Kong Chi Yin
Kong Chi Yin
Haifeng immigrant values his childhood friends
Kong Chi Yin regarded the village as his hometown because of the deep friendships he had formed with his neighbours. In addition to his childhood friends, this group included a hawker Dried Seed Uncle.
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Kong Chi Yin was born in Haifeng, his home. At an age of 2 or 3, he came to Hong Kong with his mother, who rented a village house in Nga Tsin Wai Village. Their sub-landlord was one of their countrymen. Long ago Kong’s father came to Hong Kong for a living, and worked as a ticketing officer at Kowloon Motor Bus. Kong’s mother was a housewife. The couple had over 10 children. Kong went to a local primary school when he was small. He dropped out in Form 1. In 1965, he joined the Police Force, where he had taken up the posts of Police Constable, Detective Police Constable and Sergeant. He retired in 2001. In 1977, he moved into the Police Quarters. In 1986, his whole family moved out from Nga Tsin Wai because the landlord was selling his property. He grew up in the village, and used to play on the open ground off the gate house, and thereby had strong ties with his neighbours. Since 1966 he had participated in village affairs by doing chores at the Jiao Festival and Tin Hau’s Birthday. In 2006, his childhood playmate Ng Chi Wing took office of the Village Headman. Despite his having a different family name, Kong Chi Yin happily pitched in to help Ng Chi Wing with village affairs, regularly assisting in the organisation of the Tin Hau and Jiao festivals. He was eventually invited to serve as the Treasurer of Nga Tsin Wai Village Committee where he assumed responsibility for the financing of the Village Office and for organising Tin Hau’s birthday. Sadly, his family was forced to leave the village when the owners of the house they lived in sold it. Although Nga Tsin Wai will soon be demolished, Kong Chin Win still regards his childhood home with great affection.