Hong Kong, Fallen City

“I would like to tell the story of the people of Hong Kong to those who still live in freedom and equality and do not have to face the oppression of totalitarianism, before it is too late. In addition to arousing the world's concerned interest in Hong Kong, I also hope that people accustomed to freedom and equality will be warned and mobilize for democracy. » Kwong-shing Lau on his Facebook page on June 25, 2020 Hong Kong, a fallen city is an exceptional testimony. That of a committed young artist, once welcomed to Hong Kong in a spirit of benevolence, who takes up the cause of the values of freedom of the territory where he flourished. Faced with the totalitarian violence of a ruthless dictatorship, the days of Hong Kong democracy, once a symbol of an open and tolerant Chinese society, are numbered. It is the chronicle of this announced death that holds this chilling book, intertwining with undeniable autobiographical accents present and prospective, reality and fiction. Deeply empathetic and uncommonly powerful, Hong Kong, Fallen City stands out as a vital and necessary book, with a freedom of tone and expression quite rare in the Chinese world. The cover illustration was created by Kwong-shing Lau especially for this French edition. Translated from Chinese by Bertrand Speller For days, weeks, months, they marched through the streets, their dignity their only armor in the face of tyranny. Each of their banners displayed the same slogan, now banned by the oppressor: FREE HONGKONG