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Wednesday, September 21, 2005

Ho Kwok Wing (河國榮)'s blog

You must know this guy, Ho Kwok Wing (河國榮), if you follow TVB's cantonese TV drama series. In case if you don't know, he usually plays the role of western foreigner.

posted by minghong @ 9/21/2005 09:55:00 pm  

11 Comments:

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  • At 1/01/2006 03:29:00 am, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I wonder why Hong Kong Chinese people insist on calling (classing)all people other than themselves as 'foreigners'?

    What's wrong with just saying European, Indian, Asian; but why foreigner?

    Or is there more to it?

     

  • At 1/01/2006 02:54:00 pm, Blogger minghong said…

    Just because the roles he played is British, French, etc. So "foreigner" includes them all…I thought this term is rather neutral, isn't it?

     

  • At 1/01/2006 11:32:00 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    So, a Chinese person who was born in the UK/US/Canada, would always be classed as a foreigner, according to your reasoning?

    I grew up in Hong Kong, and I in no way consider myself to be a 'foreigner' just because I am NOT Chinese!

     

  • At 1/03/2006 03:41:00 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    It depends on what group you feel you belong to and the definition and requirements to belong in that certain group. In America, I am usually a foreigner since I am Chinese even though I grew up in America and speak fluent English. But I am also a foreigner in Hong Kong when I visit because I am not fully immersed in that culture or write the language. It all depends on the perspective of the person. In the context of the TVB shows, Greg Rivers, to me plays the roles of foreigners because I am referring to race since all other characters are Chinese.

     

  • At 1/03/2006 10:26:00 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Unfortunately, you are still wrong, because when you refer to white people as a race they are Caucasians and when Chinese people are referred to they are Asians.

    The original postabout Ho Kwok Wing should say,

    "in case you dont know he is the Westerner in the Cantonese TV drama seris".

    There is no need to mention anything whatsover that he plays the part of a 'western foreigner'.

    How can he play the part when he IS a WESTERNER!!

    Get it right!

    I can see why YOU are a foreigner in both the USA and Hong Kong.

     

  • At 1/03/2006 10:31:00 pm, Blogger minghong said…

    Ok. Stop the fight. Sorry for my poor English. He is a Westerner. not a "Western foreigner".

     

  • At 1/04/2006 05:50:00 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Who ever said "white" or Caucasian was a race? When I refer to race, it's whether he's playing the role of a British, Australian, or German, etc. And just as so, Chinese aren't just "Asian". This pan-ethnicity doesn't work on both ends. Also, personal attacks are never appreciated especially in intellectual conversations where people are just stating their point of views and learning from one another. By the way, I was no longer refering to the original post. I was refering to the post about why Chinese (and all other people for that matter) refer to others as foreigners.

     

  • At 1/04/2006 09:25:00 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    You are still out of context and touch. As terms such as Brtish, Australian or German etc refer to a persons nationality and not race.
    Something I see you cannot seem to comprehend.

    The most widely used racial categories are based on visible traits (especially skin color and facial features). Conceptions of race, as well as specific racial groupings, vary by culture and time and are often controversial due to their impact on social identity and hence identity politics. Race is thus NOT nationality.

    Furthermore , when you can understand and comprehend how and when the term foreigner applies, you will certainly be in a better postion to be able to comment.

    In addition how can you 'usually' be foreigner one minute and then not the next?

     

  • At 1/05/2006 10:19:00 am, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Race, nationality, ethnicity, etc all are socially constructed. Terms and categories made up by people who feel the need to categorize people. Sometimes it's useful just so you can talk about things and know what each other is referring to. Not so useful and more harmful when used to exclude people. There is no clear cut definition of what makes someone an American or Chinese. Can't you be both? And what if you have some blackness in you? Some people say once you go black, you never go back. But others may have a black grandmother and they look completely Caucasian. Then racially or ethnically, what are you? Do we define it with physical attributes, with the culture you grow up and identify with, or what other see you at or how you see yourself? So there is no way to define people with racial or ethnic terms. Thus, Greg Rivers can be whatever the hell he wants to be but other people can categorize him to be whatever they want to too and it can all not matter at all. It's socially constructed. People just got to be content with themselves. I can get pissed off everytime some white person tell me I am not an American just because I am not blond hair blue eyed. But I can be content knowing that I am a Chinese-American and that is who I am to me.

    People can be foreigners or not from one minute to the next depending on the context of the situation and the environment.

     

  • At 1/05/2006 08:42:00 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    According to your comments, most of which are not contextually absurd, but irrelevant, you think it is okay if a Hong Kong person calles a White person a 'gweilo' and a black person 'ah cha'and so on?

    The only part that you are correct on is when you say that Greg Rivers can be 'whatever the hell he wants to be'. Indeed he can I am not disputing that. But what I am saying is, and I maintain this all along, is that when Hong Kong Chinese go around adding their own pathetic labels to people, when they are not even aware how incorrect and often racist they are being, people don't have to sit back and take it.

    As for you, and what you write about yourself you are either an American Born Chinese (ABC), or a Chinese who just happens to have managed to secure himself an green card. Your nationality is American if you hold an American passport, but you are NOT an american in the true sense.

     

  • At 7/21/2006 03:43:00 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I don't agree with you when you say anonymous is not a true American. Anyone with an American nationality is American, regardless of race and colour. This is what multiculturism is. Sadly, most people in HK don't understand this.

     

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