Post-Modern Scene of Hong Kong Society from Food Literature

The characteristic of Hong Kong culture, the identity of Hong Kong citizen is always a hot topic. In the decade, post-modern has become a new verb to describe Hong Kong. So, this treatise is going to find out if Hong Kong is in post-modern period and emotions of authors and citizens, through the picture of Hong Kong society in food literatures. Methodology This treatise alms to find out the picture of Hong Kong post-modern society from Hong Kong Diet Literature. In this treatise, the definition of "diet literature" Is generalized to all texts using "Food" as the theme of literary writing.

And the narrowed definition of "Hong Kong Diet Literature" is all texts using "Food" as the hem of literary writing, which written and published in HOOK by Hong Kong authors, writing Hong Kong places. By observation, Hong Kong diet literature is absented in the study of Hong Kong literature history. The phenomenon, "Food" is being popular as a theme in HOOK literature, Is worth to be concerned; it Is proved by using the record from the categories of food culture In the online bookstore, Hong Kong Cookbooks Ltd..

As the study Is to find out the picture of Hong Kong post-modern society, post-modern theories by Jacques Deride and Jean-François Leotard are used. In this treatise, first, would describe the characteristics of postmodern and a city in post-modern period. Second, shows the velveteen of Hong Kong literature and the relationship with the society. Then show the change of the writing methods and styles in Hong Kong food literatures, by the comparison of the most representative and popular authors in different decades. Thirdly, shows the analysis of post-modern phenomenon shown in literatures. At the end, a respond will be made in conclusion. . Theories of Post-modernism First of all, we should definite clearly about the term "Post-modern" and "Post- dermis"; " 'Post-modern' Is a historic concept, slaying the post-industrial society or the era of Information In the postwar period of World War II. "; " 'Post- modernism' is a cultural ideological trend of western society... It is an offspring of morels anon Leganes Walt mayoralty Ana auto It " (Roding, 1 differences between Modernism and Post-modernism are, modernism advocates rationality, eccentricity of metaphysics, integrity; Post-modernism is the opposite of modernism.

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Theories of Post-modernism are based on two important philosophers: Jacques Deride (1930 - 2004--), "There is nothing outside of the text. (Deride, 1965), his idea means written text, also everything beside text owns and exhibit their meanings in context; also he advocates "There is nothing outside context", means text would have different meaning interpreted by different contexts, and the context would interpreted by another context; which means there is no truth, or only one treatise to explain a thing, nothing is immobile.

It is a critique of modern rationalism empire. Jean-François Leotard (1925 - 1998) "Under this modern society and culture-?post-industry and post-modern culture, the legitimacy of science are questioned in different ways. Meta-narration has lost its credibility, whether it is a unified approach adopted. ' (Williams, 1998) In the post- modern society, there are no "only truth" (meta-narrative), only mint-narratives, language games which have their own rules, vales; it is full of differences.

Science, emphasizing evidence, rationality, and accuracy is not a meta-narrative anymore, it is only a small-narrative, as the others. Everything is uncertain, "Emotion is evidence or a description of incomplete-events in any kind of language games or 1998) also it is evidence to determine "the boundary between two language games. (Williams, 1998) II. Delimiting meta-narrative in Hong Kong On society aspect After 1 July 1997, meta-narrative "one country, two systems" has been intervened by China; lots of historical buildings had been broken down; also, financial tsunami, CARS led to great unemployment.

In 1 July march in 2003, a large public had attended to the march, opposing the legislation of the Basic law Article 23; over million people were protesting for liberty and democracy. Protestors were come from different social communities, such as businessmen, retired people, young couples and democrats, with anger and anxiety. "Hong Kong people march", 2003) Different communities--language games, march in 1 July continually each year; the false utopian meta-narrative and the disappearance of memorable buildings and places create a crake between modern society, which bring Hong Kong in to a post-modern period.

On literature In ass's, ass's, there are binary oppositions in Hong Kong literature, they are: rightist/ leftist, elegance/earthliness, realism [modernism. (Lung,2008); The concept of the binary between elegance and earthliness of popular culture, high-end and low-end is stall De accuses In Hong Kong, alter literature(cueing ) Nine concept Is developed by a group of intellectual, who brought it to the organizational structure. Besides, traditional study of literature and the study of culture are opposed to each other. In this recent decade, literature becomes important in cultural studies under a multicultural society.

The boundary between two studies has become vague; the argument between elegance and earthliness is doubted in cultural studies, while there are different groups of people in popular, the studies would be confined by the boundary. (Chemung & Chug, 2007) Ill. Picture of post-modern society from food literature Development of food literature The change of Hong Kong food literature is very significant, but did not be noted by cultural scholars. In the past, food literature is published in the form of recipes, which is instruction of cooking without author's feelings; the most famous and representative author is called Chain Mongo Yang (1910 - 1997).

His prose published in a book "Bible of Eat", first posted in newspaper column, got popular because of the principle and stories of food and cooking. (Chain, 2007) Authors' feelings and his/her point of views are reflected in nowadays food literature using colloquial language; ampere with literature written by Chain Mongo Yang, the tone of voice is more casual nowadays, and the main purpose is to express authors' feelings rather than instructing reader. "There is nothing outside of the text. " Each author is a small- narrative, part of Hong Kong; the study of their works can help to make a more holistic picture of Hong Kong culture.

A. The past is always better Nostalgic "Nostalgic describes an emotional structure. In the formation of a larger cultural context, nostalgic has social and psychological stability and re-negotiation function on human cognition and position on the world. (Lie, 2004) "It's feeling more than 'substantial old". In Haying Au Youngest (Ar J) and Lung Aka Skunk's(Lung) writings, they recall the past by using a lot of food symbols, like stall, hot pot, herbal tea; to express their helpless feelings about the current social changes, and cherish the past as the past is always better. Then his eyes with a bit confused, winked his eyes, again, even shook his head unconsciously. Oh, no, this is not a (dish of) "salt and pepper fresh squid" I used to. Of course we cannot go back, especially when we are fortunately living in this era of horn-sighted speeding, among the personnel of social blundering. We proved impossible to preserve landmarks around the streets, only some vague shadows, distracting thoughts; it is only an echo of a particular verbose complaint which has just finished. " (Au Young, 2007) Ar J saw disappointment from his friend's eyes and actions, because the taste can no longer be reproduced.

The evaluation of taste may be affected by personal feelings. Ar J and his friend got emotion in this rapid changeable era. "In the last day of the old Star Ferry Pier, I parked my car especially at the Central Star Ferry Car Park for the sake to take Star Ferry at the old Star Ferry Pier. It's still in Green Ana went colors, out I Tell strange suddenly, sort Ice-cream was gone, Toulouse ending of the ride was doomed... Finally the new Star Ferry Pier was opened, more food stores opened than before, but they all can be bought in Central Airport Railway Station, soft ice-cream will not come back.

I am not nostalgia whether the building of Star Ferry Pier is old or new, I would like to keep the way we were. " (Lung, 2005) The 48-years-old old Star Ferry Pier had been destructed by government under Hong Kong citizens' dissatisfaction and opposition, which increased public awareness of local culture conservation, also undermined public trust in government. Lung deliberately took a ride in the last operation day of the old Star Ferry Pier, the new ferry pier was built, but the absence of soft ice-cream, Lung was lost in the imagination of the old days.

Emotion is the only evidence "Emotion is evidence or a description of incomplete-events in any kind of language games or girds. "(Williams, 1998) The destruction of old buildings, reconstructed by new commercial buildings shows the opposition between Ar J , his friend and the immemorial world; Lung and the government. Old building is a signifier which has an inter subjectivity function, representing the intercommunicate and sharing, and is the common knowledge and experience in a group of people with same cultural background can cognizance.

Roland Berates reported "For many individuals who are there, so in itself contains 1999) However, those "stable" signifier are erased; Flattened and oversimplified signifier are only plays and unstable in this rapid consumerism era. Sense of loss, the emotions expressed is the only articulate evidence. B. Contradiction between language games Western and Local " I have not eaten traditional pancake (Boo-change) for a long time. Thought it had been lost, and no one will do; because today pizza is much popular... Pancake' sounds old, outmoded, who will to eat? Also, nowhere sell. Fast-food chain restaurants launched nostalgic tea meals: fried sweet potato, red and white-steamed clay-pot cake, four stuffed treasures, and salt pancake... Their salt pancake of course does not as delicious as childhood, perhaps its deliciousness is scored by memories... Pan cake has a tenacious 2008) Under the influence of western fast-food culture, western fast-food becomes the main stream; the raise of sense of local identity, create a wave of nostalgia in Hong Kong food industry.

Pack Way Lee used salt pancake-?"Boo Change" which means "thin- support" as a signifier, to signify the tenacious vitality of local culture, which would not be buried so easy. The legislation of western culture has been doubted, the wave of nostalgic tea meal is a way to decentralized the eccentricity of western fast-food. Commerce and Culture In the era of globalization and the development of high-technique, the exchange of economy, culture has become easier and faster; boundaries between countries are Duller c, local culture Decodes ten capital In ten commercial game. Across the road in front of Lung Fun Restaurant, is King Way restaurant, introduced red bean paste moon cake, which is regarded as exceptional alternative moon cake. But in these last ten years, moon cake has dazzling means. Moon cake is getting more and more unlike moon cake. Crystal moon cake is glutting in the market, now chocolate is used as a moon cake, I very much doubt it is moon cake or cake (xi being). Cakes are supplied over 365 days; Moon cake, the real role in legend is, as a media to pass the message of uprising when full moon.

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