ABSTRACT
In late June 1997, the Beijing municipal government held a lantern festival at the Park of Yuanming Yuan to celebrate Hong Kong’s return.1 Two 1997meter-long dragon-shaped lanterns were lavishly displayed. The yellowcolored dragon guided visitors to move from the main entrance to the shores of the Sea of Happiness (fuhai), while the red-colored dragon highlighted the paths from the main entrance to the Great Fountains (dashuifa). In the Garden of Long Spring (Changchuan yuan), a miniaturized landscape of Hong Kong’s Central District was staged on an island, illuminated by more than two thousand sets of lights (including special effects lights like neon lights and spotlights). Viewing the landscape from a distance, visitors could recognize the Bank of China Building, one of the most visible symbols of the Central District, and read a set of seven large Chinese characters placed in front of the diorama forming the slogan “Hong Kong’s tomorrow will be better” (Xianggang mingtian geng meihao). This representation of Hong Kong focused narrowly on the Central District to the exclusion of other areas of Hong Kong. Not only did it highlight Hong Kong’s urban and business dimensions, but it also spotlighted a major Chinese state-owned company in a prosperous and spectacular Hong Kong.
