Seeking the past through eyes of others: nostalgia for Kowloon Walled City in post-colonial Hong Kong

Nostalgia is conventionally considered a problematic portrayal of the past through an emotional filter, whereas recent studies propose it as a process of meaning creation that facilitates the envisioning of the future. Based on data from newspaper articles, public events, and interviews, this article examines the role of foreign gazes within the formation of collective nostalgia for Kowloon Walled City (KWC) in post-colonial Hong Kong. I argue that by providing an alternative perspective to re-evaluate the local history, foreign gazes amplify the effect of nostalgia as a critical reflection of society and a catalyst for the reinterpretation of the past. Given the scarcity of records about the city and its inhabitants, foreign media serve as supplementary sources of the forgotten past through publications and dissemination, while the ongoing recreations in popular culture provide evidence of cultural significances. These representations enable Hongkongers to repack the past and develop alternative identities in the post-colonial era by transcending the colonial context and the Chinese national framework.