For Deng Gang, writing about the sea and marine life is a natural calling. 'I grew up by the seaside, I ate seafood and I looked at the sea view,' says the writer, who hails from the coastal town of Mouping in Shandong. 'The most vivid memory of my childhood was the blue colour of the sea.'
Deng was one of nine writers recently invited to take part in the annual International Writers' Workshop organised by Hong Kong Baptist University on the theme of Writing the Sea and the Waterfront. The poets, novelists, essayists and journalists came from the mainland, Taiwan, Australia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Ireland, Greece, Poland and Barbados. And they had one thing in common: their love of the sea and the inspiration it gave their work.
Chung Ling, director of the workshop and dean of the university's faculty of arts, says the event's organisers chose the sea and the waterfront as a theme because 'last year our theme was One with Mother Nature. This year's theme was a continuation of last year's as we wanted to show our concern for the planet.'
Another reason was closer to home. 'Hong Kong is surrounded by the sea - the sea and the waterfront are the most precious things to many people here,' Chung says. 'The theme was related to the debate about our beloved harbour.'
Victoria Harbour naturally attracted the writers' attention. 'The view of the harbour is very impressive,' says Greek writer Anastassis Vistonitis, 'especially at night with the skyscrapers. But
so many big buildings on the waterfront make the harbour look much smaller. It's like having a big wall.'
Australian poet Adam Aitken observes similarities between Hong Kong and his home town, Sydney. 'Both cities were British colonies and have become important financial centres,' he says. 'The two also face the same question about land use at the waterfront, balancing commercial and recreational needs.'
