Other episodes
Hong Kong Stories: Master In The House 2
Episode 2 In Pursuit of Excellence in Eyeglasses
01/04/2025
內容
CONTENT
Executive Producer：Yeung Wai Nga
01/04/2025
Photo Album
Is a pair of eyeglasses an ancillary tool? An accessory? Or does it signify the first impression on the wearers?
Rif LAU is a “tailor for eyeglasses”, specialising in making eyeglasses for customers with his own hands. From the style, colour, arm length to the wearing position, eyeglasses can be customised according to the wearers’ needs. When studying toy design in the university, Rif happened to participate in an eyewear design competition, and was given the opportunity to visit the studio of the eyewear brand in France, which changed his views on eyeglasses and even his life path ever since.
After returning to Hong Kong, Rif worked as the designer of an eyewear factory, but this could not fulfil his bigger dream for eyewear design. After making efforts for several years, he eventually set up an eyewear studio. Rif searched for various kinds of production tools, and devoted himself to studying every process of making eyeglasses in the studio. As a result, he has the skillful hands to realise the whimsical ideas of his customers perfectly. And fortunately, having been influenced by his father who was a renovation master since his childhood, Rif is well aware that his hands are the strongest weapon. As long as he has the skills and imagination, he can make many things with his hands. His father repeated all the time, “tools are usable only if they are made by oneself”. Therefore, even though it was difficult to purchase the equipment suitable for small-scale production of eyeglasses in the market, he could still make them by himself.
Apart from producing the eyeglasses ordered by customers, Rif will take time to continue exploring new design, materials and technologies. He hopes to go further on the road of custom-made eyeglasses, because to him, eyeglasses are not only vision correction tools, but also artwork that can be worn on faces.
Producer: Clarissa MA
集數
EPISODES
-
Episode 1 Life in the Bamboo Theatres
Bamboo theatre is a unique wonder of Hong Kong. In many local festivals, temporary bamboo theatres made of bamboos and Chinese fir will be built in different places to stage Chinese operas for enjoyment by both men and gods. Though bamboo theatres are temporary and mobile in nature, every construction process is detailed-oriented. Apart from attaching importance to mechanics, consideration has to be given to aesthetic design, which demonstrates the pursuit of craftsmanship. Traditional bamboo theatres are all built by hand and have a history of over 100 years. Bamboo theatre building technique has been inscribed into the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Hong Kong.
Master LEE Ka-chun, Kenny has over 30 years of experience in the erection of scaffolds, and is one of the few masters in building bamboo theatres in Hong Kong. Originally, he had joined the building maintenance industry. Later, he was recommended by a friend to learn how to build bamboo theatres from a great master. Since then, he has started his “life in the bamboo theatres”. Ordinary bamboo scaffolds for building maintenance are completely different from bamboo theatres in terms of their erection methods. The former is used for facilitating building maintenance work, while the latter is an independent structure used as a stage, encompassing performers and traditional cultural customs. Although Master LEE was experienced in the erection of scaffolds, he had to start from the very beginning to learn about the structure of bamboo theatres while erecting them.
The 23rd day of the third lunar month is Tin Hau Festival. Master LEE and his colleagues will visit Po Toi Island, the southernmost part of Hong Kong, and build a bamboo theatre for the inhabitants on the island. The theatre is erected at the edge of a cliff, and so is “the most challenging” theatre to build. Master LEE said the positioning of each bamboo pole and fir beam requires careful thought in order to build a stable shed. As he reminisced about the moment he first set foot on Po Toi Island over 20 years ago, Master LEE said he had thought of giving up because of unfamiliarity with the technique of building bamboo theatres, but his love for bamboo theatres had kept him going.
Master LEE started off as a novice, but having accumulated many years of experience, he has now become the leader of a group of masters. In his view, becoming a master requires a willingness to learn and go the extra mile, but the most important element is striving for improvement. Every time the audience is engrossed in the Chinese opera performance, Master LEE continues to stay at the theatre to seize the final opportunity to look for areas of improvement.
...18/03/2025Watch
