The Vanishing Tong Lau — Cantonese.hk

灣仔嘅唐樓群曾經係香港最有特色嘅建築風景。佢哋見證住殖民地時代嘅繁華，經歷過戰爭嘅洗禮，承載住幾代人嘅記憶。

waan1 zai2 ge3 tong4 lau2 kwan4 cang4 ging1 hai6 hoeng1 gong2 zeoi3 jau5 dak6 sik1 ge3 gin3 zuk1 fung1 ging2. keoi5 dei6 gin3 zing3 zyu6 zik6 man4 dei6 si4 doi6 ge3 faan4 waa4, ging1 lik6 gwo3 zin3 zang1 ge3 sai2 lai5, sing4 zoi3 zyu6 gei2 doi6 jan4 ge3 gei3 jik1.

The tong lau clusters of Wan Chai were once Hong Kong most distinctive architectural landscape. They witnessed the prosperity of the colonial era, weathered wars, and carried the memories of generations.

然而，喺地產發展嘅巨輪之下，呢啲歷史建築正以驚人嘅速度消失。

jin4 ji4, hai2 dei6 caan2 faat3 zin2 ge3 geoi6 leon4 zi1 haa6, ni1 di1 lik6 si2 gin3 zuk1 zing3 ji5 ging1 jan4 ge3 cuk1 dou6 siu1 sat1.

Yet under the juggernaut of property development, these historic buildings are vanishing at an alarming rate.

保育人士陳先生感嘆：「每拆一棟唐樓，就等如撕走一頁香港嘅歷史。我哋唔係反對發展，而係希望發展同保育可以並存。」

bou2 juk6 jan4 si6 can4 sin1 saang1 gam2 taan3: mui5 caak3 jat1 dung6 tong4 lau2, zau6 dang2 jyu4 si1 zau2 jat1 jip6 hoeng1 gong2 ge3 lik6 si2. ngo5 dei6 m4 hai6 faan2 deoi3 faat3 zin2, ji4 hai6 hei1 mong6 faat3 zin2 tung4 bou2 juk6 ho2 ji5 bing6 cyun4.

Conservationist Mr Chan laments: Demolishing each tong lau is like tearing a page from Hong Kong history. We are not against development; we hope development and conservation can coexist.

諷刺嘅係，當唐樓被清拆之後，起番嘅往往係以「懷舊」為主題嘅商場，用塑膠同LED燈模仿番嗰種已經一去不返嘅氛圍。

fung3 ci3 ge3 hai6, dong1 tong4 lau2 bei6 cing1 caak3 zi1 hau6, hei2 faan1 ge3 wong5 wong5 hai6 ji5 waai4 gau6 wai4 zyu2 tai4 ge3 soeng1 coeng4, jung6 sou3 gaau1 tung4 LED dang1 mou4 fong2 faan1 go2 zung2 ji5 ging1 jat1 heoi3 bat1 faan2 ge3 fan1 wai4.

Ironically, after tong lau are demolished, what replaces them are often nostalgia-themed malls that use plastic and LED lights to imitate an atmosphere that is gone forever.