Vertical Urban Landscape in Mong Kok 半空旺角

I really like the clouds and the vertical urban landscape there. And what's better than sketching such great view in an air-conditioned environment on such a damp hot day.

Mong Kok
Hong Kong

旺角朗豪坊外望，新舊樓宇，高矮不一，垂直都市，旺角也。

Rush Hour in Central 中環落班

This was the fun of urban sketching! When I did the line sketch, I didn't expect the lights to go up. When I started applying colour, all lights went up and I happily included them in the sketch! They brightened up the whole scene!

畫完線稿後，準備上色時，畢打行特然著燈，我隨即將燈光畫係紙上，此乃城市速寫好玩之處。

Taoist Monastery Ten Thousand Buddha Hall 牛池灣鄉萬佛堂

The Ngau Chi Wan Sketch Crawl brought me to the almost forgotten Ten Thousand Buddha Hall hidden in a quiet section of Ngau Chi Wan Village.   I originally wanted to go in but it's now not open to the public anymore.  I decided to sketch the entrance to the monastery as well as the gate to another now deserted Taoist monastery which sat just next to the Ten Thousand Buddha Hall on the right.  The hall is of Taoist origin and belongs to the sect called "Sin Tin Dao" 「先天道」。 

上周係牛池灣作畫，無意走到萬佛堂前，萬佛堂乃先天道派道場，原本想入內作畫，可惜道場現已不再開放。

資料來源：Wikimapia
香港在清末至一九三○年代，約有二十七間道堂，屬於先天道派的佔了十五間，可見早年的先天道是香港最大的道派。但時移世易，今日先天道的影響力已不復從前，道堂住持大都垂垂老矣，後繼無人，在社會上轉趨低調。 先天道主張三教合一，主要崇奉觀音、呂祖和三教聖神。位於九龍牛池灣村的萬佛堂是先天道堂，創立於一九一二至一五年間，它隱藏於村中一角，若不深入探尋，不會找到這間市區現存最古老的道堂。當年的牛池灣屬鄉郊地區，南海西樵人黎玉清女道長選擇在此處建堂，除了因地處往來西貢的交通要道外，也因為該村是雜姓客家村，可讓外人購地建屋。 先天道在早期頗為流行，一九一八年快活谷馬場看台發生大火，導致六百多人死亡，有關方面便邀請萬佛堂的道侶為死難者建醮，超度亡魂，其後東華醫院贈送「誠格幽冥」牌匾，該匾現在仍掛於道堂左門上方。另外，該門的門板上隱約可見「萬年有道」和「佛法無邊」八字，那原是一塊巨大牌匾，戰後木材缺乏，故把牌匾拆下，一分為二作大門之用。 全盛時期，萬佛堂有弟子五、六十人，每天於堂內焚香誦經。但戰後到來的人大減，目前第三代住持是一名白髮老人，無能力對外開放。這位住持曾參與一九六五年牛池灣鄉十年一屆的安龍清醮，但自那年之後，該鄉的打醮活動就停辦了。

資料來源：維基百科
先天道教義：

先天道主張三教合一，但教義是以羅教為主幹，混合佛教禪宗和道教內丹道思想。該教認為，無生老母是一切生命萬物的起源，老母從「無」生「有」，「有」幻化萬物，包括人類。當人類從「無」而生時，每個人都有與生俱來的「性」與「命」，還擁有三寶—「神」、「氣」與「精」。當一個人逐漸成長且成熟時，由於受到各種不正當慾望的干擾，而導致思想雜亂與沉溺於物質享受，而陷入外在的世界，「性」與「命」的力量就會分開，三寶也會逐漸削弱。為了讓一個人保持樸實無華的本性，就必須利用佛教的對外修行和道教內丹術對內的修煉，使人類回到出生前—「先天」—充滿潛力 和生命力的階段。 先天道禁止教士婚嫁，並主張絕對素食，戒律操守嚴格。

Shrine at Ngau Chi Wan Village 牛池灣村大王宮三山國王廟

The Village Shrine is dedicated to three deities of Taoist origin.  It's a small village shrine sheltered by a huge banyan tree, making the shrine and the open area around it a comfortable place to stay, especially on a hot summer day.

牛池灣鄉鄉民視三山國王廟為主廟，亦供奉大王爺、社公和伯公（土地）等鄉村保護神。牛池灣村大王宮有大榕樹蔭庇，炎炎夏日，在此作畫，仍覺舒暢。

Painting Old Ladder Street 畫樓梯街

六月小弟畫展其中一張油畫
This oil painting will be featured in my upcoming exhibition in June.

Under the Traveller's Plants 旅人蕉下

The time lapse video shows how the sketch was done. First, the pencil sketch, then comes the lines using a 0.5 drawing pen. Next is the watercolour and finally strengthening the lines with the 0.5 drawing pen and the Zebra's "Sau Lai" pen.

首先用鉛筆打稿，接住用0.5繪圖筆鈎線，然後上水彩，最後再用0.5繪圖筆同秀麗筆加強線條。

The Gods in Wong Tai Sin Temple 黃大仙祠內畫神仙

Upcoming Exhibition: "Hong Kong Colours" 個人畫展：「⾹港本色」

I'm really excited to have my exhibition held in June at Part-Of Gallery, Wan Chai and it would be my great honour if you could come and see my studio paintings and live urban sketches. 

A lot of work still needs to be done for now! 

See you in June!

Gary

Part-Of Gallery presents

“Hong Kong Colours”  「香港本色」

An exhibition of paintings and live sketches by Gary Yeung

楊復始速寫及油畫作品展覽

Date: June 2-30 2015 

Opening Hours: Tuesday - Sunday 1:00pm - 7:00pm

Opening Reception:

6 June (Saturday) 6:00pm - 9:00pm

Venue:

Part-Of Gallery

Ground Floor, no.16 Sik On Street, Wanchai, Hong Kong 

(next to no.99 Queen’s Road East)

香港灣仔適安街16號地下 (皇后大道東99號傍)

Yau Ma Tei Wholesale Fruit Market 油麻地果欄

Fruit and people buying them!  What a joyful sight!
眾人齊來買生果！

Lights and Shadows of Yau Ma Tei 油麻地的光與影

We discovered this location where we could sketch the cityscape of Yau Ma Tei far from the ground level.  The lights and shadows on the facades of these buildings were striking in the bright afternoon sun.

下午猛烈嘅陽光構成對比強烈嘅光與影，不得不畫低此情此景！

Maryknoll Convent School with Lion Rock 獅子山下的瑪利諾修院學校

Maryknoll Convent School with Lion Rock
獅子山下的瑪利諾修院學校

Peel Street 卑利街公利真料竹蔗水

Opened in 1948, this sugar cane juice shop has been serving residents for many decades.  Since old buildings and old family-run shops are becoming increasingly rare in Hong Kong, this shop together with its buildings has become a gem of the city.

公利真料竹蔗水1948年開業，開舖差不多70年，專售賣竹蔗水，當日寫生完畢第一次入去品嘗，竹蔗水果然新鮮清甜。

Maryknoll Convent School 瑪利諾修院學校

Maryknoll Convent School, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong
The school was founded in 1925. This beautiful school is now a declared monument in Hong Kong.

始於1925年，瑪利諾修院學校環境優美，歷史悠久，成績標炳，校園更在2008年列為香港法定古蹟。

Cage Street 結志街

Many of these buildings are waiting to be torn down for redevelopment and many of the old shops here will soon be gone.   Thanks to the money-oriented Hong Kong government!

結志街，嘉咸街一帶唐樓處處，老舖隨處可見，可惜重建在即，巨變將至，好快又係名店，連鎖店同超高層住宅商廈嘅世界！

Fabric Stall in Sham Shui Po 基隆街布舖

It was really quiet on Sundays in this part of Sham Shui Po as most metal ware and fabric shops are closed. I was sitting in front of the only open fabric stall in the street. His colourful rolls of fabric made good subject to sketch! The owner was really interested and came forward to look at my sketch and he was rather pleased that I made him look so young. 

Ki Lung Street

Sham Shui Po

星期日基隆街大部份布舖休息，街道格外寧靜。我坐在唯一開檔嘅布舖前作畫。布舖一卷卷七彩嘅布料同冷清嘅街道相映成趣。布舖老闆好奇，行過來看並高興我張佢畫得好年輕。

Abandoned Tenement Buildings at Berwick Street 巴域街空置舊唐樓

A band of adventurous urban sketchers sneaked up onto the rooftop of an abandoned tenement building in Berwick Street to search for great views of the Shek Kip Mei area.  We were not disappointed.  The connected rooftops and the cluster of abandoned buildings not only provided us with excellent views of the cityscape around us, they were in themselves a strange but tranquil world that worth to be sketched.  It's really a pity that these buildings are now awaiting redevelopment.

走入荒廢唐樓，爬上幽暗梯級，我哋一班香港速寫人今午走到巴域街一排空置舊唐樓天台作畫。唐樓天台彷如鬧市中神秘綠州，榕樹寄生唐樓外牆同天台煙通出口處 ，天台欄邊長出開大型吊鐘狀紅花植物，身處其中作畫，心情舒暢。可惜唐樓拆卸在即，如此由歷史建築同大自然攜手編織嘅綠州好快消失。

Kwun Yam Guarding Repulse Bay 淺水灣望海觀音

There are many statues placed in the proximity of the Taoist Temple in Repulse Bay.  The most famous are the stature of Kwun Yam, the statue of the East Sea Dragon King and the statue of Tin Hau.  I decided to sketch the statue of Kwun Yam as it is the most iconic among the three.

淺水灣道教廟外立了三尊巨型神像，一尊是河伯、一尊是天后、一尊是望海觀音。望海觀音最為人熟識，於是就畫佢。

Repulse Bay 淺水灣

Painting in Progress: Old Hong Kong General Post Office 開始上色：中環舊郵政總局

Now building the colour layer on top of the first layer.
完成第一層後現開始上色。

Family BBQ Party in Nam Chung 南涌家庭燒烤

Painting the Old Hong Kong General Post Office 正在畫中環舊郵政總局

Working on the first layer today.
正在畫第一層。

Sai Kung Lunar New Year Flower Market 2015 西貢年宵市場 2015

Thanks to the owners of one of the flower stalls there, I was able to get close to their flowers in the rather busy flower market and did a few detailed sketches of some of the new year flowers.

多謝花檔檔主比我近距離畫佢哋啲花！

Picnic in Ma On Shan Country Park 馬鞍山郊野公園野餐

Sketching at Hau Wong Temple 侯王廟甲午冬祭

I went to a religious gathering at the Hau Wong Temple near Lok Fu this afternoon. In the gathering, Hongkongers came forward to offer joss sticks and prayers in front of Hau Wong, the general who protected the last emperor "Emperor Bing of Song" of the Southern Song Dynasty who fled to Hong Kong. The Southern Song Dynasty ended in 1279 as the Mongols conquered all of China.

The gathering was organised by Hong Kong Resurgence Order
http://hkresurgence.com

Origin of the Temple (Info from Chinese Temples Committee)

There are different versions of the temple's history. Some believe that it was built to commemorate Yeung Leung Jit, a loyal follower and a marquis of the last Emperors of the Southern Sung Dynasty who fled with the royal family to Kowloon driven by the Mongols. A stone tablet at the courtyard, written by Chan Pak To, a Chinese scholar and officer in the late Qing Dynasty provided an account of the story. Others believe that the temple was built in memory of a villager surnamed Yeung who had cured the Emperor of the Southern Sung of an illness when the emperor family fled to Kowloon City.

今午前往九龍侯王廟冬祭，眾人上香禱告，祈求復興香港。

香港復興會甲午冬祭

http://hkresurgence.com

建廟緣起 （資料來自華人廟宇委員會）

廟宇緣起可謂眾說紛紜，有指本廟所祀的楊侯，為南宋功臣楊亮節，因襄助宋帝昺南逃九龍，護駕有功，世人建廟以作紀念，詳情可見廟前庭院牆上，由前清遺老陳伯陶所撰的碑文；也有人認為侯王就是為宋帝昺治病的楊二伯公。

The Four Pillars of the Old Hong Kong General Post Office 香港舊郵政總局的石柱

Columns that adorned the old Hong Kong General Post Office (1911- 1976) are now permanently placed inside Kadoorie farm and Botanic Garden

香港舊郵政總局的四根石柱現長放嘉道理農場內。