President's Message

Hong Kong Chronicles President Message

A Grand Mission

Although we don’t get to choose our next stop in the journey of life, we are sometimes pleasantly surprised with what might lie ahead.

In early 2019, I was invited by Our Hong Kong Foundation President Mrs Eva Cheng to learn about local chronicles and carry out a feasibility study on doing a series under an NGO. It was at that moment when I embarked on a new journey for Hong Kong Chronicles.

History tells us our rise and fall as a people. History gives us an opportunity to reflect on our past and learn from our experience and lessons. “Phases of change are better understood through the study of humankind and their environment.” China is an ancient civilization and has always emphasized keeping detailed records and preserving history as a cultural asset. Local chronicles have a history of more than 2,000 years going back to the “Rites of Zhou” which is a historical document describing government organization.

Hong Kong is a city of Chinese and Western blends with a mix of the old and the new, the bustling and the quiet. As the city grew rapidly, memories of the past have become more distant. Today, young people may not recall their childhood snacks of malt candy bar and baked pork cake, or their visits to Lion Rock and Victoria Peak known for splendid night scenes. We owe it to our predecessors to preserve their memories of splendor as well as sorrow in a fast-changing world.

Early on, I’ve come to realize what a grand mission Hong Kong Chronicles represents as Our Hong Kong Foundation is entrusted by Mr C H Tung to deliver on a critical mission. With OHKF’s strong commitment to the historic mission in a non-governmental project, I am compelled to play a part and do my very best to meet the challenge.

I believe only by taking history to our hearts can we then empower ourselves to ride through any storm. The launch of our first book Overview & Chronology was a milestone after more than a year of dedicated efforts.

Even without much experience with local chronicles, I am excited and confident under the leadership of Mr Tung to work with HKCI’s team of professionals in search of Hong Kong’s past through a mountain of archives in a challenging environment. We hope Hong Kong Chronicles will inspire greater wisdom and courage in meeting any challenge, tackling any problem, overcoming any difficulty as Hong Kong continues to forge ahead towards great progress.

Sam Lam Nai-yan
President, Hong Kong Chronicles Institute