The culture of fruit : a documentation of the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of the Ya Ma Tei wholesale fruit market

Abstract

Founded in 1913, Yau Ma Tei Wholesale Fruit Market (YMTWFM) is the one of the oldest and surviving fruit market in the world. It signifies our cultural identity and it therefore needs to be better protected. Despite the lack of government commitment for its conservation, it is widely agreed by the Hong Kong public and their elected councillors that YMTWFM contains rich cultural heritage that should be conserved. For example, the social practice or operation model of the wholesale activity is a heritage that should not be intervened or any intervention should be minimal. And alterations should, if possible be reversible. Thus, it is timely to do this documentation of tangible and intangible cultural heritage of YMTWFM to clearly establish the cultural significance of the place, so that it would help to make informed decisions for its future. The objective of this dissertation is to return to the basics of the conservation process, which begins with the documentation of cultural heritage assets of a place through cultural mapping. The purpose is to provide the necessary information to help us understand the place first before conservation is carried out, as stated by James Semple Kerr in his seminal publication, Conservation Plan. Through this dissertation, it is hoped that the identification of the tangible cultural heritage and intangible cultural heritage elements will capture the spirit of place of YMTWFM that should be protected from any future development destined for YMTWFM.