This article shed the light on the cultural and societal aspects of Asian cities and their relationship with ghosts.
The author mention haunted house and haunted apartment. The difference between haunted house and haunted apartment is that haunted house is the setting or the environment of the house will create a spooky atmosphere. In the text state that “There are always too many doors and staircases leading nowhere in particular; cellars, attics, utility rooms and closets transform into hidden passages leading to secret locations” The haunted apartment represent isolation. Also it is more ordinary and less noticeable. It trigger me to think about the early Hong Kong.
Between 1945 and 1949, especially at the time of the Guangzhou War in 1949, a large number of immigrants from the Mainland came to Hong Kong to seek asylum and they stay in Hong Kong for work. Eventually they die in Hong Kong it is kind of like they got trap in the house and their sprite can’t go back to their hometown. Chinese people will have a concept of “loksipgwaigan” which mean that they have to return to their hometown after they die. But most of their remains will keep in Hong Kong. It show the conflict between the traditional culture and the limitation of the reality.
In Hong Kong the fast pace of life , the limit space , even we die we also have to endure a small space. All of these make us to feel lonely, isolate and being trap in the city just like the ghosts.
Fung Chi Him -3036058209