The erosion of freedoms in Hong Kong has been a cause for concern, and the latest incident involving the shutdown of a Cantonese language advocacy group highlights the growing challenges faced by the city’s residents.
Last week, Societas Linguistica Hongkongensis (SLHK), a group dedicated to preserving Cantonese and its cultural significance, discontinued its operations. The decision came after a raid on the chairman’s family house by local officials, following an essay published three years ago. This incident underscores the broader trend of diminishing civil liberties in Hong Kong since the enactment of the national security law in 2020. The law has been used to suppress any form of criticism or perceived threat to Beijing’s influence in the city.
Andrew Lok Han Chan, the founder of SLHK, announced the disbandment of the group to safeguard the safety of his family and former members. The visit by officers from Hong Kong’s national security department and their demand to remove an online essay titled “Our Time” by Siu Gaa, written as part of an essay writing competition, shed light on the growing restrictions on freedom of expression. The essay reflects on a future Hong Kong in 2050, grappling with a government crackdown on linguistic and ethnic minorities and a curtailment of religious freedoms.
For decades, Cantonese has been the lingua franca of Hong Kong. It has played a crucial role in preserving the city’s unique identity and autonomy from Chinese rule. However, the Chinese Communist Party, which views the notion of Hong Kong’s independence as sensitive, has sought to promote Mandarin or Putonghua as the common language. The rise in Mandarin speakers in recent years has been significant, with the number of Hongkongers speaking Mandarin nearly tripling from 1996 to 2021. This shift has been partly driven by a desire to push back against China’s encroachment on Hong Kong’s liberties.
The closure of SLHK and the increasing restrictions on Cantonese align with the Chinese government’s efforts to standardize language use across its territories, often at the expense of regional diversity and cultural heritage. Similar language suppression measures have been witnessed in regions like Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, and Tibet. This trend raises concerns about the loss of Hong Kong’s independent cultural capital and unique character.
However, despite the challenges and an increase in Mandarin usage, linguistics experts suggest that Cantonese is far from being endangered. The results of Hong Kong’s 2021 census reveal that over 6.3 million people still consider Cantonese as their usual spoken language. The Hong Kong government also emphasizes promoting biliteracy in English and written Chinese and trilingualism in English, Putonghua, and Cantonese. Cantonese, as part of the Yue Chinese family, holds institutional vitality, indicating extensive usage within communities and institutions.
Preserving Cantonese culture not only helps maintain Hong Kong’s identity but also contributes to the city’s vibrant cultural industry, with Cantopop and the Cantonese film industry enjoying global recognition. The gradual erosion of freedom of speech and expression poses a threat to the development of Cantonese culture and its rich artistic heritage.
The closure of Societas Linguistica Hongkongensis and the challenges faced by Cantonese as a language underscore the ongoing battle for linguistic and cultural preservation in Hong Kong. As the city grapples with encroachments on its autonomy, the safeguarding of its unique identity becomes essential. By recognizing the value of Cantonese as an integral part of Hong Kong’s cultural fabric, we can contribute to the preservation of its heritage and the maintenance of a diverse linguistic landscape in this vibrant city.
Market Capital Research 