Co-founded by recent history graduate Lin Fung Tat Clive and a friend early this year, “Cogito HK” is based on the multifaceted concepts of seeking, thinking, recording, and participating. The platform promotes the history and culture of Hong Kong online, encouraging the public to preserve history through memory.
“Cogito HK” even organised two physical events in the middle of this year, namely the guided tour “The Connection and Knot of Tai Hang Sai Estate” and the exhibition “A Story of Tai Hang Sai: A ‘Home’ for Insiders and Outsiders,” centered around the main theme of Tai Hang Sai Estate. These projects received Chung Chi’s support from the “Seeds of Good Deed” Project Award and the “Dreaming Through Chung Chi Scheme” respectively.
Q: Why was “Cogito HK” established, and why was Tai Hang Sai Estate chosen?
The idea of creating a platform dedicated to Hong Kong’s history had long been my goal. My desire to become a secondary school history teacher led me to study History and pursue a Postgraduate Diploma in History Education at CUHK. My primary interest lies in Hong Kong’s history, coupled with insights from anthropology that have deepened my understanding of culture. All these make me interested in recording the historic and cultural connections between people.
Tai Hang Sai Estate, an estate with a sixty-year history, faced redevelopment while its residents expressed strong emotions. Having visited the estate multiple times, my teammate and I became familiar with various residents and visitors. The emotional tie between us prompted the creation of the guided tour “The Connection and Knot of Tai Hang Sai Estate”, which aimed to lead the public in explorations through audio recordings, blending historical narratives with cultural experiences to engage the public.
Q: As an online platform, why did “Cogito HK” decide to hold offline activities?
“Cogito HK” is a diverse initiative, and the online platform is just a starting point. We aim to create more opportunities for public engagement with the city’s history and culture. Initially focusing on online efforts was partly due to the challenges of establishing a physical presence, especially in a commercially driven city like Hong Kong where the cultural sector has limited room to thrive.
With no significant funding or connections, the co-founder and I, both university students, must tackle everything by ourselves - it seems impossible for only two people to face the daunting task of organising guided tour and exhibition. Surprisingly, the offline initiatives attracted interest, with community members questioning how just two people could manage such ambitious projects. Despite limited resources, we discovered that passion could drive perseverance. Organising offline activities was challenging due to costs and manpower constraints, but support from volunteers helped ensure a successful first exhibition. “Cogito HK” will keep vibrant and introduce more interesting, meaningful and public-oriented activities.
The exhibits include historical pictures and household items from the past.
Q: There are plenty of activities in your Tai Hang Sai Estate project, including a guided tour and an exhibition. What stands out the most? Have you encountered any challenges? And what have you learned in the project?
The most profound experience was witnessing the rapid transformations of Tai Hang Sai Estate over just seven months, highlighting the loss of people and daily life. This reinforced our role as a “memory bearer.” We frequently visited the estate during those months, which led to meaningful interactions with residents, many of whom we fondly referred to as “NPCs” (non-player characters in games) because those residents would always be there.
But suddenly, we became more like “NPCs” in the estate. From chatting with different people, capturing farewells by camera, to visiting residents who refused to leave, we could see sharp changes whenever we visit there. And even more is, the changes in the estate are but a microcosm of the changes in Hong Kong.
Time constraints were the biggest challenge. We needed to complete extensive research within around four months, and new ideas even came up during the period, such as the guided tour and the exhibition, which were inspired by the creations in the estate. But it also deepened the problem of lack of manpower.
We do not have abundant resources. Only our dedication to preserving local culture and history propelled us to document the essence of Tai Hang Sai Estate. We believed our project is not only an exploration of history and culture, but also a faith that encourages us to resist oblivion. Without these efforts, the vibrant history of the area risks being overshadowed by modern developments.
Student Reporter Leung Nga Wing
