A Glimpse of Hong Kong Culture through Connie Chan by Cindy Law Chinese school in San Francisco Chinatown was boring, but fortunately for me, the theaters, bookstores, and music stores were not. There, I got an enjoyable view of Hong Kong, its people and its culture. Although I was born in Hong Kong, I was too young to have any meaningful recollection of that place from which I came. Imported Hong Kong cinema, literature, and music gave me a glimpse into the very colorful and entertaining Hong Kong of the 1960s. In the bookstores, the wuxia tales were intriguing while the love stories were captivating. Music stores sold vinyl records of huang mei diao, Cantonese opera, and a good mix of traditional and pop music. In the theaters, the Shaw Brothers movies were always impressive, while the Cantonese movies were always corny, but somehow more fun to watch, especially when Connie Chan was in them! Connie Chan was charismatic in every role and every genre, no matter how low-budget the movie. It was fun watching her play the male role one minute, then the female role the next. She could be bullied one time but invincible the next. As a young swordsman, she personified the heroic qualities conveyed by the wuxia tales: youthful, noble and chivalrous. In the modern dramas, she was genuinely sweet and innocent. As for the “Lady Bond” movies, her agility made her convincingly infallible. She embodied both vulnerability and strength, and I related to all of her wholeheartedly. Connie Chan did not have a super voice, but her movie theme songs were always likeable and memorable, sort of like those of Zhou Xuan in the 1930s. But it was her opera that was most dear to me because I enjoyed old classic ballads, Tang poetry, and Sung verses, all ingredients in Cantonese opera. Her interpretations, especially as the lovesick scholar, were always a treat for me. That was definitely her forte. In 1970, she performed Imperial Flower during her stage tour here, and I can still remember to this day her rendition of the fourth segment, “Temple Encounter.” She did not mimic her master Yam but was equally confident and compelling in her own way. She was also more witty and humorous on stage than I had anticipated. Her tour here lasted for about five nights and each show was a bit different. In addition to opera, there were modern renditions performed with her usual reserve and elegance, and part opera / part comic skits where she played the girl-chasing “handsome boy” with alternating female costars. That, I remember, sparked a lot of laughter and participation from the audience. After each performance there would be a screening of her film The Young Girl Dares Not Homeward or The Love of the Red Leaf. Surprisingly, I don’t recall many more details of her shows. I think we were all too excited and mesmerized. If you were at any of the shows, then you should remember us: a bunch of crazy girls cheering and screaming for our idol Connie Chan! Connie Chan during her San Francisco stage show in 1970. (photos courtesy of Cindy Law)