Hong Kong Originals: The lost art of deity wood carving

In a Kwai Chung industrial building, the last bastion of a fading Hong Kong art form operates: Hop Keung Cheong Kee, the territory's sole deity wood carving workshop. Run by the Siu family, this establishment meticulously crafts and restores the sacred figures that adorn the city's approximately 600 Chinese temples.

Vitus Siu, 69, learned the intricate craft from his father in the 1970s. Today, he works alongside his son, Sylvester, and daughter-in-law, continuing a tradition that was once a competitive industry but has now dwindled. The workshop, tucked away in an industrial space, is filled with statues in various stages of completion, from freshly carved sandalwood figures to those being gilded with gold leaf.

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Clothes make the man, and gold makes the Buddha.

"Clothes make the man, and gold makes the Buddha," Vitus Siu remarked, explaining the reverence shown through adornment. While the workshop still carves new deities for clients, its focus has increasingly shifted to the restoration of antique wooden sculptures, including dragon-shaped candle holders and ceremonial arches blackened by incense smoke.

Sylvester Siu, 37, who is learning the craft from his father, emphasizes the continuous learning required. "You can't see the end of the world when you are learning the craft. You just have to keep learning," he told HKFP. The family's dedication ensures that this unique aspect of Hong Kong's cultural heritage, passed down since Vitus Siu's father immigrated from Guangdong in 1938, endures.

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You can't see the end of the world when you are learning the craft. You just have to keep learning.