“R.O.C” lost in Hong Kong

From September 4 to November 15 this year, the University Museum and Art Gallery in Hong Kong is holding “The Republic And The Sino-Japanese War (民國與抗戰)” exhibition, entitled “Mountain’s Ablaze (烽火山河)”, which commemorates the 70th anniversary of China’s victory in the Second Sino-Japanese War. Though the exhibition displays a large selection of historical artifacts from the period 1912 to 1946, the country’s official title at the time, the Republic of China, fails to get a mention. In Hong Kong, the Republic of China seems to be a taboo, and even this historical exhibition has raised disputes over political censorship.

In fact, in many of Hong Kong's public spaces such as tombstones and Tuen Mun’s Zhongshan Park, you can still see the footprint of the Republic. Upper Lascar Row (摩羅上街) in Central District, is another great place to look for traces of the Republic of China, but the best place to find remnants of the former dynasty is on antique coins, paper ads and books.

Tourists frequently stroll around the University of Hong Kong’s campus, but very few have visited the “The Republic And The Sino-Japanese War” exhibition. A war poster with the words “Viva the Republic of China” emblazoned across it may perhaps provide a sense of déjà vu for Taiwanese visitors in Hong Kong, but the Republic of China has undoubtedly become a faraway memory, consigned to museums, parks and antiques markets.

“R.O.C” lost in Hong Kong
RUL:https://www.peopo.org/news/286393 

(以下為中文對照)

遺落香江的民國
 

照片

今年是中國抗日戰爭勝利70周年，香港大學美術博物館從9月4日起到11月15日，以「烽火山河」為題，推出《民國與抗戰》展覽，展出1912年到1946年的歷史文物，活動簡介卻不提民國的正式國號。民國在香港似乎是個禁忌，即使《民國與抗戰》的歷史文物展，也不免引起政治審查的糾紛。

其實，香港的公共空間裏多少還看得到民國的印記，例如墓碑和屯門的中山公園。中環的摩羅上街也可尋覓到民國的蹤跡，只不過大多出現在古董的錢幣、廣告紙或收集冊裏，也就是前朝的遺物了。

香港大學經常有遊客逛校園，但是參觀《民國與抗戰》展覽的人不多。一幅寫有「中華民國萬歲」字樣的抗戰宣傳海報，對台灣訪客來説，也許會有似曾相識的感覺；在香江，民國卻無疑已遺落到博物館、公園或古董市場的地步。