HKU Bulletin February 2004 (Vol. 5 No. 2)

“This is another step in our move to increasingly focus on local Hong Kong history.” The exhibition will end on February 29, 2004. 39 38 THE ARTS Y ou might feel tempted to admit that your raunchy novel is based on your own sex life but former University Professor John Biggs looked shocked at the suggestion that The Girl in the Golden House might, in any way, reflect his own personal life. “Certainly not!” My protagonist, Chris Wong, narrates in the Who is the Girl in the Golden House? first person. I’m not a Chinese lawyer, so it’s not my experience I’m writing about.” Biggs, a born-and-bred Tasmanian, however makes no apologies for turning the traditional axiom of ‘write what you know’ on its head, as the former educationalist gets inside someone else’s head. He said: “Wanting to make a statement from the Chinese point of view and being an expat was a risk and could be regarded as a bit cheeky. “But I take it as the writer’s prerogative. It also helps that I enjoy the protagonist being quite different from me.” Despite these apparent hurdles The Girl in the Golden House has garnered good rev iews for i ts por t rayal of the sexual awakening and growth of its protagonist Chris Wong. The readers see Wong, a lawyer, as he made his rites of passage from a teenager in the 1970s right up to the unfolding drama of the Hong Kong handover in 1997. Biggs, who is a world expert in how people learn, was a Professor in the Department of Education between 1987 and 1995. He bel ieves that there is a universal aspect to the story. But by his own admission, the Australian novelist also had some inside knowledge. He visits Hong Kong regularly, where his Chinese partner, Catherine, was working until very recently. He said: “I feel privileged to see through her the local culture that many expats don’t see. “What I have found as wel l is that writing the book has been a tremendously enjoyable experience and one I intend to build on.” The Girl in the Golden House by John Biggs, 1740760336, PANDANUS, August 2003, available at Kelly & Walsh Books, 2522 7893, address Shop 304, Pacific Place, Admiralty. F irst it was a feast of food with a show on restaurants and now its sinful look at sex with the University Museum and Art Gallery mounting an exhibition of Hong Kong’s old brothels. Thanks to the diverse photographic col lect ion of local historian Cheng Po Hung the Museum’s latest foray into local legend is Early Hong Kong Brothels. Wi th near ly 100 photographs to cal l on the col lect ion catalogues the development of the world’s oldest profession from the 1850s until the era of Suzie Wong in the 1960s. The idea came to Museum Director Yeung Chun Tong after being approached by a local drama group who were interested in researching the history of prostitution for a play. He said: “I introduced them to Cheng and he offered help in providing them with photographs of early local brothels. “I then thought it would be good idea to use this opportunity to write a book and mount an exhibition to coincide with the play in November. “Cheng has already provided us with the material for an exhibition on early Hong Kong eateries and – along with his lectures on local history – have been very popular. Ching Lau Revisited