The Past vs. The Present

‘New things are incomparable to the old ones,’ says a Chinese proverb. How true is that? Have we ever thought about why we prefer new to old? We are always taught to look forward instead of looking back. Does the past really mean something to us?

It does in Italy. Walking around the city of Cuneo located in the province of Torino in Northern Italy, you feel like you have landed at the medieval town. Surrounded by buildings of over thousands of years, you start to wonder if you ever belong to this place. Arcaded streets with very long boulevards can be found in Cuneo with stones, bricks, rounded arches and square courtyards. You are striding through a city of old medieval centre with eight-hundred-year of history separated by the new one that is more developed surrounded by more recent buildings.

Like every city in Italy, there is always a “piazza” situated in the centre of the city. Cuneo does have its own called piazza Galimberti. The “piazza” is ‘the’ place to be when it comes to meeting people, mingling and chatting (which is surely loved by Italians!). It is one of the landmarks of the city. More fascinating are the fountains as well as the wooden benches encircling it. As I was told later, in ancient times, the piazza was a meeting point where a lot of intellects and scientists were bred.

There are always some reasons that bring me back to this ‘village’, Cuneo. Recalling first meeting Alejandro’s friends back home ages ago, when asked how I thought about Cuneo, I was saying that it was a village to me. Guess my answer must have shocked his friends. (I hope they forgive me as I am a city girl.) Gradually I am starting to feel and experience this city with a new perspective and understanding. I am surprised how the locals are so proud of their historical past as well as being part of the history.

Growing up in a colonial city, I am never aware of this nor do I have interest towards the historical past. There are neither feelings nor emotions attached to it. The history of Hong Kong to me lacks the cultural appeal. My trip to Italy does awaken something inside me. Should we start thinking about our historical past and our culture? How are we going to preserve our history and culture? What is our root?

In Italy, or perhaps in Europe, too, I believe, they treasure everything historical from buildings, museums, paintings to architecture, churches and many others which we might call ‘old’, or ‘obsolete’. The oldest the better simply because it brings out the best of a society and it is where its culture is rooted.

Hong Kong used to be called ‘the desert of culture’. How true is that? Here in Hong Kong, everything is measured in terms of time and money. All people care about is how much you are making, how successful you are, etc. Yet how many of us are really aware of our historical past? It looks like our cultural and historical past is gradually fading. Hong Kong is unique in itself due to its colonial past. Has a new type of culture (blended with East and West) bred locally?

Without the past, present would never have existed. While looking ahead, I really want to take some time looking into the historical past of my culture and most importantly my root. After all, a culture tells you everything you need to know about the people.

Written on 1 August 2005