Women Who Travel | Condé Nast Traveler Hong Kong’s Untold Stories
Nov 16, 2023
Journalist Louisa Lim, author of Indelible City, shares her intimate ties with Hong Kong's vibrant past and present. She reveals her mission to highlight ordinary voices in the city's history and discusses the provocative legacy of the King of Kowloon. Lim also reflects on the cultural impact of the 2019 protests and the shifting dynamics of the region, addressing concerns for visitors and her aspirations for Hong Kong's future. This engaging dialogue unveils the intricate tapestry of a city filled with untold stories.
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Childhood Trips Shaped Her Mission
- Louisa Lim grew up trailing her mother to heritage sites, bored but influenced by her mother's mission to retell local history.
- That childhood shaped Lim's drive to recentre Hong Kong history around ordinary people rather than colonial elites.
King Of Kowloon’s Street Manifesto
- The King of Kowloon was an elderly trash sorter who covered Hong Kong walls with his clan's genealogy and protests about stolen land.
- His crude, distinctive calligraphy and outlaw status turned him into a cultural icon later embraced by poets, musicians, and designers.
Street Rebellion Becomes Marketable
- Louisa Lim observed that grassroots figures can be commodified by capitalism and turned into profitable brands.
- She found it striking that protest-rooted imagery from the King of Kowloon ended up on underwear, whiskey bottles, and duvet covers.
