Bamboo Is Innocent

Bamboo scaffolding serves as both a vital construction tool and a defining element of Hong Kong’s urban identity, prized for its flexibility in the city’s dense, vertical landscape. Following a catastrophic fire at the Wong Fook Court complex, the government initiated a rapid phase-out of bamboo in favor of metal, citing safety concerns. However, residents and industry experts argue that flammable plastic netting, not the bamboo itself, fueled the blaze. This policy shift is widely perceived as a political maneuver to erase Hong Kong’s distinct cultural practices and align the city more closely with mainland China. As traditional bamboo masters face the loss of their craft, the material has evolved into a symbol of resistance, with citizens using its defense as a coded form of speech against the perceived erosion of local autonomy and cultural identity.