I {heart} HK

This is one of a series of photos shared via Twitter from demonstrations in Hong Kong on January 1, 2010. The images were aggregated with the term #0101hk.

We always talk about how Chinese characters can be used expressively, but finally someone's actually done it:

"I HATE power patronage."

Translation: "I HATE power patronage." (Source: virtualpanda on Twitter)

The term yin quan or "power patronage," comes from the idea of a tree that grows in the shelter of others. Cronyism and power patronage are a constant problem in Chinese politics.

The element meaning "heart" in the term "hate" -- common to many terms having to do with emotions -- is given negative emphasis here using black, much as Milton Glaser did with a red "love" heart decades ago for the city of New York:

"I ❤ NY"

(Other 1/1/10 images from Hong Kong discussed in Scarry Thoughts.)



Related posts

In the days and weeks ahead, we have an enormous opportunity to better understand how people in one of the most important places in the world think and operate. What would be truly valuable would be for us to convene many more conversations about the underlying issues, and the big emerging directions.

(See Empire, Chinese Style ("Why the Leung Face?") )



Large protests in Hong Kong have been occuring in Hong Kong for decades. Street demonstrations at the beginning of 2010 exhibited a new high in diversity, expression, and energy.

(See #0101hk: Visual Imagery of Hong Kong Protests Jan 1 2010 )






Years later . . . I began to take seriously the importance of demons and demon-quelling as a metaphor. (And that includes here and now in our own culture.)

(See Channeling Zhong Kui (the Demon Queller))