“Lingering Echoes - Heritage and Innovation of Nanyin” Love for Ma Tei – Nanyin Concert
August 2025
Jointly presented by Tung Wah Group of Hospitals and Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Co-organised by Tung Wah Museum and Hong Kong Heritage Museum
“Lingering Echoes - Heritage and Innovation of Nanyin” Activity Series
Nanyin is a form of narrative singing presented in Cantonese. Since the early 20th century, nanyin has evolved and gained popularity in Hong Kong, becoming a beloved form of mass entertainment. Many of the early singers were blind, and their lyrics often depicted the challenges faced by the ordinary people in their daily life. These works provide valuable insights into the social landscape of Hong Kong across various periods. Nanyin offers much more than mere entertainment, it embodies significant historical, cultural and artistic value, and has been included in the inaugural Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Hong Kong.This year marks the 155th anniversary of the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals and the 55th anniversary of Tung Wah Museum. To celebrate, the Tung Wah Museum has joined hands with the Hong Kong Heritage Museum to organise a series of nanyin-themed activities, in a bid to preserve and share the essence of this art form, allowing the public to appreciate its style and understand its historical and cultural significance as well as its ongoing innovation and transmission through generations.
Love for Ma Tei – Nanyin Concert
Yung Shue Tau, Tin Hau Temple, Temple Street, Yau Ma Tei Theatre and the distinctive Hong Kong-style teahouses in Yau Ma Tei encapsulate the collective memories of many Hong Kong residents. In the early 20th century, Yau Ma Tei, then known as Ma Tei, was a Chinese settlement. By the 1960s and 1970s, it had evolved into a vibrant district bustling with diverse shops and frequented by opera artists who performed in public spaces such as teahouses and on the streets. Nanyin, known for its straight forward lyrics and simple accompaniment, became a popular form of entertainment during this time. Over the years, many iconic nanyin performers had performed in Yau Ma Tei, solidifying its status in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Hong Kong.
In 1911, Kwong Wah Hospital was established in Yau Ma Tei as the first hospital in Kowloon and the New Territories. It has since provided Chinese and western medical services to the community. The Tung Wah Museum, originally the Main Hall Building of Kwong Wah Hospital, resides in the hospital’s courtyard. In 1970, when the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals celebrated its centenary, this building was converted into the Tung Wah Museum to preserve the group’s archives and cultural relics. Recognised for its historical and architectural significance, Tung Wah Museum was declared a monument in 2010. This year we celebrate the 155th anniversary of the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals and the 55th anniversary of Tung Wah Museum. In honour of these milestones, we have invited Professor Yuen Siu-fai, maestro of Cantonese Opera, to compose new lyrics dedicated to Tung Wah. He will perform alongside promising young nanyin artist, offering a profound reflections on the people and sentiments of Yau Ma Tei through nanyin, a traditional form of narrative singing, and savour the Tung Wah story of Hong Kong sung in Cantonese nanyin as we enjoy the beautiful music.
Performers: Professor Yuen Siu-fai and Young Nanyin artists
Date: 30 August 2025 (Saturday)
Time: 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Venue: Theatre, Hong Kong Heritage Museum (1 Man Lam Road, Sha Tin, Hong Kong)
* The concert will be performed in Cantonese.
* Free admission.
* First come, first served.
* For special arrangements under inclement weather conditions, please click here for details.
* Programmes are subject to change and cancellation without prior notice. For enquiries, please call 2770 0867.
備註：
本辦公室已敦促屬下員工及活動提供者，於服務提供時必須留意並遵從《中華人民共和國香港特別行政區維護國家安全法》和與維護國家安全有關的香港其他法律，包括但不限於《國旗及國徽條例》、《區旗及區徽條例》及《國歌條例》，並確保在轄下單位內的行為或活動不會可能構成或可能導致在國安法或香港其他法律下屬危害國家安全，或不利於國家安全的罪行。
