Leisure activities under the Japanese Occupation

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Leisure activities under the Japanese Occupation

Language: Cantonese

Abstract:

During the Japanese Occupation, Hong Kong people lived in a difficult and helpless environment, which was dominated by insecurity and strived to survive from living. Throughout the troubled times, citizens took leisure activities available in towns, such as watching Cantonese opera, holding sports competitions or reading newspapers to release their stress and worries. Leisure activities were also used as a tool to strengthen the social ties among residents, so as to comfort the soul of each other in getting through the hardship. For the Occupied administration, cultural and recreational activities were used as a tool to promote the prestige of the country. Facing the gloomy difficulties of the "three years and eight months" occupation period, study on these leisure activities could understand how people in Hong Kong were lived under the shadow of a foreign power.

​Speaker’s Bio:

Dr. Kelvin K Chow completed his Ph.D. in the School of Chinese, The University of Hong Kong. His research specialisations are in the Hong Kong under the Japanese Occupation, Chinese Canadian History, Hong Kong Football History and Hong Kong Historical Buildings. He is the author of several books on the history of the Hong Kong.