Kung Fu in 3D
- 2016-06-24
- Culture & Leisure
- The Young Reporter
- 2016-06-24
Motion capture technology helps to preserve traditional martial arts by Susan Gao & Tracy Zhang He's dressed in a skintight black bodysuit dotted with 99 position markers. A martial arts master demonstrates his Kung Fu styles in a 3D motion-capture studio, equipped with cameras and sensors. Certain Hollywood Sci Fi films, such as Avatar, are shot in a similar way. But here, the purpose is to document hundreds of different martial art styles in Hong Kong. The clips will be used to compile a new "Kung Fu Bible" called "The Hong Kong Martial Arts Living Archive". High technology such as 3D modeling, is used nowadays to revive traditional martial arts.Motion capture allows swift movements to be recorded in an accurate, lively and precise way. " 3D technology brings us closer to reality," said Hing Chao, Chief Executive of the International Joshua Association who launched the archive in 2013. He said 3D imaging approximates live instruction to a greater degree, in comparison with manuals, photographs or videos as references for learning complicated martial arts. "The technology will be used at exhibitions, installations, mobile apps and other digital learning applications, in order to preserve the art of Kung Fu as well as promote it to the public public," according to Chao. The novelty of motion capture is fascinating to some traditional martial arts master. "In the old days, we followed the movements demonstrated by our instructors. It depends on whether the instructor can explain well," said Tsang Ho-pan, a veteran master of Wing Tsun, a form of concept-driven martial art rooted in Southeast of China and Hong Kong. The 36-year-old Kung Fu master is now a high rank instructor of the International Wing Tsun Association. "With the help of 3D technology, we can check if the movements are similar to those …
Busking in a concrete jungle
- 2016-06-24
- Culture & Leisure
- The Young Reporter
- 2016-06-24
The Street Music Series introduces diversity to the local music industry by Emily Cheung & Morris Chan Kung Chi-shing is a musician and an activist. He has been trying to enrich the musical scene by organising the Street Music Series. It is a platform for young musicians and singer-songwriters to introduce themselves to the community. Mr. Kung started working with the Hong Kong Arts Centre in 2009 to promote music diversity. Last year, the Street Music Series featured local street musician in 28 concerts. Hong Kong's music scene, Mr. Kung believes, is dominated by commercial productions. "A healthy society should be very diverse. When different aspects of Hong Kong embrace diversity, local art does not reflect that. Why can't we do more to encourage diversity in art?" Mr. Kung said. He believed music should connect with the audience through emotions and the spiritual needs of a community at a given time. The artistic value of music , Mr Kung thinks, is undermined in commercially produced music. One of the performers Bao Kwun-ying said street music allows him to have a more freedom in his performance than in a traditional concert, partly because unlike commercial music, street music does not need to cater for the audience's needs. "A lots of factors, like marketing, are key to a concert's success, and those have restricted creativity in music," Bao said. Shirley Cho, a street music enthusiast, agreed that Hong Kong should have more support for non-mainstream music because they are very unique. " They can touch your soul with lyrics and melody that truly reflect reality," Cho said. The Street Music Series is not only praised by the audience, but also the performers. It provides everything they need: the equipment and a proper platform for their music. That makes …
Young Singer-to-be Has a Different Dream
- 2016-04-02
- People
- 2016-04-02
by James Ho "Which song should I sing?" Zoe Sung asks while yawning her partner. The 21-year-old girl is sitting on the sofa next to the electronic piano. She is preparing for a singing-contest-audition. People would probably be nervous if they were going to have an audition in two hours. Yet it was not the case for Zoe, who has run into top-three in three similar competitions before. Zoe Sung Wai Man is a fourth-year university student. She is an award-winning singer and one of the few, who has stepped on the stage of the Hong Kong Coliseum as a backup vocalist at the age of 19. "When the lighting and the Hi-Fi starts bombing, it feels like it is me who is having the concert in front of the audience," she recalled on being a backing vocalist in HK Coliseum in Hung Hom, the stage of which is regarded to be only prepared for the top singers in the industry. Zoe was a member of "Show Choir" in high school at that time. The choir opened up many opportunities for her to sing in concerts of many famous local singers, like Eason Chan, Gem Tang and Edmond Leung. Zoe has recently joined a monthly tournament called "Show Off Voice Challenge", where she has to compete with dozens of talented but amateur singers, for an opportunity having their own songs published. Before being an active member of singing contests, Zoe used to be one of the buskers on street, who performed simply with a guitar or electronic piano. But her band did not last long. "It was fun at the beginning, but then my partners started asking me to sing more popular songs to attract more audience, which in my perspective is inappropriate," she said. She believed that street …
Cultural Travelling: Tours that Show a Different Facet
- 2016-04-02
- Culture & Leisure
- The Young Reporter
- 2016-04-02
by Cecilia Wong Cultural travelling is a vogue for travel agencies to bespeak their cultural exploring tours, it goes beyond merely visiting a place, but allows experience as a member of a culture and undergoes transformations of lives. Cultural travelling is to go local and dig into authentic, genuine stories in a country, said Chan Shing-kwan, one of the co-founders of Eastern Vision and Glo Travel which both organising international travel programmes in a unique way. Chan said that they attempt to modify traditional travel tours, which tend to load customers to various tourist spots for merely shopping and eating, by providing comprehensive, intellectual but fun experiences. Tours organised by Eastern Vision and Glo Travel try to break stereotypes and "bridge" different people, he said. "Reading a lot about North Koreans, but had never talked to them, I lost track," said Niklas Pape, a German exchange student at The University of Hong Kong. He joined an Eastern Vision's tour to North Korea last year and agreed that through interacting with locals during the visit, participants gained a "different perception" towards North Koreans. "Only after talking to them, I know they are very same as human beings," he said. Unlike a semester exchange which is long enough for complete immersion, the tours are limited by short travelling periods. Thus, he described the tours as just a "tool" for people to gain basic information of a country and open people's doors to cultural exchange in the future, as well as to build habits of delving into or at least research a country's background before visiting. Cultural experience is about physical engagement and, of equally important, idea exchange. "Only by going local, talking to local communities, and involving in an environment can people understand the conditions -- political, social and economic …
Is Student Strikes Still an Effective Way in Defying the Unfair System in Hong Kong?
- 2016-04-02
- Politics
- 2016-04-02
by Crystal Tai & Celia Lai Ever since pro-democracy protesters retreated from the streets after the Umbrella Movement, education has become a political battleground as government interferes with academic freedom, say students at Hong Kong University. Fifteen students formed a class boycott committee on 18 January after Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying's controversial appointment of pro-Beijing official Arthur Li Kwok-cheung as chairman of the university's council. His appointment came right after the university council's rejection to nominate liberal law scholar Johannes Chan Man-mun as the pro-vice chancellor, which sparked a weeklong class boycott in January. Professor Benson Wong Wai-kwok at Baptist University says that class boycott has become a common way for students to impose pressure on the authority. "Students leave the classroom to show the willingness, determination and commitment to challenge the government," he said. Class boycotts can be traced back to 2012, when tens of thousands protested against plans to introduce Beijing-centric national education in schools. Although students were not completely satisfied with the temporary withdrawal of the proposal, the move was regarded as a concession made by the government. In 2014, young activists called students to join boycott campaign in their fight for genuine universal suffrage and resignation of pro-Beijing leader Leung Chun-ying. Li Chung Chak, secretariat of Scholarism told TYR that the series of class boycotts culminated in the 79-day Umbrella Movement. "The call for class boycott successfully aroused social awareness and it made local headlines. It was a milestone for the active youth participation in the Occupy Movement," Mr. Li said. More than a year after the Occupy protests, Beijing has not given any concessions to accommodate the voice of students. Tensions escalated after Mr. Li was appointed to preside the university council, stirring fears about eroding academic freedom. "We want to show students' strong …
Chasing His Dream Through the Lens
- 2016-04-02
- People
- 2016-04-02
by Richelia Yeung & Tiffany Lui The photo "The World of A Wild Child Who Chases His Dream" depicts a young man staring at the breathtaking night view of the city. The image shot a young photographer to fame. Kelvin Yuen Sze-lok was the winner of the 2015 National Geographic's International Photo Contest. He also had an honourable mention in youth group of the Taiwan section. The 19 -year-old Hong Kong photographer took the picture at Kowloon Peak, one of his favorite shooting spots. The award came as a surprise. "I thought they sent the email to the wrong person," Kevin said. "Being a photographer is more than just pressing a button on the camera," . Kelvin did not plan to be a photographer. The year 2 student at Hong Kong Baptist University said it was a trip to Lion Rock nearly two years ago that first aroused his passion in landscape photography. He was attracted by the clouds over the hill that day and brought his camera to record the moment."I get to see a different side of Hong Kong."he said. He has since become a self-taught photographer, learning from online tutorials and articles. "I just keep trying and gain experience," he said. Kelvin s tries to strike a balance between school and photography. "I go to classes in the morning after shooting the sunrise on the mountain." He said his parents are more concerned about his safety than his academic results. "They are very supportive of my hobby," he laughed. "Landscape photography is full of challenges, "he said. "The weather can make a huge difference in the photos even if I go to the same location." Kelvin said it is tough to walk through rough terrains while carrying all the photographic equipment in his backpack. But the …
From Keyboard to Chopping Board
- 2016-04-02
- People
- 2016-04-02
by Paulus Choy Muslims own most of the Halal eateries in Hong Kong, and one of the city's oldest restaurants of this kind is run by a Muslim family. Osman Wong Kar-yi is the owner of Wai Kee, a nearly 70 -year-old Halal restaurant in the Causeway Bay food market. He aims to serve the Muslim community with authentic Halal dishes, just as his parents have done for decades. Nowadays, Wai Kee attracts non-Muslims as well as Muslim customers. Osman's grandfather started the restaurant in 1939 because there were few places that were selling Halal food at the time. But working in a kitchen is a sea change for Osman. He studied computer science in Canada, and began his career in information and technology. He was once a manager at computer giant, IBM. As a boy, he used to help out in his father's shop every weekend. Then his mum got injured. The loving son did not want to end the family business, so Osman quit his job at IBM and now works full time at Wai Kee. "My daughter asks me why I don't wear a suit to work anymore," he said with a bitter smile. But Osman still provides computer consultancy for his clients on the side. "During a parents sharing event at my kid's school, they were startled when they knew I ran a hawker stall," Osman said. " I simply ignored these reactions and carried on. " He has had to learn how to handle picky customers with eccentric personalities. One customer, for example, complained to him about his food, wanting to have duck instead of chicken over rice. "This particular man never has the money to …
Bid Farewell to the Last Urban Walled Village
- 2016-04-02
- Politics
- The Young Reporter
- 2016-04-02
by Nicki Wong & Melissa Ko The remaining tenants of Nga Tsin Wai Tsuen packed their belongings and cleared their houses in the largely abandonned and messy village. Most of the other residents had moved out already They were ready to hand over their homes to the Urban Renewal Authority (URA). Nga Tsin Wai Tsuen in Wong Tai Sin district has a history of more than 650 years. It is known as "the last walled village in the city". The URA calls it a chapter in Hong Kong's " lost history". A conservation project began in 2007 to preserve three of the relics: Tin Hau Temple, the village gatehouse and an embedded stone tablet. The target is to complete the works in 2018-19. "I think the whole village should have been preserved," said Mr Wing, who lives near Nga Tsin Wai Tsuen. Although many residents and neighbours may share his view, conservation experts find little reason to keep the whole village. "Since the development of Morse Park, living conditions in Nga Tsin Wai Tsuen has changed," said Wu Chi-wai, Legislative Council member for Kowloon East, and District Council member for Wong Tai Sin. Nga Tsin Wai Tsuen, which means "overflowing prosperity" was fortified against pirates and cannons in the 18th century. Ten years ago, it was full of shops and street food stalls, or Dai Pai Dong. "Had we started preserving the village then, it would have been worthwhile," he continued, "but now, I don't see any point in keeping it. Only eight blocks are left and that's not enough to represent the culture of the village," Mr. Wu said. Most of the old houses in Nga Tsin Wai have been torn down and there are fewer and fewer villagers over the years. All that's left are rubble and …
Fading The Lights
- 2016-04-02
- Business
- 2016-04-02
by Daniel Ma The Environmental Bureau launched the Charter of External Light in January after three years of heated debate. The aim is supposed to reduce light pollution and energy wastage. More than 800 companies and organizations are participating in the event. They will get a Platinum Award if they switch off their external lighting between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m.. Those which turn off their lights between midnight and 7 a.m, will get the Gold Award. Ruth Law, who lives in Mong Kok, said the government should penalise those who leave their lights on around the clock because of the nuisance to the neighbourhood. " Businesses should bear liabilities because they are ignoring residents' health and people living nearby should be able to claim compensation," Mr. Law said. Jason Chun Shing Pun, a principal lecturer at the Department of Physics at University of Hong Kong said energy-saving lighting devices are to blame for the light pollution. "Using energy-saving lights means that their electricity charges would drop while the lights can be even brighter than regular lighting. This is incentive for the shops to turn on their lights for longer," he said. Despite concern expressed by some in the business sector, the problem remains because bill boards are often regarded as a special features of Hong Kong, often shown in promotional photographs of the city. "The external lighting of restaurants and hot-pot shops in areas such as Tsim Sha Tsui and Lan Kwai Fong are an attraction," said Ricky Lam Kwok-Leung, vice-chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurant and Related Trades Limited. Mr Lam said consumers might think the restaurants are closed if they switch off their external lights after 11 p.m. Following the launch of the Charter of External Light, Wong Kam-sing, Secretary for the Environment was …
Green Tea: A Healthy Drink?
- 2016-04-02
- Health & Environment
- 2016-04-02
by Isabella Lo Vienna Lau Cheuk-lam has been drinking ten cups of green tea every week for three years. She believes it keep her fit and invigorated. "I feel re-energized after drinking green tea," said the second year student at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. "It helps me a lot to concentrate on my studies." Vienna is among many Hong Kong people who drink up 1.42 kilograms of tea every year. This makes the city the 12th biggest tea consumer in the world, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United States (FAO). However, recent studies have found drinking too much green tea may be detrimental to the reproductive system. In an article in the December issue of Journal of Functional Foods, researchers from the University of California, Irvine, discovered that a high dose of green tea can have adverse effects on reproductive development in fruit flies. In the study, fruit fly larvae were exposed to different doses of green tea polyphenols (GTP). It was found that larvae exposed to ten milligrams or more of green tea have slower development and are generally smaller in size than the controls. They also produce less offspring. "Experiments on insects like fruit flies are just a start," said Dr. Ko Ka-shun Joshua, pharmacologist at Hong Kong Baptist University. "It is not yet known whether green tea will have significant effects on humans." With various health benefits including delaying ageing, regulating weight, and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, green tea has become one of the most popular drinks worldwide. The harvest of green tea has increased by 60 per cent in volume over the last decade, according to the Tea Association of USA. However, Dr. Ko suggested not to drink too much green tea despite its high antioxidant content. "A well-known antioxidant, vitamin …