Origin

According to Wikipedia, the earliest 豉油西餐 si6 jau4 sai1 caan1 originated at the Tai Ping Koon Restaurant in Guangzhou in the late 19th century. The cuisine moved to Hong Kong with the restaurant in the 1930s, then gradually gained popularity with the emergence of cha chaan tengs (literally meaning “tea restaurant”) in the 1950s. Hong Kong-style Western cuisine became widespread among the general public, typically incorporating soy sauce or Chinese seasonings into hot-plate dishes and pasta, creating a cooking method that blends Chinese and Western ingredients and sauces. This way of cooking represents a localised cuisine with Western elements.

This fusion is clearly organic. First, there was a mixed living environment of Chinese and Western influences. Then, Chinese restaurants utilised whatever ingredients and spices were readily available. This local sourcing catered to the traditional tastes while also offering a fresh visual experience. The result is a vibrant Hong Kong-style Western cuisine that is neither fully Western nor fully Chinese but rather a harmonious blend of both.

 

Creative Context

From a young age, I studied Chinese dance and Southeast Asian dance in Hong Kong. In the 1980s, I joined the Hong Kong Dance Company as one of the first-generation professional dancers. During this time, I learnt ballet, modern dance and Chinese opera, along with Chinese classical and folk dance training from the Beijing Dance Academy system. After becoming an independent dancer in 1990, I travelled to the United States multiple times to study improvisation and postmodern dance techniques.

My work “Eulogy” is a solo dance created with an oil-paper umbrella. The umbrella is a traditional Chinese handicraft made of oil paper, bamboo and thread, featuring a fully manual opening mechanism. During the creative process, I employed contact improvisation techniques to explore various intriguing compositions between the umbrella and my body while listening to the sounds it produced. I examined how my body could counterbalance the umbrella, ride on it, be carried away by it and evade it. This interaction allowed my body to converse with the prop, resulting in a modern dance with an Eastern aesthetic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reflecting on my own creative practice, my inspiration often comes from daily life—poetry and novels I've read, paintings and calligraphy I’ve appreciated, and everyday items, clothing and playthings. I intentionally excavate their essence, delightful nature and poetic association, searching for techniques, forms and languages to present them to the world. I seek the most suitable mediums that resonate with my inner impulses and possess the potential to effectively depict a situation and express a state of being. I draw from various accessible sources, breaking away from old habits and established understandings. Starting from my own experiences, I organically digest and integrate these elements to bring forth my current insights and perspectives.

Imagine if we stripped everything down to its fundamentals, reverting food to water, ingredients and salt and dance to body, time and space. Yet, we can still perceive an ever-changing array of colours, forms and textures. The joy of creation may lie in this dialogue among different cultures and temporalities, allowing us to access the core, boundaries, origins and unknown possibilities.

Contributed by Mui Cheuk-yin, originally submitted in Cantonese

Mui Cheuk-yin is an internationally renowned solo artist and dance ambassador for Hong Kong. Her choreography has a distinctive voice, often blending contemporary and traditional elements. Mui’s commitment and passion for excellence in dance have earned her multiple Dance Awards in 2000, 2001, 2009 and 2022 as well as the Distinguished Achievement Award 2012 from the Hong Kong Dance Alliance. Additionally, she was named Artist of the Year at the 15th Hong Kong Arts Development Awards and received the Award for Outstanding Contribution in Arts at the 16th Hong Kong Arts Development Awards for her dedication and long-standing commitment to developing dance in the city over three decades.