One evidence of Hong Kong becoming increasingly "Chinese" is its continued integration into Chinese political life. The Chief Executive's Policy Address this year noted that next year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, and the Hong Kong government will organize commemorative activities to "enhance patriotism." This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Communist Party of China's National Day, and since every fifth or tenth anniversary is a major event, the Hong Kong government has come up with a novel approach. The Civil Service Bureau organized a "Love for China" essay competition, receiving nearly 300 entries from 51 departments. The bureau selected the winners, runners-up, third-place winners, seven honorable mentions, and 14 outstanding entries, compiling a collection of 24 entries for which an awards ceremony was held recently.
The awards ceremony invited the top three entries and two honorable mention winners, and the top three naturally garnered media attention. The winning entry, a narrative of watching the flag-raising ceremony in Beijing, was written entirely in classical Chinese and boasted the best writing of the 24 entries: "In the late autumn of the Guimao year, I traveled to Beijing with friends and, at midnight, watched the flag-raising ceremony at Tiananmen Square. Witnessing the magnificent spectacle and the jubilation of the masses, I was overwhelmed with emotion. Therefore, I wrote this piece to celebrate the birthday of the Republic." Its win was a fitting tribute. The runner-up entry, in which the author imagined himself as China's dragon vein, "flowing across the land of China for millennia," "rippling waves, washing away the wounds of the earth, and seeing a scene of reconstruction and vibrant life everywhere," possessed a unique artistic conception, making its runner-up award a fitting tribute.
The author of the second-place finisher, a police sergeant, recounted his sixth-grade year, when he fell asleep on the night of the Handover and missed the historic moment on television. Upon waking, he burst into tears and "vented his anger on my father, complaining that he hadn't woken me up." The article expressed strong patriotism, prompting some netizens to express their disapproval of his third-place finish, suggesting he should have won first place.
Fortunately, it was not the championship, otherwise it might have embarrassed the SAR government.
Why do I say this? Because there's something wrong with the article, and the problem lies in this sentence: "After waking up, I cried all morning (July 1st)... My father smiled and agreed to take me to the flag-raising ceremony, which finally put my mind at ease. The next day (July 2nd), my father held my hand and watched the honor guard with me as they performed the flag-raising ceremony at Golden Bauhinia Square."
