[Being Hong Kong] Autumn 2025 Issue

Issue Introduction: Geo stands for Geology and Geography. How has Hong Kong's "geology" shaped the "texture" of its urban landscape? How did Hong Kong, once described as a Barren Rock, build a metropolis? From the large-scale quarrying of stones a hundred years ago, building a granite city; Boundary stones hidden in various corners of the city, silently recording historical changes; Clearing land on hillsides, building retaining walls with stones, constructing roads and buildings; Leveling small hills to create densely populated communities; Diverse mineral resources fostering industries and forming villages; Planting trees and flowers on barren rocks, nurturing lush country parks...... What would be different if the story of Hong Kong began with a stone? Let’s Rediscover the Hong Kong Stone Age..... -- **Free with this issue: "Hong Kong Backyard Paradise" Hand-Drawn Illustrated Map Backyard Trails refer to the green belts located between urban areas and the countryside. They are not only secret bases for residents to release stress and enhance physical and mental well-being but also showcase the vitality of community spaces co-created by the public. "Being Hong Kong" collaborates with Parks and Trails, an organization dedicated to nature conservation, and invites illustrator Cat Shaan to create an illustrated map, jointly discovering the human stories hidden in the backyards of multiple local districts. This issue's highlights: REmember// The Beginning of the Colony, The Granite City At the beginning of the establishment of the port, not only houses but also various infrastructures were built using a large amount of local granite from Hong Kong, making it a "Granite City." Today, Hong Kong still retains buildings constructed from granite from different eras. Despite weathering centuries of wind and rain, their solid characteristics remain unchanged. REmark// Stones as Boundaries, Defining Hong Kong Hong Kong is one of the cities with the densest concentration of boundary stones in Asia, yet these stones are the most silent historical imprints. How many boundary stones exist in this city? How many remain undiscovered or have already been lost amidst urban development? What aspects of our city's changes are recorded on these boundary stones? REmove// Moving Mountains and Changing Land, Seeing Mountains That Are Not Mountains Many public housing estates and various public facilities spread across different districts today were formed by removing small hills from their original locations. However, due to the speed and magnitude of these changes, it is difficult to imagine the original appearance of the land, which was once full of small hills. REmind// Hills Within the City, Pictorial Representations As we walk through the city, we discover more and more hidden "hills within the city." These small mountains, with elevations of one to two hundred meters, exist independently, not connected to larger mountains. This issue invites the "Living Construction" team to deconstruct the pictorial representations of 15 hills in Kowloon. REveal// How a Sacred Mountain Became an Isolated Island — Sung Wong Toi On the pedestrian tunnel connecting Kowloon City and Kai Tak, sandwiched between busy roadways, stands a giant stone in Sung Wong Toi Garden that once rested on a "sacred mountain." In the past, it was not only a revered sacred symbol but also recorded historical traces of Hong Kong in the Song Dynasty eight hundred years ago. REtain// Trees on Stone Walls When wandering through the "mountain city" of Hong Kong Island, one frequently encounters stone wall trees spreading across the surfaces of vertical stone retaining walls or penetrating the gaps between the stones, displaying incredible vitality. Hong Kong's stone walls are not only varied in form but also bear witness to the process of opening up the "mountain city" in its early days. REdiscover// Prelude to Hong Kong's Country Parks — From Barren Rock to Green Park In the 19th century, Hong Kong was described as merely a "barren rock." But how did this place, full of mountains and rocks, gradually sprout abundant flowers and trees, establishing botanical gardens? How was afforestation carried out extensively in reservoir catchment areas, leading to the development of the later country parks? Other Highlights: REtell// Between Disappearance and Existence — Rebuilding Sung Wong Toi The sacred mountain has vanished, and one-third of the Sung Wong Toi stone remains, yet it is 300 feet away from its original site. In what ways can eight centuries of historical time be connected? Architects/artists Hui Mok-yi and Sun Yan propose different perspectives and methods for considering these questions by digitally reconstructing the landscape of the Sung Wong Toi stone. REsources// Hong Kong Mine Mapping In the 19th century, local stone quarrying was already extensive and exported; other minerals were also mined sequentially in the 20th century. Although the local mining industry declined after the 1970s, the mining blueprints of the past still remain in different areas, forming an indelible part of the city's memory. REmains// Ma On Shan — From Mining Village to New Town Beneath the rolling hills of Ma On Shan, there were mineral deposits once worked by thousands of people. In recent years, it has transformed into a thriving new town. The mountains and the land below weave together a history spanning over three hundred years. How did Ma On Shan transition from a remote, desolate mining village to the prosperous new town it is today? REconnect// Stone Wall Tree Community Local artist Tang Kai-yat has consistently explored Hong Kong's urban landscape in his works, showcasing the historical events, colonialism, and urbanization that have shaped the land. This time, through the stone wall trees in Central's Sheung Wo Street and Wan Chai's East Point Garden, he presents the connection between nature and the community. ISBN: 978-988-74818-8-1 Price: HK$180 Printed and produced in: Hong Kong Publication Date: Late September -- Exclusive Offer for the Online Store Autumn Issue: With every order, receive a free postcard: "Hong Kong Mountain and Sea Map from the 1870s" (Four colors, one randomly selected) A topographical map of Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula drawn by the Italian missionary Simeone Volonteri (1831–1904) during his visit to China in 1874, depicting the predominantly hilly terrain of Hong Kong and Kowloon at that time. (Limited quantity, while supplies last)