Bay. I am used to purchasing at the Tsuen Wan MacDonald’s price; so of course, I was not pleased when I first discovered that I had to pay more for the exact same product when I purchased it at a different location. The difference is very subtle, but when this discovery dawns upon you, you find yourself shaking your head and thinking, that’s bullshit.  

I am aware that MacDonald’s have different prices for different cities and don’t get me wrong, I am grateful that their prices in Hong Kong are probably one of the cheapest in the world; but to have different prices in the same city, that to me does not seem right. Surely you cannot justify the difference in prices because the level of service and food quality of the Causeway Bay MacDonald’s is better than that of Tsuen Wan’s. It is safe to say that MacDonald’s service and taste is fairly consistent in every corner of the earth.

It is not just MacDonald’s, but some product prices differ enormously when purchased in different areas. One time I went to eat a “Gui Ling Gao” (龜苓膏) in Causeway Bay. For those of you that are wondering what a Gui Ling Gao is, it is a black colored herbal jelly made from the shell of a turtle and a mixture of variant Chinese herbal medicines. In Chinese medicine, the Gui Ling Gao is said to help relieve inner heat from the body. Inner heat is formed when you ingest such foods such as deep fried foods or hot pots. 

The Gui Ling Gao can be purchased at Chinese herbal tea shops.  I am sure most people who have visited Hong Kong have seen one of these shops as they are located everywhere in Hong Kong and stick out like a sore thumb when compared to nearby shops in the neighborhood. Chinese herbal tea shops are usually very old in style. When you set foot in one, you kind of feel like being transported back in time to the Qing Dynasty.  There is a counter at the front of the shop with bowls of black herbal tea, covered by a transparent piece of glass on top, ready to be consumed by people passing by. At the back, are tables for those who wish to sit down and relax while enjoying their teas or Gui Ling Gaos. 

So normally, I would eat a Gui Ling Gao at Tsuen Wan, where the price is around HK$30, but this time since I had just finished a heavy “heat filled” meal at Causeway Bay, I decided to relieve some of that heat by treating myself to the Turtle jelly at a nearby herbal tea shop. I rushed in and without looking at the price ordered a Gui Ling Gao and then started scooping it up upon arrival to my table.

Taking a mere three minutes to finish, I got up, pulled a fifty dollar bill out of my wallet, and handed it over to the staff at the pay counter. She took my fifty dollar bill and for about 3 seconds the two of us was staring at each other like a Mexican standoff, each of us waiting for the other to make a move—I was waiting for her to give me my change and her for me to take out more money.

 

Finally, when she said “Sixty Dollars”, it dawned upon me that I was not in Tsuen Wan anymore. I replied “Oh!” and then embarrassingly pulled out a ten and handed it over to her. I quickly walked out shaking my head, thinking that’s bullshit.

 

                                  Chinese Herbal tea shop

                  $60 Gui Ling Gao, where is this world coming to??  

                                           

Taiwan

I cannot say I know much about Taiwanese people. I do not have any close friends from Taiwan and I’ve only been to Taiwan a few times for vacation.

One time, I was in a quiet hot springs area in Taipei and as my wife and my parents decided to take a rest by visiting an ice cream shop on the side of the road, I decided I would skip the ice cream and take a peek at the teapot shop next door. I did not have any intention to buy anything, but thought I could pass some time and also step away from the scorching Taipei heat and into some air-conditioned facility.  

As I walked in and the cool chill of the air condition greeted my sweaty back, I saw a man in his 60s sitting at the side of a table meticulously painting a teapot using a very fine ink pen. Hearing the rings of the door chimes, he quickly looked my way and gave me a warm, friendly “hello and welcome” while heading towards the radio to turn off the sound.  He walked towards me and warmly told me to feel free to look around. 

Normally if I was in Hong Kong and was greeted this way in a shop, I would begin to feel a slight discomfort as the salesperson would begin to follow you around the shop making comments on each piece of item you are looking at and asking you to try it on should it be a piece of clothing. Most of the time, I would have lost complete interest in the items in the shop and would already be planning my exit strategy by making a quick tour around the shop and then ending with a polite “thank you” while walking out the door. Oh how I wished these so-called salespeople can leave me alone in peace to look at the items of my interest. 

However, after the warm greeting from this Taiwanese man, he surprisingly stepped back a bit and allowed me to wander to every corner of his shop. His shop was made mostly of teapots - half the teapots imported from factories from mainland China and half were pots painted by him and his wife. Along the walls of his quiet shop were photos of him and many foreign tourists who I imagined were his customers or perhaps his students.  

I began commenting on some of the items and he replied me always with a smile. He told me that he and his wife painted most of the pots themselves.  I countered by telling him how talented they were and how beautiful their crafts were.  I spoke more than usual as I wanted to use this opportunity to practice my mandarin and very soon the two of us were talking and laughing like two old friends.

Soon after, the man’s wife came out from the back of the shop and her husband instructed her to go prepare some tea for me. My wife and parents meanwhile finished their ice cream and walked into the shop to find me sitting and chatting away with the couple. I introduced my family to them and his wife quickly served up three more tea cups.

The couple was incredibly hospitable and at no point did they actually try selling something to me, not that there would have been anything wrong with that.  I myself had actually forgotten that I was in this man’s shop and his business is selling tea pots. Gradually as the rest of my family began to participate in the conversation, I took more notice of some of the imported teapots and grabbed a few to show my father. We both took interest in a couple of pots and as the conversations continued, we found ourselves pouring water into the pots and testing how well they poured out.   I finally inquired about the price of the pots and then swiftly told the man that I will purchase them as if it was some kind of huge purchase that would save his business.

Usually I would bargain a little bit when purchasing this type of item, but this time, I did not want to hurt the established friendly atmosphere with talk of money, and besides, my family and I have drank their tea and occupied about 1 hour of their time.

The man then went to the back to look for some boxes to pack the teapots in; his wife also went back to refill some tea to serve us. As the two of them were isolated at the back room, I noticed at that point, the man was giving his wife some instructions in a very serious manner. His wife was equally serious in listening to her husband’s instructions. I could not hear what they were saying, but they were indeed very business-like.

As the two walked back out, the husband with two boxes in hand and the wife with a pot of hot water, their hospitable smiles were once again visible on their faces. The man packed up the teapots and I paid him his money. We finished our tea and my family and I walked out happily from his shop with the couple seeing us off with a hospitable farewell.

As we walked out, my wife turned to me and told me how Taiwanese people sure know how to do business. I was not sure what she was talking about firstly, but then she told me how she noticed how the couple was all business-like when they were at the back of the room.  At that moment, I realized that they probably weren’t as interested in our conversation as I thought they were. I cannot say they were snubbing us by pretending to be interested, but I realized that that was their way of doing business. I must admit this form of sales is quite impressive.

                                                  
                                                The purchase that saved his business

Busy, Busy

When you speak to locals, a majority of the time they will tell you that they are very busy. Sure, Hong Kong is a work-obsessed society and I understand many people work in companies where the culture is to work overtime, but a lot of cases, people who are not actually very busy will still try to give the impression to others that they are. This, to me, is quite annoying. 

I use to have a colleague who sits in the cubicle next to me and all day I would hear him telling others how busy he is. Other colleagues call him on the internal line and he tells them how busy he is today and he’ll get to the matter when he has time. His girlfriend calls his mobile and he tells her how hectic his day is. Each day around 2:05pm right after lunch, he will declare how busy his afternoon is going to be. When I look over, he’s usually just playing with his smartphone.

My wife has a friend who is like this as well. When we bump into her in the streets, the first thing she says is not “how are you?” or “where are you heading off to?” The first thing you hear from her is how busy she is and then she goes off to tell you where she’s been, what she’s going to do, and what she hasn’t done yet. She was recently unemployed, yet her first comment after this revelation is how it’s the first time in 15 years she can rest… she does not have children and her previous job is at the post office...

I am not saying people without children and who work at the post office are not busy, but listening to her, I got the impression that she felt insecure about being unemployed and she wanted to reinforce to us that it was by choice. Afterwards, she found another job and she was back to her same busy self. Whenever my wife calls her, she would say how busy she was and that she will call her back later.

At first, I never really took notice of this behavior.  I would just view it at face value remarking to myself that this person is probably quite busy. But when nine out of ten people do this, I start wondering. I have a full time job; I have responsibilities too, but I always have time to speak on the phone when someone calls me. How come I am never as busy as these people?

After pondering this for a while, I realize it probably isn’t about me, but it’s about them and Hong Kong culture in general. You see to them, being busy equates to being important. If you are busy at work, it means that the company values you. If you have spare time at work, it can mean two things. One, you do not have many responsibilities at the company and therefore can be made redundant; two, there is a chance your boss will give you some work to fill out the time.  You do not want either one.  

So instead, why not just let people know you are busy. Hell, let the whole world know! This means you are an important person at the company and you will not get extra work. Perfect!

This response has become embedded into Hong Kongers’ daily dialogue. It is so natural that Hong Kongers say it without giving it a second thought. Like everything in Hong Kong, it is about money. A perception of importance means job security. Job security means the paychecks keep coming.  

I’m busy. Gotta go…

 

Mini Bus

I was walking with my wife in Tsim Sha Tsui the other day and while we were waiting for the pedestrian light to change, a mainland lady dragging a mid-sized luggage asks me in Mandarin how to get to Mong Kok.  I can tell she was not familiar with Hong Kong as any local or frequent visitors of HK would be able to tell you the various methods of moving between these two local shopping landmarks.  Similar to 99% of people who offer directions, I began to offer her directions to the nearest MTR station. As I began to mutter the first few words of  “di tie” (MTR in mandarin), a middle-aged local woman standing behind us, or what we like to call “see lai” in Cantonese to refer to married middle aged housewives interrupts me and shouts out in Cantonese “Take the Minibus!” My initial reaction was how rude of this lady to interrupt me.  But seeing how this lady was so eager to provide instructions, I decided to let her give the directions while giving my wife a look of annoyance to her rudeness.

For those of you who are not familiar with the mini bus system in Hong Kong, I can tell you it is definitely not a form of transportation for people unfamiliar with Hong Kong. The mini bus is basically exactly what it is, a mini bus that carries around 20 passengers and goes circling around various routes picking up and dropping off passengers along the way. The tricky part of taking the mini bus is that it does not stop at every bus stop along the route. To get picked up, you must stand at a correct stop and wave to the driver signalling you want to get picked up. To get dropped off, you must shout out where you want to get dropped off just prior to arriving to that stop. What’s more, many of the allowed stops are not even your typical bus stop with a sign stating the bus number. The next stop can be the MacDonald’s up front or simply the next corner, but keep in mind, these stops need to be part of the regular stops of the route. You cannot just request to be dropped off anywhere. If it is not part of the regular route, the driver will notify you in an annoyed voice that you cannot stop there or blatantly just ignore you. Also, I have to point out that the mini bus drivers are probably the most impatient people you will ever meet in the world. If you don’t believe me, try to step foot into a Hong Kong mini bus. The second the last passenger steps foot on the bus, the door behind violently swings closed whilst, the driver’s foot is hammered onto the gas pedal.

So getting back to the instructions the see lai was giving the mainland lady. As she began to try to give instructions in her horrid mandarin, I thought to myself how impractical these instructions were.  Firstly, because of the difficulties I have just mentioned and secondly, even if she was able to find the bus stop and get on to the correct bus, she would no doubt receive some annoyed looks or even comments from the driver or some of the fellow passengers about the baggage she would be dragging on the already rushed and crowded bus.  As I continued to overhear the see lai struggle with her half Cantonese, half Mandarin instructions, I could tell she was beginning to realize it was not such an easy task to give directions to someone who has never taken a mini bus. As she continued to speak, I sensed her growing disinterest as the pedestrian light began to change and her focus shifts to continuing on her destination. Once we all reached the other end of the street and began to go our own ways, I noted the conversation between the two ladies had ended.  I am not sure if the mainland lady was going to follow up on the instructions of the local, but I looked back to the mainland lady with a smile, pointed to the right, and said “the nearest MTR station is that way. “

               Your typical mini bus stop... in the middle of nowhere

See Lai

The “See Lai” is quite a phenomenon.  I cannot think of a word in English that quite describes a see lai, but I’m pretty sure there are see lais everywhere in the world. Foreigners living in Hong Kong will no doubt hear this word being muttered around in the streets. Therefore, it would be quite useful to anyone who wants to learn more about Hong Kong culture to understand this word.

A see lai is basically a term in Cantonese that refers to an unemployed, middle-aged, married woman with children. Well, that is what you call a housewife right? Not quite. This is just the most basic description of a see lai, but in fact there are several other qualities that this type of house wife will have in order to be labeled a see lai. Such qualities include: a recipient of little formal education, someone who lacks individual opinion, someone who always goes with the crowd, someone who is always looking for a bargain, someone who is very nosy, someone who participates in non-stop gossip, someone who never gets the facts straight, someone who always tries to obtain an advantage for family and friends, and someone who enjoys playing mah jong.

These are just a few traits I can think of at the top of my head, but I think you are starting to get the idea of exactly the type of people I am talking about. I think the combination of the densely - populated environment in Hong Kong,  the local obsession with making money in order to survive, and the low education rate for women of that era are the key factors that produced the modern day see lai. See lais make up a large proportion of the Hong Kong population and are a fabric of Hong Kong culture. In fact, the term has become so common in the modern day Hong Kong street language that see lai can also refer to any one of the mentioned traits. For example, if you have a young female friend who had just finished researching for the best price of an item and then bargains a bit more to further lower the price, you can tease her by saying “You are so see lai!”

I know many see lais and although the traits that I have mentioned seemed mostly negative, I have to say I have see lai friends and they are actually quite pleasant to be around with. You don’t really have to speak in great detail about anything to them. They specialize in casual small talk. They are not actually very interested in what you say anyway - especially if it is complicated, but they will always welcome your conversation and comment based on what they’ve heard from others, but passing on as their own. The funny thing about see lais is that they are aware that they are see lais and are actually quite proud of being one. I am not sure why, but it may be because they are aware they represent a large segment of the Hong Kong population and this gives them a sense of pride from being part of a group.

All in all, I view see lais as a harmless group of middle aged women just looking to get a bargain. They are a true example of what makes Hong Kong a special place to people who keep Hong Kong dear to their hearts.