Recording Hong Kong’s past through neighbourhood magazines and newspapers

Difficulty: Summiteer (Level 3)

A decade ago, Choy Po-yin came upon an artfully designed publication. She enjoyed reading its stories of old shops in Hong Kong’s Central and Western districts. Still, what shocked her most was that it was free.

“How could such a high-quality bilingual publication be free?” said the 33-year-old, who was a reporter for three years before becoming a content creator.

This book, Virtue under the Breaking Roofs, was published by the Conservancy Association Centre for Heritage in 2013.

It was meant as a way to record memories of these local shops.

Seeing these stories opened Choy’s eyes to the power of publications created by people in the community. She then began collecting and helping to make them.

Last March, Choy opened her collection to the public and founded Kong Temporary Archive in Wan Chai. From Thursday to Sunday every week, visitors can look through her library and donate their own magazines.

Her collection has more than 500 publications.

Typically self-financed or supported through grants, these free publications often record the changes in a neighbourhood. While public libraries may archive newspapers and magazines from mainstream media, community-sourced literature often goes unnoticed.

Explaining why she named it a “temporary” archive, Choy said: “I run this place by myself ... I’m unsure if it can be sustained in the long run.”

It also refers to the temporary licences many of Hong Kong’s traditional hawkers operate under.

“Although they said it’s temporary, these things have existed for a long time,” Choy said. She added that she hoped her own “temporary” archive would stick around for a long time.

“While I do hope this archive will be long lasting, my ultimate goal is for these types of resources to be accessible in every corner of Hong Kong, with each district having its own library dedicated to community publications,” she shared.

One example is Journ, a quarterly publication in Tai Po. Started by a group of experienced journalists, it focuses on the district’s rich culture and the everyday stories of its residents.

Choy, who also lives in Tai Po, explained, “It’s not just about showcasing the beauty of the place. It’s also about explaining its formation and why people love [it].”

“For instance, there is Wun Yiu Village, which gets its name from its once-renowned porcelain craftsmanship.”

Journ showcases Tai Po in a way that outsiders wouldn’t find in mainstream outlets. “The community press ... strengthens the unique characteristics of each district,” Choy said.

Use the crossword below to test your knowledge of the vocabulary words in the story.

Suggested answers

Before you read: Mong Kok, Tsuen Wan, Sham Shui Po, and many more

Stop and think: Because they are usually self-financed or funded through grants. This can be expensive and take a lot of time.

Consider: I would create more books and magazines that tell stories about Hong Kong in English so that the rest of the world can learn more about the city. I would also share these stories in videos on social media.