Generations Interact in Lo Wai

Although born and raised in different decades, the village chief Cheung Sing Man and the youngster Eric both recount the daily life of the village, and their stories share a similarity in how villagers have a close relationship with each other.

Cheung the village chief recalled that in the early days, although villagers will exercise territoriality and try to obtain as much land as possible to gain a better living, the relationship among them was still very close. Not only would they greet each other warmly, but they would also address an elder as uncle or aunt and those of the same generation as brothers and sisters.

Eric the young villager said that, although he yearns for the convenience of city life, he would not move to the city, because he is reluctant to leave the village to which he is closely attached. As a small boy, his parents did not allow him to play in the walled village alone; Eric had very few friends at that time. Knowing this, sister Ching of the Anglican Church would give him and his brothers colouring books and crayons, as she knows Eric likes colouring. Perhaps from developing his childhood interests, Eric has now graduated from the Hong Kong Chinese University majoring in Fine Arts, and he has painted two wall murals in the village. Although “Tsin Wan” (Tsuen Wan’s early name, “Shallow Bay”) has developed into a modern and busy city, Lo Wai Village never lost its human touches.