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Hawkers in Hong Kong

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A street market inWan Chaiin 2010

Hawkers in Hong Kong(Chinese:Tiểu phiến) arevendorsofstreet foodand inexpensive goods. They are found in urban areas and new towns alike, although certain districts such asMong Kok,Sham Shui Po,andKwun Tongare known for high concentrations of hawkers.

For many decades, hawking has served as a means for the lower class to make a living inHong Kong,and allowed patrons to benefit from the convenience and low cost of hawker goods. However, the government has long considered the practice to be detrimental to public hygiene, and it has therefore been controlled by theUrban Counciland its successor, theFood and Environmental Hygiene Department.

Characteristics[edit]

Hawkers may be divided into the categories of fixed-pitch and itinerant (travelling). Both categories may sell a variety of goods, including food or dry goods. Street food hawkers commonly sell foods such asfishballsand fake shark fin soup (Oản tử sí) relatively cheaply, from roadside vendor stalls.

The Hong Kong government has attempted to reduce the number of illegal vendors by designating hawker-permitted areas, but a large percentage of street vendors still operate illegally.[citation needed]According to Leung Yin Ling, author of the bookTiêu thất trung đích tiểu phiến văn hóa(Disappearing Hawker Culture), hawkers exemplify the spirit of determination in the face of adversity that is an indelible part of Hong Kong culture.[1]Local scholar Ma Kwok Ming has claimed that the economy of Hong Kong relies to a large extent on the street food industry, and that if hawkers are too harshly regulated, there will be little room for the development of Hong Kong food culture.[citation needed]

TheCantonesephrasejau gwei(Chinese:Tẩu quỷ;Jyutping:zau2 gwai2;lit.running [away from] ghosts) refers to the sudden abandonment of these stalls when Hawker Control Teams (Chinese: Tiểu phiến quản lý đội, or phiến quản đội in short) are imminent and the vendors are operating illegally or selling prohibited items, such ascounterfeit branded goods.Gwei,meaning ghosts, refers to the Hawker Control Officers, who were traditionally Westerners. The phrase is shouted by vendors to warn others of the approaching squads, and can also be heard inMacaoandGuangdong Province,where similar situations exist with illegal street vendors.[citation needed]

History[edit]

1940–1960s: Migrant influx from rural China[edit]

Hawkers onTemple Streetin 1950

Between the 1940s and 60s, there was an influx of migrants from rural areas of mainlandChinainto Hong Kong due to political instabilities in China (influenced by theChinese Civil Warand theCultural Revolution) as well as famine. Many of these migrants were unskilled and uneducated, and became itinerant hawkers to earn a living with low operating costs, selling daily necessities such as food and clothing to those of the working classes.[2][1]At that time, the economic condition in Hong Kong was low and working-class families were large, giving rise to 'family consumption'.[3]These families bought their basic necessities from hawkers.

According to the Hong Kong Hawkers Association, there were an estimated 70,000 or more street hawkers in Hong Kong in 1949.[4]At that time, while hawking provided employment opportunities, the large numbers of hawkers also led to noise pollution and congestion. In addition, it was stated[by whom?]that street hawking discouraged market development, since hawkers paid lower licence fees (HK$1,000-HK$3,000) than shop and stall tenants who also had to pay rents.[4]

1960–1970s: Increasing numbers[edit]

Hawkers inTuen Munin 2015

In the 1960s and 70s, at a time when there were few shopping malls and markets and little governmental regulation, the number of hawkers exceeded 300,000.[5]Hawker numbers rose with the unemployment caused by the1973-74 stock market crashand1970s energy crisis,which led to factory closures and the decline of the manufacturing sector in Hong Kong.

1970–2010: Regulation[edit]

However, as industrialisation and urbanisation increased, theBritish governmentbecame concerned about the health and hygiene issues posed by itinerant hawkers. In the 1970s, Itinerant Hawker Licences were issued and the succession and transfer of licenses was banned. The system granted licenses to 39,033 hawkers and prohibited 6,000 from the practice.[4]Thereafter, the number of itinerant hawkers continued to decline.[citation needed]

In 2002, a five-year voluntary surrender scheme was implemented to encourage itinerant hawkers to surrender their licenses in exchange for "a one-off ex gratia payment, rental of a vacant stall in public markets under concessionary terms, or becoming a (non-cooked food) fixed pitch hawker.”[6]The scheme drastically decreased the number of licensed hawkers, from 50,000 in 1974 to about 6,000 in 2007.[4]

As of 30 November 2008, the total number of Fixed-Pitch Hawker Licenses (includingdai pai dongs) and Itinerant Hawker Licenses were 6,594 and 552 respectively.[7]

In 2009, the Hong Kong Food and Health Bureau (FHB) in conjunction with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) reviewed the hawker licensing policy, with a view to potentially issuing new licenses to fixed-pitch hawkers.[7]

2010 – present: Lunar New Year incidents and protest against Link REIT[edit]

In recent years, the FEHD has taken action duringChinese New Yearnight markets,targeting unlicensed food hawkers on grounds of unsanitary practices, obstruction of roadways, noise pollution, and other nuisances.[8]At the same time, members of the community have increasingly valued hawking as an element of Hong Kong's cultural heritage and collective memory, and as a valuable means of support for grassroots people.

During the 2014 Lunar New Year, unannounced inspections were conducted atKweilin Street Night Market,with FEHD officers making arrests and confiscating a food cart. These actions led to public disquiet, with accusations of officers' opposition to ordinary citizens. Hawkers returned and the night market resumed as normal shortly after the officers' departure.[9]

In November 2014,Sham Shui Po District Council,controlled by thepro-Beijing camp,passed a vote for zero-tolerance of unlicensed hawkers during the upcoming Lunar New Year,[10]although other District Council members includingFrederick Fungof theAssociation for Democracy and People's Livelihood(ADPL) obtained an exception for vendors selling dry goods.[11]In reaction, grassroots organisations claimed that due to the government refusal to issue new hawker licences or construct new markets, vendors could only subsist in defiance of the law. It was further asserted that Kweilin Street Night Market was enjoying a resurgence in popularity and that a zero-tolerance hawker policy would only serve to exacerbate grievances.[12]During the 2015 Lunar New Year, there were at least three groups in Sham Shui Po giving vocal support for street vendors,[13]and Hong Kong locals embarked on a campaign of street cleaning of the night market in order to allay concerns over hygiene.[14]

On 2 February 2016, in the approach to the Lunar New Year, a conflict occurred when hawkers were prevented from setting up stall atLeung King Estate,so as not to disrupt activity at the nearby shopping mall operated byLink REIT.[15]On 7 February, Lunar New Year's Eve, multiple hawkers set up stall in Kweilin Street Night Market and were chased away or arrested, as was teacher and activist Siu Lai, who acted in defiance of the policy.[16][17][18]

During the 2016 Lunar New Year, aviolent bout of civil unrestdubbed the 'fishball revolution' (Ngư đản cách mệnh) broke out inMong Kokin response to the hardline approach taken by the FEHD to crack down on hawking in Hong Kong.[19][20][21]

On 22 May 2016 unrest broke out at Yat Tung Estate in Tung Chung, where residents had held a bazaar in defiance of ongoing rent increases byLink REIT,which owns the shopping centre and market in Yat Tung and many other estates. Staff from the Housing Authority called the police and stated that the bazaar was causing "obstruction", a claim that was dismissed by some residents.[22]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^abLeung Yin Ling. (2011, July). Disappearing of Itinerant Hawker Culture. Tiêu thất trung đích tiểu phiến văn hóa Retrieved 9 March 2015 fromhttp://www.ln.edu.hk/mcsln/25th_issue/feature_01.shtmlArchived4 March 2016 at theWayback Machine
  2. ^Ma Kwok Ming. (2009) Roadside Political Economy lộ biên chính trị kinh tế học tân biên (Ed.).Hong Kong. HK: Step Forward Multi Media Co Ltd. P. 83
  3. ^Consumer culture and economic restructure is closely related tiêu phí văn hóa dữ kinh tế chuyển hình mật thiết tương quan.(2008, Sept 10). Wen Wei Po. Retrieved 9 March 2015 fromhttp://paper.wenweipo.com/2008/09/08/HK0809080062.htm
  4. ^abcdSataline, S., Renton, A. Closing time: How Hong Kong’s hawkers face a struggle to survive. South China Morning Post. Retrieved 3 March 2015, fromhttp://multimedia.scmp.com/hawkers/
  5. ^A positive view to hawkers and put their features into good use. Chính diện khán đãi tiểu phiến đặc sắc thiện gia lợi dụng (2009, Dec.15). Wen Wei Po. Retrieved 9 March 2015 fromhttp://paper.wenweipo.com/2007/11/15/WW0711150002.htm
  6. ^http://www.fhb.gov.hk,. (2009). Review on Hawker Licensing Policy. Retrieved 13 March 2015, fromhttp://www.fhb.gov.hk/download/committees/board/doc/2009/paper20090115_92.pdfArchived4 March 2016 at theWayback Machine
  7. ^ab"Review on Hawker Licensing Policy"(PDF).Food and Health Bureau.Food and Health Bureau. 15 January 2009. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 4 March 2016.Retrieved20 April2016.
  8. ^"Thực hoàn nghĩ cản tuyệt quế lâm dạ thị khủng tiêu thất".Lập tràng tân văn.11 February 2015.Retrieved9 February2016.
  9. ^"“Quế lâm nhai dạ thị” tảo đãng nhạ cổ táo ".Oriental Daily News.3 February 2014.Retrieved9 February2016.
  10. ^"Quá niên tiền đái đầu cản tuyệt dân kiến liên kim xướng thâm thủy 埗 thiết dạ thị | lập tràng báo đạo | lập tràng tân văn".Lập tràng tân văn Stand News.Retrieved30 April2016.
  11. ^"Kiến chế phái phát công nông lịch niên “Quế lâm dạ thị” hoặc thành tuyệt hưởng ".Apple Daily(in Chinese). 16 January 2015.Retrieved9 February2016.
  12. ^"Chỉ quế lâm dạ thị như chiêm thâm dân kiến liên xúc linh dung nhẫn chấp pháp xanh cơ tằng liên minh: Đồ tăng dân oán".Apple Daily(in Chinese). 17 January 2015.Retrieved9 February2016.
  13. ^"Tân xuân khả phủ hữu dạ thị vi tiểu phiến cầu tình?".Kinh tế nhật báo.17 February 2015.Retrieved10 February2016.
  14. ^"Quế lâm dạ thị vượng giác trọng sinh bổn thổ phái hiệp trợ thanh lý nhai đạo | nhiệt huyết biên tập bộ | nhiệt huyết tân văn | nhiệt huyết thời báo".www.passiontimes.hk.Retrieved30 April2016.
  15. ^"Lương cảnh thôn tiểu phiến thải quá giới kim mao quản lý viên sái mã".Apple Daily(in Chinese). 3 February 2016.(in Chinese)
  16. ^"Tiểu lệ lão sư bị bộ".Lập tràng tân văn.8 February 2016.(in Chinese)
  17. ^"Ngã bãi nhai, đãn ngã một phạm tội!".Lập tràng tân văn.8 February 2016.(in Chinese)
  18. ^"【 nhai đầu dạ thị 】 cảnh sát thực hoàn giáp kích quế lâm dạ thị lạp nhân phong đương xích thị dân phiến động bao vi".Apple Daily bình quả nhật báo.Retrieved30 April2016.
  19. ^Moss, Stephen (9 February 2016)."Is Hong Kong really rioting over fishball stands?".The Guardian.ISSN0261-3077.Retrieved30 April2016.
  20. ^van der Horst, Linda."A Fishball Revolution and Umbrella Soldiers: The Battle for Hong Kong's Soul".The Diplomat.Retrieved30 April2016.
  21. ^"'Fishball Revolution' Creates Chaos on Hong Kong Streets During Lunar New Year Fest | VICE News ".VICE News.Retrieved30 April2016.
  22. ^Yuen, Chantal (23 May 2016)."Tung Chung residents hold bazaar in protest of Link REIT's market outsourcing and rent rises".Hong Kong Free Press.

External links[edit]

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