Hybrid means having a combination of two or more distinct elements. Hong Kong as a city is a mixture of many different elements.
Haiphong Road Temporary Market is located at Tsim Sha Tsui, situated under the Kowloon Park Drive flyover. The area was produced in 1978 to house hawkers that were displaced by the redevelopment of Canton Road (“Hasn’t the Haiphong Road Temporary Market Been There Forever?” 2015). It was meant to be a temporary location but a permanent location never came up. In a sense, the status of this location is a hybrid of being both temporary and permanent. This reflects Hong Kong’s uncertainty about the temporary status of its one country, two systems model that it is being operated under.
In many other ways, Haiphong Road Temporary Market also showcases the hybridity of the city. The flyover serves a dual function, as a flyover and a shelter for the market. Due to land scarcity in Hong Kong, many structures in the city have to play multiple functions, to fulfil all of its residents’ needs.
Additionally, in the market, the stores sell a hybrid of goods from a hybrid of cultures. Most prominently, the market has a huge number of halal butchers, serving the Muslim population in the area. Hong Kong is known as a hybrid of both Western and Chinese Eastern cultures, but there is also a minority Muslim population in Hong Kong. The Muslim population in Hong Kong is around 300,000, accounting for more than four per cent of the population (Tsang and Sun 2019).
Method of research:
I encountered Haiphong Road Temporary Market by chance while sightseeing at Tsim Sha Tsui. What intrigued me was that the market was located under a flyover and the word ‘temporary’ in the name of the location. I did my research on the history of this market and was surprised that the market has been there since 1978, even though it was only supposed to be temporary. This drew me to do further research on Haiphong Road Temporary Market online.
Methods of producing the video:
The video starts out with a mise en scene, an establishing shot of the overall location. It shows the skyscrapers and luxury brand stores surrounding the market. This is intended to show how the market is hidden in plain sight, yet how it stands out with being how different it is from the structures surrounding it. Unlike the surrounding buildings that have a polished look to them, the market has a rustic look, more relatable to the working-class population. Therefore, the video aims to show that it is an oddity that the market is located there.
The video has a pan shot from the top of the flyover with vehicles driving over it to the market under the flyover. This is to show the dual role of the flyover. The footage of vehicles moving on the road and pedestrians walking is sped up to show the fast pace of the city.
As the video proceeds, we get closer to the market, getting to learn what is truly inside the market and the secrets it holds. In the beginning, the market is shot from far away at a level above the ground. The camera then follows a couple as they walk towards the market. Following are exterior shots of the market on the ground level. Finally, life in the market is shown.
The video is a series of montages of life around and in the market. This is meant to show the real functions and roles the market play in the daily lives of people in the area. Footage of different vendors from different cultures is put together, showcasing a myriad of goods and people in the market.
Reflection:
As an exchange student, it was very interesting for me to see Hong Kong as a city on a much deeper level. Hong Kong is much more than skyscrapers and tourist attractions that I previously envisioned the city as. I did not know that there was such a large Muslim population in Hong Kong. This assignment made me a greater appreciation for the complexities of Hong Kong as a city. Hong Kong is a difficult city to define and its architecture truly reflects that.
Bibliography:
- “Hasn’t the Haiphong Road Temporary Market Been There Forever?” 2015. South China Morning Post. August 13, 2015. https://www.scmp.com/magazines/hk-magazine/article/2037268/hasnt-haiphong-road-temporary-market-been-there-forever.
- Tsang, Emily, and Fiona Sun. 2019. “Muslims in Hong Kong: 300,000 Followers, Six Mosques and Halal Dim Sum.” South China Morning Post. November 16, 2019. https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3037878/muslims-hong-kong-300000-followers-six-mosques-and-tasty.
Name: Thum Jun Long Isaac
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