鄧永鏘（DavidTang） 中國會、上海灘創辦人
ItreasureHongKong.Itisatreasurebecauseitismyhome.Itisatreasurebecausethingsgetdoneefficiently.Anditisatreasurebecausetherearestillthingsyoucangetherethatyoucannotgetelsewhere.SotodayIcelebrateHongKong–evenifsomanythingsandpeopleannoymeaboutthisplace.Iwouldn'twantanywhereelseintheworldtobemyhome.Mybloodisherebybirth;myashesbydeath.AndthislandhasgivenmealltheopportunitiestodowhatIhavewantedtodo,and,Ithink,dothemwell.
IwassadfromthemomentIlefttheseshoresonasteamshipatthetenderageof13–foraboardingschoolinEngland.Iwasinstantlyhome-sick.AndIlongedtocomehometoseemygreat-grandmotherwhoknelteverydayinfrontofaBuddhistaltartoprayforanhour.Iwantedtohelpherlightthejoss-sticks.Ialsolongedtoseemygrandmotherwhocookedmethemostdeliciousnoodlesandcongees.AndIlongedtoseeourcatwhowentmissingfordays,butcamehomeafterIhadnomoretearswithwhichtocry.
Butitwasn'tuntilseveralyearsinEnglandbeforeImanagedtoreturntovisitmyfamily.Thehome-comingwasuttersatisfaction.IwasfirstfedwithChinesecultureasmyaunttookmetoseeZhangDa-Qian'sfirstexhibitionattheCityHall.Istillremembervividlyhisvividbluesandgreens.Simplygenius!
ThenIwasfedrealfood.Tothisday,givemeeverydaycheungfan(腸粉）andsampancongee(艇仔粥）andsoyasaucenoodles(豉油皇炒麵）!Givemetheseedlesskaryingji(無核加應子）.Andthechanpeimui(陳皮梅）.Andthesweetwahmui(話梅）.Givemethemoon-cakes(月餅）andyear-cakes(年糕）andbridal-cakes(老婆餅）!
Alsotothisday,letHongKongcontinueitsunparallelledefficiency!Icanbuymostthingsatmosttimes.Icangetthingsfixedinnotimeatanytime.AndIcanarrangethingstobedoneatalltimes.IhavejustbuiltquiteafancyrestaurantinLondon.ButeverythinginitcamefromHongKong.ThebanquettesandcushionscamefromatinyunitfactoryinKowloonBay(九龍灣）.MrPingandhiswifeandaworker,allinshirtsleeves,maderowsofperfectbanquettesandupholstered200cushions.Eachofthemperfect.TheBritishcouldn'tbelievetheworkmanship.Theycertainlydisbelievedthemere3weeksinwhicheverythingwasmade.Andallfromaunitspaceofnomorethan300squarefeet.ThediligenceofpeoplelikeMrPingisthemiracleofHongKong.TheyarethesaltofthisChineseearth.Justlikemymaincontractor.MrKwan.Totallyunassuming.Totallynon-descript.Totallyreticent.Yethehashelpedmebuild3ChinaClubs,overl0ShanghaiTangshopsandnearly20cigardivans,nottomention2ItalianrestaurantsandoneenormousbanquetinghallinNewYorkthatseatsover1,000people.YetMrKwanlivesinamodestflatinNorthPoint.Hehasnooffice.Hiswifehelpshimout,andnowhisson.They,asafamily,arethebackboneofHongKong.MybusinessesarenothingwithoutMrKwan.
Mostofall,we7-millionChineseshouldbesohappyandfortunatetobefree.NotalltheChineseintheworldarefree.IpinchmyselfasoftenasIcantofeelincrediblyluckytobeacitizenofHongKong.Itisamagicalplace–notbecauseofDisney,notbecauseof5-starhotelsnorrestaurants,norshoppingmallsnorskyscrapers,butbecauseofourChineseidentity,andourhistoryinwhichmillionsofrefugeeshavemadethisplaceintoadecentandcivilizedhomeforusall.Soletusneverforgettheseeasilyforgettablehardworkinganddedicatedindividuals,workingalmostanonymouslyinanonymousspacesandways.TheyarethespineofHongKong.Notthetycoonsnorfatcatsnornouveauxbrands–buttoughsurvivorsofthefittest.Isalutethem.TheyareHongKong.Itreasurethem.ItreasureHongKong.