The Torch Relay (Update 1)

After weeks of tour, the Olympic torch finally reached Hong Kong. I hesitated a little bit whether to go or not since I have final examinations next week. However, the continuous protests from westerners, Tibetans, and even some Chinese stimulated my interest to have a look at the reaction of the people in Hong Kong towards the Olympic Games and to seek the meaning of the torch relay myself.

I arrived at Admiralty at about 14:45. There were already groups of people. Some were in red and were distributing national flags, SAR flags, labels… anything related to Olympics. “Add oil, China!” – Several mainlanders holding high a piece of national flag yelled with excitement. Policemen were quite alert on the surroundings and tried to direct people into designated spectators’ area.

The waiting people were increasing tens and hundreds. I could already move in no way. Hundreds of people were waiting along the street and even on the over-bridge and towers. Each time a police-motorcycle passed, there were cheers from the crowds, “ka-ka”s from the shutters and waving of the flags.

Finally, the roads were nearly clear with few cars passing by. We knew that the torch was approaching. Advertisement cars, police-motorcycles, buses with bearers of the torch relay for other streets and finally, finally, the torch! The torch was coming!

Cheers, “ka-ka”s from the shutters and waving of the flags were everywhere. The bearer smiled and waved to everyone along the street. And a few seconds later, there were only the shadows of the police-motorcycle again.

Children were still waiting for something curious and funny. Parents and adults knew that what they wanted to see finished already. But maybe they could go to someplace else to see more. The crowds began to disperse. Most people entered the metro and got on the underground train to Wanchai – the destination of the torch relay.

I joined them, reviewing my feeling in the past several hours. I was excited for hours and then suddenly became very calm during that several seconds. To be frank, I could even feel a little bit disappointed since I was suddenly aware that the several seconds might not leave anything but just several photos.

Along my way to Wanchai, my passion returned and took photos of those red seas, the old, the young, the students, the workers, the posters and the advertisements. When I passed the Hennessy Road and saw the banner with four big Chinese characters, “ADD OIL, CHINA” (加油中國), my tears were lingering on my eyes!

The following several hours were occupied by crowds in my eyesight. Everywhere was red. Everywhere was excited. Why those people were so excited? Why those people were so exciting?

“Exciting”? Right! Now I came to understand. The torch relay per se may not be that exciting. Just a bearer with a nice torch, that’s it. How can it inspire such strong feeling and emotion? The people are exciting because of you. You are exciting because of others. This reciprocal procedure starts from just a slight push, a symbolic meaning of the secrete flame!

No matter how disturbing the protesters are, at least most people will be happy and excited. They are not excited about the ceremonies and relays per se. They are not excited about seeing the “famous” bearers as well. They are excited on the intrinsic nature of holding of the Olympic: a recognized rising motherland. As a result, that is also why those protesters are disturbing. They are spoiling the extrinsic appearance of the activities with no added value on the intrinsic nature. Thus they are doing something at least at the wrong time and in the wrong manner. (I should write another article to have a deeper check at it.)

There may be criticism that the atmosphere was maneuvered by the commercialized advertisements, posters and promotions. However, most people are always clever. They are enjoying their own excitement. The atmosphere won’t control them. It is just a brush of paint from some other people.