Q. Taiwan and Hong Kong are both part of the Chinese world, so why are the people of these two places still so far apart in their knowledge of each other?

A. Putting it simply, I think this is related to the vast difference in social backgrounds. Taking Taiwan first, in the past it was influenced by Japanese colonial culture, and then after retrocession it was ruled by the government of the Republic of China. Compared to Hong Kong, society in general did not have much contact with the outside world. Moreover, because the people were still unadulterated by any high degree of commercialization, added to which there was a generally high level of education, they preserved comparatively more of their traditional values. Stressing human relationships and emotions, they thus followed a way that was rather more spiritually satisfying.

As for Hong Kong, most obviously it was developed by Britain, so its style of thinking and way of going about things are of course more Westernized. In addition, from the 1950s, Hong Kong became a society of refugees, and the hard experiences of building up a home created the realism and pragmatic character of its citizens. Moreover, Hong Kong has become an international free port in the last twenty years and a financial center. Apart from its explosion of wealth, it has also been very hard to resist the temptations of the flow of imported luxuries from all over the world. Thus, generally speaking, most Hong Kong people like to boast about what they love to enjoy; enjoyment (usually material) has become a very important social value.

Since the problem of 1997 has come up, there are probably not many people who can ignore this "great limitation." The money-making society has flourished and led to social values becoming even more materialistic.

A distance between image and reality?

Q. When outsiders look at Hong Kong, they usually get their knowledge from its mass culture. It is very easy to get the impression that Hong Kong is a commercial society that is devoid of culture. Do you think that this stereotype does justice to the real situation?

A. This impression is basically not wrong. As a meeting place between East and West, old and new, Hong Kong culture is in fact incredibly multifaceted! With its preservation of traditional rituals and customs, it is as if Hong Kong is even more of an elegant and ritualistic society than Taiwan.

Apart from the inheritance of the rituals and customs of traditional culture, there are also a number of practitioners of the fine arts in Hong Kong. Although they cannot have a mass appeal and are on a different path from commerce, they can still flourish within a complete system with financial support from various consortia. As for the performing arts in Hong Kong, they get a lot of their strength from government subsidies. Then there is Hong Kong's geographical convenience, making it normal to invite both world-class artists and mainland masters to come and exhibit or perform. At times this can really win a cultured image for the Hong Kong government in the world.

The practical younger generation:

Q. What led you to go and work in Hong Kong? Were there difficulties in getting into Hong Kong society?

A. I went to Hongkong because I married an overseas Chinese man and then came back with him. Later on, although we separated, I stayed on here. First of all, having spent these years building a life in Hong Kong it would be difficult to drop everything and go back to Taiwan. Secondly, Taiwan's development in recent years has been very exciting, and it is a shame I was not there. But if you want me to judge it, then there is still a lot that is not yet perfect.

As for Hongkong, perhaps it is because it is a city that had no relationship with me that I feel no liability and am like a bystander watching the spectacle. Strange to say--I have already been in Hong Kong for six years--but it still gives me a lot of fresh interest. Perhaps it is due to Hong Kong's particular historical position and its overall exotic nature, but I often get the mysterious feeling that I am standing on the stage of a drama.

Q. From your preface to your book, before you came to Hong Kong, your impressions of the place had mostly come from the entertainment culture of films and television. Now that you have been here for six years, what do you feel are the greatest differences between your present impressions and your earliest ones?

A. Before I came to Hong Kong I did not in fact have any real knowledge of the place. My knowledge all came in drips and drabs after I got there. If you really want to talk about "differences" then I have to tell you a funny story.

Expel prejudice and be concerned:

When I was in Taiwan my image of Hong Kong was very hazy and sloppily built up from popular songs and soap operas. Among them there were a lot of false ideas that would make me blush today. For example, reading novels and watching martial arts films made me think that Hong Kong was a very chivalrous society. However, at that time my ideas were basically that Hong Kong was a fiercely competitive and busy city that mixed the old and the new, so I was not too far off the mark. Apart from this, the Cantonese songs I had heard in Taiwan were very profound and full of insights into human life. At that time I also thought that the standard of Chinese in Hong Kong was higher than that in Taiwan, and I was quite jealous. It was only after I arrived there that I found out Hong Kong's standard was much lower.

Q. So what kind of attitude do you think a Taiwanese observer of Hong Kong should maintain to best understand the true face of Hong Kong?

A. Basically, between Taiwan and Hong Kong, the present situation stems from insufficient information and the language barrier, and thus there is this problem of "you do not know me and I do not know you," or "I am not interested in knowing you and you are not interested in knowing me"--but there does not exist any so-called "attitude" problem. The first step towards understanding Hong Kong is probably to drop your received views and take an open attitude in looking at it and getting to know it.

Read a lot about the variety of Hong Kong. If you have the opportunity, then take a visit, open your eyes and look. Talk with the natives in a friendly fashion, just as you would when getting to know New York or Paris. Feelings of curiosity, concern, and desire are all very good motives.