Hong Kong's May Day: Tourists enjoy, Hung Fuk Court residents bid farewell to loved ones in ashes

Central News Agency

(Central News Agency reporter Chen Kai-yu, Taipei, 4th) While tourists visiting Hong Kong are light-footed, busy checking in at attractions and camping in the countryside to enjoy nature, residents of Tai Po's Hung Fuk Court are heavy-hearted, returning to their burnt homes, trying to retrieve remaining belongings from the ashes. Many residents brought flowers to bid farewell to their deceased loved ones. This May Day holiday, laughter and crying, joy and tears, intertwined and coexisted in this city.

May 1st to 5th is China's May Day Labor Day holiday, a golden period for many Hong Kong businesses and restaurants to earn money. In the first 3 days, a cumulative 710,000 mainland Chinese tourists visited Hong Kong, a 4.7% increase year-on-year.

The Old Yau Ma Tei Police Station, with over a century of history, attracts many mainland tourists who wish to capture the Hong Kong sentiment, thanks to its Edwardian architectural style and classic scenes from many Hong Kong films. Victoria Peak, overlooking the panoramic view of Victoria Harbour, Tsim Sha Tsui's Avenue of Stars, symbolizing "Hollywood of the East," and the neon-lit streets of Mong Kok are filled with the clamor of tourists.

At the same time, campsites in Sai Kung and Lantau Island are occupied by over a thousand colorful tents. Many tourists seize the opportunity to take photos of the sunset glow. After nightfall, the campsites are filled with the laughter of families and the smoke of cooking. The rocky shores are crowded with tourists digging for conchs, sea urchins, and crabs, with some even bringing shovels and other tools for "treasure hunting." Environmental groups criticize this behavior for damaging the ecosystem, but tourists enjoy themselves.

Under the same sky, Tai Po's Hung Fuk Court is filled with crying and tears, anger and helplessness. A fire broke out in Hung Fuk Court last November, causing 168 deaths. Five months later, the Hong Kong government arranged for residents to return home to tidy up for the first time from April 20th to May 4th.

Residents returned home with heavy steps, climbing the stairs. However, for some elderly residents living on higher floors, even though their homes were within reach, they were unable to reach them due to physical limitations, unable to even glimpse their burnt homes.

Some residents said that the lingering smell of burning still permeated the houses. Many homes had been reduced to ashes, but residents still did not give up any chance to find their belongings. Some squatted among the rubble, digging with bare hands through thick ashes, hoping to find unburnt items.

Many residents brought flowers to offer to deceased family members and neighbors. Some residents choked up, telling their deceased wives, "Wife, I'm home." Residents took out their phones, seizing the opportunity to photograph their homes, bidding their final farewells. The outside light shone through the broken windows into the houses, allowing them one last look at their homes.

This city continues to turn. Tourists look forward to playing again next holiday, while the surviving residents of Hung Fuk Court continue to struggle for their future. (Editor: Lu Jia-rong) 1150504

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