Thomas Lindahl Robinson

Moments in Asia: Spread Your Wings

Spread Your Wings is a documentation of the daily lives of the people living in Hong Kong since the transition to China.  

In this global economy of the Asia-Pacific region, Hong Kong is known as one of the Four Asian Tigers, which has one of the highest growth rates and rapid developments since the 1960s. It has yet to catch up with the majority of the first world by offerring better opportunities to primary education, and more opportunities to higher education.  

Under the principle of "one country, two systems," Hong Kong is one of the leading international financial centers in the world with a major capitalist service economy characterised by low taxation, free trade, and minimum government intervention. The Hong Kong dollar is the 9th the most traded currency in the world, yet despite living in of the freest economic systems in the world, most Hong Kongers' toil in service oriented jobs, inhabit small, crowded spaces, whose ability to climb up the economic ladder is limited by poverty, fierce competition of availabe resources, and acquisitions of university degrees.  

"Spread Your Wings," is one of the many business provebs displayed in local restaurants in hopes of greater fortune and prosperity.  

  • Chi Ying stands on top of Fung Wong Shan Peak Overlooking Hong Kong.Hong Kong Island
  • A view of Hong Kong's financial center on top of Victoria Peak. On bright, clear, sunny days The Peak offers panaramic views of Hong Kong, Kowloon, and Victoria harbour. Hong Kong Island
  • The lower econimic classes living in Hong Kong struggle to find affordable housing, as space is often limited. It is quite common for owners of the building, property managers, or landlords to allow tenants to build illegal appartments on top of roofs of the buildings. The Hong Kong government is now tearing down such habitats and fining the owners of the buidlings. Hong Kong Island
  • Chi Ying rides the subway home after a long day of work. Hong Kong Island
  • A street vendor makes a living by setting up his cart in Mong Kok district, selling pancakes to customers. Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong
  • A man sits proudly in front of his home decorated with pornography.Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong
  • Hong Kongers enjoy an afternoon on the driving range of the once infamous Hong Kong Kai Tak International Airport. The story of Kai Tak started in 1922 when two businessmen Ho Kai and Au Tak formed the Kai Tak Investment Company in order to reclaim land in Kowloon for development. The land was acquired by the government for use as an airfield after the business plan failed. In 1924, Harry Abbott opened The Abbott School of Aviation on the piece of land. Soon, it became a small grass strip airport for the RAF and several flying clubs which, over time, grew to include the Hong Kong Flying Club, the Far East Flying Training School, and the Aero Club of Hong Kong which exist today as an amalgamation known as the Hong Kong Aviation Club. In 1928, a concrete slipway was built for seaplanes that used the adjoining Kowloon Bay which can be seen in old photographs. The first control tower and hangar at Kai Tak were built in 1935. In 1936, the first domestic airline in Hong Kong was established.Hong Kong Island
  • A neighborhood in the Lei Yue Mun District of Hong Kong, which is known for its seafood market and fishing villages. Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong
  • A delivery man drops off supplies for the Mong Kok night market in Yau Tsim Mong District. Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong
  • A worker is setting up for Mong Kok's Night Market in Yau Tsim Mong District. Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong
  • A neighborhood park in the Lei Yue Mun District, known for its seafood markets and fishing villages, overlooks Victoia Bay and the Financial Center of Hong Kong Island. Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong
  • A Tanka villager sells tours around Aberdeen Harbour. Aberdeen Harbour,  located on the south shore of Hong Kong Island, is known for its floating villages and the Tanka people, who are generally associated with the fishing industry. The government of Hong Kong has built high-rise buildings along Aberdeen Harbour to encourage its boat dwelling community to leave their junkets, yet many refuse to trade their way of life for a more modern life-style.Additionally, Hong Kong means {quote}fragrant Harbor{quote} and it was Aberdeen where incense trees from the New Territories used to be transferred for export to other cities in China..Aberdeen Harbour, Hong Kong
  • Twin boys play at home on their junket boat, while their grandmother sits in the shade, escaping the humid, summer weather. Aberdeen Harbour, Hong Kong
  • A father of twin boys suffers in the humid, summer weather with no relief in sight. Aberdeen Harbour, Hong Kong
  • One of the twin boys looks into their neighbor's junket boat, hoping to catch a slight breeze, which sometimes offers relief from the humid, summer weather. Aberdeen Harbour, Hong Kong
  • A Budhist Temple where Hong Kongers and tourists  light incense for prayer offerings.Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong
  • An elderly woman, whose family decided to place their relative in a nursing home, shares a cubicle with another patient, who is being fed by an attendant. Traditionally, the elderly will live with their children and grandchildren. However, as the younger generation have greater access to a college education and corporate jobs, many choose to place their elderly relatives in nursing homes for twenty-four hour care. Aberdeen Harbour, Hong Kong
  • An elderly man, living in a retirement home, sits in his cubicle of a room, staring out the window, overlooking Aberdeen Harbour. Traditionally, the ederly, parents and grandparents, will live at home with their children as one large family. However, as the younger generation becomes more financially successful, a few young executives opt to place their relatives into nursing homes, and visit them on occasion.  Aberdeen Harbour, Hong Kong
  • Villagers of the Lei Yue Mun district are fishing in Victoria Bay at sunset. Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong
  • A statue of the Virgin Mary sits on a tomb, overlooking the Cheung Sha Wan Catholic Cemetery. Hong Kong Island
  • Chi Ying pays respect to her father, Cheung Chiu Lee, with her daughter at the Cheung Sha Wan Catholic Cemetery.Hong Kong Island
  • A relative of a deceased descedant burns fake money as a prayer offering. Many Budhists will burn fake items-money, cars, houses-believing these are things the deceased will need, in order to be more comfortable in their afterlife. Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong
  • A busy subway terminal is used twenty-four hours a day, as many Hong Kongers go to socialize after work at the restaurants and night market of Mong Kok in the Yau Tsim Mong District on Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong.Mong Kok (Pronounced {quote}Mong Gok{quote}) means {quote}prosperous corner{quote} in Chinese. This district is characterized by its architecture of old and new multi-story buidings, its numerous and specialized noodle-style restaurants, and its night market. Mong Kok has the highest population density in the world.Hong Kong Island
  • A father enjoys a bowl of noodles with his daughter. Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong
  • A late night vendor sleeps in his van in Mong Kok, while wating for residents and night market shoppers to knock and buy ice cream.Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong.
  • Some Restaurants are open all night in hopes to attract more businees for the late night crowd. Kowloon Peneinsula, Hong Kong
  • A nightclub in Mong Kok advertises its singers in hopes to attract residents, tourists, and night market shoppers to its establishment. Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong.
  • One of the many popular, late nitght destinations, offering inexpensive delights for residents and night market shoppers in Mong Kok. The engraving on the mirror, {quote}Spread Your Wings,{quote} is believed to reflect around the restaurant, bringing prosperity and good fortune to the owner.Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong.
  • Home
  • Portraits
  • Moments in Asia
    • New Shanghai
    • Spirited Away In Tibet
    • Spread Your Wings
  • Narratives On Cuba
    • Black, White, and Things
      • Abrázame
      • Escalaras
    • Semblances of Colour
      • Dreaming In Cuban I
      • Dreaming In Cuban II
      • Abre Los Ojos
  • Stories From America
    • America's Last Colony
    • fifty-two minutes
    • Solitary Moments
  • Bio
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