Hong Kong Is a City… (a tribute to the Fragrant Harbour and Gay Talese)

Gay Talese’s pioneering "new journalism" provides the blueprint for a sonic tribute to Hong Kong, drawing inspiration from his 1960 essay, *New York is a City of Things Unnoticed*. Robin Ewing, director of the Master’s International Journalism Program at Hong Kong Baptist University, highlights Talese’s literary approach, specifically his ability to profile global icons like Frank Sinatra through extensive observation rather than direct interviews. This homage captures Hong Kong’s hidden layers, from the mythical significance of dragons in the city’s geography and triad culture to the quiet resilience of "cardboard grannies" and the fading neon signs of a changing urban landscape. The narrative weaves together historical remnants, such as the Sung Wong Toi monument, with the modern, multicultural reality of Sunday gatherings in Statue Square. Ultimately, the city emerges as a resilient, complex metropolis where ancient traditions and hyper-modernity coexist in a constant state of reinvention.