Hong Kong has done much to build its reputation as a modern, cosmopolitan city, but it has not put much effort into preserving or restoring its historic sites. Write an essay discussing the benefits and drawbacks of preserving Hong Kong’s past.
Preservation of cultural heritage and historical sites has become a major concern of the general public in recent years as more and more historical landmarks, which are laden with history and collective memory, are being erased from the map of Hong Kong. The government is being criticized for its incapability of preserving the historical sites and its lukewarm attitude towards this issue, following the demolition of the Queen’s Pier, Central Star Ferry Pier and the Wedding Card Street. For sure, cultural heritage is essential for any city treasuring its history but we should also note that each coin has two sides, given that preserving the historical buildings is not a piece of simple work and require substantial amounts of resources. In light of this, our society should strike a balance on this issue.
The aged-old structures have stood through different eras in the history of Hong Kong and their uniqueness and special features mirror the colonial history of Hong Kong as well as its traditional culture. For instance, the Central Market and Central Police Station Compound’s architectural characteristics tell the life and history under British rule while the old village houses in Sam Tung Uk Village providing significant information on classical architecture shows wisdom and culture of our ancestors. Besides, some historical sites blend in with the collective memories of all Hong Kong people. For example, the Queen’s Pier bore witness to important historical events of the city as well as the daily lives of Hong Kong people. Not only do all these facilitate cultural and historical studies, but also enhance our sense of belonging to out homeland and social cohesiveness.
Added to the above, preservation of historical sites prevents Hong Kong from becoming a typical homogeneous modern city. Instead, it helps define the value and character of our city clearly, hence creating favorable conditions for Hong Kong to become a more competitive international city. Compared with the cities which put much emphasis on preservation, like Macau and Singapore, Hong Kong’s identity is gradually being diluted and blurred. Lacking long-term cultural policy, the emergence of a soaring number of skyscrapers and infrastructures only turns Hong Kong into a city which highly mimics other big cities without strengthening its existing culture and core values. This is just like a person without soul but only having physical appearance. Building an international city does not only require stunning economic performance, but also the atmosphere of humanity. This explains the success of Singapore and New York and the failure of Hong Kong in these years.
Nevertheless, there are some drawbacks of preservation, which should also be taken into account when the government or the social groups review out city’s preservation strategy. First, preserving historical sites brings about both extra financial burden and administrative efforts. In face, there are numerous historical sites or dilapidated buildings in Hong Kong, so efforts are needed to judge the historical values of each site. Sadly, it takes a long time to do so as consultation should be carried out thoroughly; otherwise, it triggers public resentment if the government wrongly evaluates the historical vale of the existing buildings. Besides, expenses on renovation, regular maintenance as well as the operation of the sites definitely occupy a considerable amount of budget which can be used in other aspects alternatively.
Besides, whether preservation is just a symbolic act is still questionable and it may not bring about perceived benefits. In no doubt, most of us support preservation of historical sites but not many of us are really concerned about the history and culture of Hong Kong, which should be the core values behind all kinds of preservation. Comparing the visitor number of any shopping mall in Hong Kong with that of some preserved sites like Western Market and Old Tai PO Market Railway Station, we can easily conclude that preservation may be just a waste of money in Hong Kong, in which the people are quite indifferent about its history.
In conclusion, there are both benefits and drawbacks for the preservation of historical sites. Actually, the drawbacks can be eliminated by careful financial planning and education. On the whole, it is still vital to out city’s sustainable development.