One final visit to see the Pillar of Shame at the University of Hong Kong's campus? (Photo-essay)

I went to the University of Hong Kong (HKU) for the first time since June 2019 yesterday.  It used to be that I'd think nothing venturing onto its campus to check out museum exhibitions (at its University Museum and Art Gallery) or attend free lectures or concerts.  I also would pass through the campus sometimes post hike.  But since late 2019, when university campuses became battlegrounds and sites of political repression, visits to them looked to have become ordeals, if not outright discouraged.  

 

Still, after learning that it is very likely that the Pillar of Shame that currently is installed on the HKU campus will be removed (or outright destroyed) come this Wednesday*, I felt a need to go and cast my eyes on that memorial to the victims of the Tiananmen Square Massacre (whose removal, let alone destruction, will bring shame to the University of Hong Kong) at least one more time.  And after I got onto the campus, I decided to go check out another sculpture -- one whose existence remains unchallenged for now; this despite Sun Yat-sen having been quite the revolutionary: one who managed to overthrow an emperor (and got his revolutionary idea to do so while a student at HKU), no less!

 

The Pillar of Shame has had a prominent place on the 

University of Hong Kong campus for 24 years

 

Standing eight meters tall, it commands the attention

of those who come within its vicinity

 

Message in English on one side of its base

 

Message in Chinese on another side of its base

 

The signature of the artist and owner of this sculpture

can be seen on it
 

I was far from the only person who decided to go snap photos of 

the Statue of Shame these past few days (see also here) despite the visits 

of Typhoons Lionrock and now Kompasu to points close to Hong Kong

Also on the HKU campus, a few steps away 

from the Pillar of Shame...

 

Sun Yat-sen looks at peace here but I don't think his heart

would be at ease with HKU's recent decisions with regards to 

the Pillar of Shame (and, also, the university's student union)!

 

*Update: The stated deadline came and went yesterday and the Pillar of Shame is still at the HKU campus!  I half expected workers to appear and start smashing up the sculpture at 5.01pm. (That's how low my regard of the university's authorities has sunk!)  But, thank goodness small mercies, that's not been the case!  And while I think it's too much at this point to hope that the sculpture will stay on campus indefinitely, hope has risen that it can be safely removed and transported elsewhere to a venue that will give it the rightful reverence and respect it deserves.