#chungkingmansions

[zirosou]

one person #hongkong #discoverhongkong #chungkingmansions #eyeemphoto #theimaged #香港 (Hong Kong)

[norrislovesglobalizationlove]

Under the sky, under the heavens, there is but one family.

“Under the sky, under the heavens, there is but one family.” - Bruce Lee

A couple of days ago, I watched a Bruce Lee film named Fist of Fury. Seeing Bruce on screen reminded me of the footage where he was asked whether he thought himself as Chinese or North American. He answered the question wisely, at the same time, he was also demonstrating the idea of cosmopolitanism. While I was like “Wait! I’ve learned that in GLOBE!”, I read the news about what was happening in ChungKing Mansion in Hong Kong. I realized I had something about cosmopolitanism that I wanted to share with you guys, I think this might be a good chance for me to share my own thoughts on cosmopolitanism by writing this blog. 

I remember helping an old lady who couldn’t speak English find her way to the bus stop, she couldn’t speak my language and I couldn’t speak hers. Anyways, I found a way to give her the direction to the bus stop, I noticed that there was a language barrier between me and her. BUT! Does that affect my decision to help her? Does nationality really matter? Do the languages people speak really matter? Will it be one of my concerns when I help you, or anyone else in the world? Will any kind of national differences get in the way and stop me from helping people who are in need?  I don’t think so. I realized that with the growth of nationalism, (it would be ultranationalism in China in that case), people tend to ONLY help others who are from their country or speak their language. For the past 5 years, people have been building their own communities around the world. IT IS OKAY to have your own communities, after all, embracing your culture and having respect for others is one of the keys of cosmopolitanism. Somehow, that’s not what I have been feeling, from my experience, they don’t feel like helping people “who are not their race”, or so-called “my people”. 

Don’t get me wrong guys, I think accepting who you are, embracing your culture/ethnicity, are super important. After all, if we throw away our beliefs, culture, ethnic background, the world will just be a homogeneous, boring world. WHY? Because you and I and her and he are all the same, we will lose our distinctiveness. Without culture, there is no society. Somehow, our society is heading in the opposite direction. We Live In A Society where people only care about their cultures, they are bound by the idea of nationality, geographical boundaries, etc. People tend to only care about others who speak their languages, watch their movies, listen to the songs they listen to. Those became the concerns before they decide to help someone. Does that sound ridiculous to you? That means I will only give you a ride if you know who Jackie Chan is, I will only send you to the hospital if you know who Eminem is. What? You don’t know about FRIENDS, man you are not getting any help from me. It even sounds more ridiculous saying this, but in fact, it is what is happening around the world. Cosmopolitanism is not an easy thing to achieve in this world, it will never be. To do it, the first thing we have to do is how to respect others’ cultures. The ideas of loving who you are and loving everyone can and have to stick together for cosmopolitanism to take the first step. It is not like the winner is either you or me, there is no winner. I think that’s the hardest part to do. We have to learn to respect each other first, then we can move on to how to make cosmopolitanism work. That’s the first thing we should know!

Diversity means you embrace your culture, you love your culture, you want to show the world what’s good in your culture. At the same time, it means having room for other cultures to live inside that circle of society(just think of it as a circle). It means respect, not just for your own culture, but for others’ cultures too. That’s what I think is the hardest and the most important part to do because if people don’t realize this, it will just become a cultural invasion that is happening now. There is no conflict between embracing our identities and achieving cosmopolitanism!

You may ask, REALLY? YOU HAVE SPENT FIVE MINUTES SAYING THAT THEY COULD STAY TOGETHER, HOW WE SHOULD DO AND HOW WE SHOULD BE AWARE OF THIS AND THAT AND THOSE, IS IT REALLY THE FACT? IS IT REALLY POSSIBLE?

I am here to tell you, YES, IT IS POSSIBLE! 

Here is why. 

In the middle of glitzy Tsim Sha Tsui Hong Kong shopping district stands a nondescript building known as Chungking Mansions. Known for its ethnic diversity, affordable curries(which are SUPER GOOD, it’s a must-try if you have a chance), African bistros, sari stores,etc.. It always acts as a large gathering place for some of the ethnic minorities in Hong Kong. Even a reporter from CNN stated that the complex was the "unofficial African quarter of Hong Kong"(that’s what wiki said) because the building is mostly lived by South Asians, Middle Eastern people, Nigerians, and Europeans. It was also elected as the "Best Example of Globalization in Action" by TIME. Somehow, I know so many people who claimed that they would never go there because it looked “dangerous”, the building is also taken by people as a chaotic No Man’s Land. (mostly because they don’t know what things really look like in there)

Now you know the story behind Chungking Mansions, let’s talk about what it has to do with cosmopolitanism.

Last week a democracy activist was viciously attacked with hammers and reports had trickled out that the assailants were South Asian, stoking fears that protesters may target minorities in retaliation. Those attackers try to split society, but the effect is the opposite, they are making the people more united. Those fears didn’t come true. Instead, a group of South Asians stood at the front steps of ChungKing Mansions, hanging out water and egg tarts to the protesters when they marched through the heart of Tsim Sha Tsui. They were also showing their support by singing the popular protest anthem and saying “WE ARE ONE” and “WE CONNECT”. 

Isn’t that the gist of cosmopolitanism? 

“WE ARE ONE“

This is just the point I am trying to prove throughout the whole blog! It is okay for society to have culture distinctiveness and cosmopolitanism, BOTH TOGETHER. Why? Because things like languages, where you are from, what clothes you wear, what food you eat most, WON’T be standing above our moral values. They won’t stop us from DOING THE RIGHT THING! When we are facing serious, ethical problems, when there are lives at stake, when it’s about humanity, when it’s about doing the right thing, we can always come together and help each other out. I think ChungKing Mansions is really proving that culture would never stand above moral values. It doesn’t matter what your race is, we are all human. You can identify yourselves as all you want, HongKonger, Canadian, Pakistani. Those names only represent your culture, and that’s it. They won’t stop us from helping each other. We cannot choose our culture, but we have the ability to do the right thing. Cultural differences can’t affect our decision, at the same time, we are showing respect to other cultures. We embrace ours, respect and accept yours. That’s something we have to work on while we are achieving a cosmopolitan world. No matter what language you speak, where you are born, WE ARE ONE. Somehow before we can achieve it, we still have a long way to go.

  Imagine all the people

Living life in peace

You, you may say I'm a dreamer

But I'm not the only one

I hope someday you will join us

And the world will be as one

[wallpassnews]

#1025 #南亞手足 #南亞感謝日 #重慶大廈 25/10全日 #ChungKingMansions (From: #反送中 文宣谷 Channel 頻道) https://www.instagram.com/p/B4Ca9iwJVX5/?igshid=1a2vrjqgqsjmr

[yu0216-blog]

おはようございます。香港2日目を迎える土曜日がスタート。安定安心の重慶大厦でアレコレ準備して深圳へ移動しやす。インドカレーが恋しい今日この頃。Day2 Hong Kong. Headed to Shenzhen because I prepared at Chungking Mansions. I did not have time to eat Indian curry at Chungking Mansions, so I will try it next time.#hongkong #chungkingmansions #重慶大厦 #trip #instagood #instadiary #instalike #instamood #instalove #instafollow #instapic #instaphoto (重慶大廈 Chungking Mansions) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz13SocJzqB/?igshid=t4ed7ae63bpg

[thedespicableblog]

One of the most expensive hotels in Hong Kong.. The Peninsula and possibly the most dangerous and notorious place in Hong Kong.. the Chungking Mansions.. #ThePeninsula #hotel #半島酒店 #ChungkingMansions #重慶大厦 #tsimshatsui #尖沙咀 #kowloon #九龍 #hongkong #香港 (at Tsim Sha Tsui) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bxq0iVcJtoZ/?igshid=1m8k0ppqldv5a

[evolvedmale]

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The smallest room I've ever rented. . . . #chungkingmansions #tst #tsimshatsui #kowloon #hongkong #asia #travelstyle #travel https://www.instagram.com/p/Bnr0au5h-3X/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=9m3qt7dax9gr

[allourblindspots]

[masakazu-photo]

#littleplant #tynyplanet #theta #theta360 #360度カメラ #hongkong #chungkingmansions #香港 #重慶大厦 #重慶マンション #写真撮っている人と繋がりたい #写真を撮るのが好きな人と繋がりたい (Chungking Mansions 重慶大廈)

[wwooi]

“重庆森林”电影里的重庆大厦 #王家卫 #chungkingmansions #moviescenes (at Chungking Mansions 重慶大廈)

[dra7gon]

#ChungKingMansions #WongKarWai #ChungkingExpress #ChungKingSenLin #ChongQingSenLin #HongKong #重庆森林 #王家卫

[danata]

Мой отель в #chungkingmansions, и мне там постоянно на пути к лифту мутные индусы предлагают то часы, то сомнительные развлечения, то наркоту. Но я же знаю, где находится легальная наркота в Гонгконге. Место с 2013 года стоит там же, где его нам с @ds_ya и @den182 когда-то показала @nooooooby И как она выглядит тоже знаю ))) и сколько стоит (22 гкд за дозу). #гонгконг #гонгконгскиевафли #вафли #инстаеда #порноеда #hongkong #waffles #hongkongwaffles #instafood #foodporn #foodgasm #foodie #travel #travelfood #travelfoodie (at iSQUARE)

[jamessebright]

Room, Chungking Mansions, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong. #hongkong #chungkingmansions #tst #tsimshatsui #kowloon #backpacking #backpackerhotel #television #room #tv #pink #travel #travelphotographer #travelphotography #jamessebright #documentaryphotography #documentary #documentaryphotographer #FujifilmAsia #theIMAGED #artofvisuals #xpro2 #fujifilmxpro2 (at 重慶大廈 Chungking Mansions)

[urbanmutantradio]

Coming for YOU on Wednesday! Hear voices in your head from #RupertLally #SimonKlee #MRux #AllMyFriendsAreGhosts #Cerx #ListenerDepleted #ServerAD #BadElectric #Pygmalion #R3K3R #Psetta #AFarewelltoHexes #DAMV #ChungkingMansions #Pulselovers #NovaDive #LisaBellaDonna #VideoShoppe #ForestRobots #DickPowis #MikeDickinson #SecretNuclear @hollowearthradio @castlesinspace @musiqueparavion @noproblematapes @dream_catalogue @pingipung_records @musicisthedevil.

UrbanMutant “America’s Favourite Radio Show!”

[enelana-blog]

#nathanroad #hongkong #tsimtsatsui #chungkingmansion

[leoyaolu-blog]

#chungkingexpress #chungkingmansion #hongkong #Friday

[jennifer-gehs-petersburg]

On top of the World ...or on good of the hotel 18th floor #hongkong #tsimshatsui #tst #chungkingmansion #chungking #hotel #rooftop #18thfloor #view #victoriaharbour #sea #highrises (hier: Chungking Mansions 重慶大廈)