Nostalgia rules

He recommends that the government take a leaf out of the books of countries like Japan and South Korea, where cultural policies are not just aimed at the preservation of heritage, but also at empowering the stakeholders, by offering incentives attractive enough to ensure long-term commitment on their parts.

Until a few years ago leung cha, wonton-making and Hakka Unicorn Dance were considered too familiar to Hong Kong people to merit a second glance. Now that these are being looked at through a new lens and are appreciated for their historical and aesthetic value, perhaps it's time to launch a full-on campaign to take the city's intangible cultural heritages to the next level, where they are noticed and appreciated by a wider audience.