The Chinese Intangible Cultural Heritage Inheritance School Promotion Program, recently inaugurated in Hong Kong, represents a significant effort to nurture patriotism and deepen understanding of traditional Chinese culture among the city’s younger generation. Starry Lee Wai-king, a Hong Kong member of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, highlighted the program’s role in educating Hong Kong’s youth about the nation’s cultural heritage and development at its launch ceremony.
This program, spearheaded by Zhu Yonghong, vice chairman of Chinese Art and Crafts (Hong Kong), focuses on immersing Hong Kong’s younger generations in the richness of traditional Chinese culture. It includes a range of promotional activities aimed at bringing these ancient cultural practices closer to the youth.
A key highlight of the event was a performance by Hathor Wai, daughter of the renowned face-changing master Wai Shui Kwan. Acknowledged as the “National Master of Face Changing Art,” Wai Shui Kwan has achieved recognition for setting records in the art form, including changing 44 faces in a single program on China Central Television and recently creating a new record of 76 faces. Hathor Wai emphasized her responsibility in promoting this traditional art form among Hong Kong students, who are often unfamiliar with such cultural practices.
The event saw enthusiastic participation from Hong Kong students, many of whom expressed a keen interest in traditional Chinese arts like seal carving. Their eagerness to engage in more activities related to Chinese intangible cultural heritage was evident.
Organized by CR Longdation, Chinese Art and Crafts (Hong Kong), and the New Territories School Heads Association, the program is set for a pilot phase in the 2023 to 2024 academic year. It includes a variety of enrichment activities such as lectures, exhibitions, workshops, parent-child classes, and teacher development training courses. The goal is to seamlessly integrate traditional Chinese culture into Hong Kong’s school curriculum, thereby promoting the inheritance of intangible cultural heritage.
Further emphasizing the importance of cultural education, the Hong Kong government established the Patriotic Education Working Group and an Office for the Promotion of Chinese Culture on October 25. John Lee Ka-chiu, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, announced these developments at a meeting of the Legislative Council. Lee underlined the government’s intention to foster a robust national identity and cultivate a deeper appreciation for traditional Chinese culture among residents through patriotic education.
This initiative marks a significant step in preserving and promoting China’s rich cultural heritage in Hong Kong, ensuring that the legacy of these traditional arts and practices continues to inspire and educate future generations.
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