Much has happened since I wrote the foreword for the last issue of LIFE+. 2022 ended peacefully, and 2023 started with what felt like a very short January, a month that provided only momentary respite from the preceding festive season celebratory lunches and dinners. Then suddenly Chinese New Year was upon us, and to everyone’s delight this most family of occasions coincided with a general relaxation of travel restrictions. And over the last weeks, smiling faces and emotional reunions have been taking place in homes, railway stations and airports throughout our city and across the border as well. Long periods of being apart dissolved in those first embraces, and life has resumed a familiar and reassuring pattern again. My work year started very pleasantly, as I was lucky enough to spend a day out of the office in early January visiting some of the seven villages which make up the Hing Chun Alliance. This is a collection of small communities deep in the green countryside of the northeastern New Territories that can be reached on foot, a rewarding and beautiful hike through unspoiled landscapes. In 2021, Chinachem supported the creation of a ‘story room’ in one of the communities, Lai Chi Wo. This facility is a visitor center which rewards those who have made the trek to Lai Chi Wo with an opportunity to learn more about the culture, history, and diaspora of these important Hakka settlements. My visit this time though, was to meet with some of the residents who are pioneering new ways of attracting and engaging with visitors. Our organisation has a myriad of talents and experience within it, and I am always keen to see how we can lend a hand to members of the community who are actively trying to improve lives and happiness of the community around them. My reward for the walk was a delicious lunch, served in the home of one of the long-term residents, he’s 102 and never without a smile, and prepared with local produce. And I’m pleased to say you’ve got the opportunity to meet some of these characters within the pages of this issue of LIFE+. Alongside this in-depth look at a very different Hong Kong lifestyle, you’ll also find articles on the new CCG Library at Asia Art Archive, and a preview of what to expect within the exciting new Nina Park that is due to open at the end of this year. Nowhere else that I know of will offer families such an exciting and innovative opportunity to engage with ancient history like this. So, with Spring upon us, and Summer ahead, let’s celebrate the new faces that are arriving back in our city, and greet them with warm smiles and a unique Hong Kong welcome. Donald Choi Executive Director and CEO of Chinachem Group
