Hong Kong just like a movie with bonus scene, sometimes you need to wait until the last name of credit, then you can see the secret surprises. I have been to Hong Kong many years ago as a tourist, and never thought Hong Kong has any connection with CyberPunk. In my memory, Hong Kong is a typical highly developed Asian city, just like Tokyo and Singapore city. The skyscrapers, technologies and excellent transportation network. However, this time when I really go inside of Hong Kong, walking on the narrow neon flashing street, I suddenly felt like I am in a cyberpunk world.
I always wonder why Hong Kong neon signs are special, the city like Tokyo, Las Vegas and Shanghai, they have so many neon or LED signs, but Hong Kong is the only city that gives to me the feeling of juxtaposition of past and present. Since the middle of 20th century, the shining neon lights already become the signature of this city. In their own right, they play the communicative role of typography, illustration and graphic design (Chen, 2014). For example, every Hong Kong people know the signs with badge shape represent pawnshop. The whole sign design is like a bat with a coin in its mouth, and the Chinese name of bat pronounce like “fortune”, and the coin is the symbol of wealth. And computer typeface hasn’t ruled the signs market, therefore Hong Kong people prefer handwrite typefaces, they invited famous typographers to write down the brands, then use glass tubes lights to make every strokes. Because to make a neon signs will cost a lot, therefore neon signs are also the symbol of prosperous and wealthy in last century.
I have seen a movie named Ghost in the Shell, the city in the movie called New Port, an Asian high technology city that full with hackers and e-criminals. The director of Ghost in the Shell, Mamoru Oshii said that they didn’t have certain shot place, but if only say the streets and the whole atmosphere of the city, no one can deny that New Port is Hong Kong. Modern city with banners, neon signs and brands, Hong Kong maybe is the only city that can combine old street and modern buildings together perfectly. The neon signs in Ghost in the Shell almost the same as the real Hong Kong neon signs, without these neon signs, it is only a narrow and cold street. And from our sensibility, Hong Kong can be defined as CyberPunk by the sounds, the smell and the lights. Car mortar and Cantonese is Hong Kong’s voice; musty alleys and smell from Cha Chaan Tengs and Dai Pai Dong is Hong Kong’s smell, and neon signs are Hong Kong’s light.
Back to reality, neon signs are the part of Hong Kong history, and also a part of nowadays Hong Kong, but I am afraid we cannot see neon signs in Hong Kong anymore. In 2011, one of the most famous neon sign designed for Sammy’s Kitchen Ltd. Was removed, the Hong Kong Building Department thought this signs is unsafe, therefore they decided to remove it. After the sign removed, the manager of Sammy’s Kitchen Ltd, Iry Yip, she said ”I feel something missed…”. Neon signs are no longer only the part of Hong Kong, they are also part of Hong Kong people’s life. Since 1990s, with the new policies established, and replaced by LED signs, the number of neon signs are sharply reduced. LED lights have lower temperature than neon lights but brighter, and also LED cost less money. Hong Kong Building Department didn’t record how many neon signs still exist in Hong Kong, but they admit that they remove hundreds of neon signs every years, usually these signs have safety and construction issues, and others are not working anymore.
Lau Wan, one of the last neon designer. In an aged workshop, after heating up a glass tube, Lau Wan easily fold it to a Chinese word. He has made hundreds of neon signs since 1957, and he helps Hong Kong to become a “sleepless city”. He used to make the largest signs which located on Nathan Road. But now Lau Wan is afraid his skill is dying out. He is already 78 now, and he said that he wish he can teach this skill to teenagers but probably he don’t have much time left. Just like other business, if this skill can earn lots of money, there are always someone want to learn it.
Today the neon signs are disappearing, and they already become retro art works, collectors and museum love to collect aged neon signs, and some artist add neon elements into their works. During these days exploration, I saw a lot new style neon signs, they are pretty and even they can be art works, but they are hard to gain people attention. They can’t compare with traditional neon signs, 70 millions of Hong Kong people can see the neon signs from wherever they go and wherever they live. “the visitors are shocked by the neon signs in a narrow street, that makes me so proud” Lau Wan said, that is the reason he is still making the neon signs, and that is also the reason neon signs are still existing in Hong Kong.
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