Hong Kong Entertainment: The King of Kung Fu

In the memory of the older generation in Hong Kong, decades ago, whenever there was drought, there would be a terrible water shortage.

When the Qing Dynasty ceded Hong Kong to Britain, Hong Kong's population was still small, but there was already a problem of lack of fresh water.

This is because, although Hong Kong has abundant rainfall, it lacks lakes and has no large rivers.

Hong Kong is mainly composed of volcanic rocks and granite, and the hard geological conditions are not conducive to groundwater storage and exploitation.

In order to find water, Daiying thought of many ways.

They once sent ships to Japan, Singapore and other places to buy water, but the cost was too high. Not only did they have to pay a large amount of water bills, but they also had to spend a lot of oil money. The water bought after a long journey was as expensive as oil.

Later, Dai Ying built several reservoirs and cisterns, but they could not fundamentally solve the problem.

For nearly a hundred years, Daiying had no choice but to spend huge amounts of money to build one reservoir after another.

The people hope that these ponds can really solve the difficulties of drinking and using water.

Whenever a pond was completed, everyone was excited and even had a banquet at the construction site.

At that time, there were frequent wars in the mainland, and many people flocked to Hong Kong to escape the war, and the water problem became increasingly serious.

Water is usually in short supply, and several severe droughts have left Hong Kong people with painful memories.

In 1893, Hong Kong did not see a drop of rain for ten consecutive months. The drought led to an epidemic that killed more than 2000 people.

During a severe drought in 1929, 20 people fled Hong Kong due to thirst.

Unable to solve the water problem, the British Hong Kong government began to implement water control.

Since 1938, water has been supplied on a regular basis every day.

For example, water is supplied for four hours a day, then three hours if it’s dry, then two hours if it’s even dryer, and if the situation gets more serious, water is supplied every other day, or every three days.

In the following thirty years, regular water supply became the norm!
In 1949, New China was founded, and the old mountains and rivers were rebuilt and the sun and the moon were replaced by a new sky!
In order to solve the water shortage problem in China, the hardworking Chinese people worked hard, cut through mountains and rocks, and built a large number of reservoirs and canals.

The Red Flag Canal in Lin County, Henan Province, is a miracle in the history of human engineering and is known as the "artificial Milky Way"!
At the same time, the shortage of fresh water supply in Hong Kong is becoming more and more serious.

Starting from the end of 1962, Hong Kong did not see a drop of rain for nine consecutive months.

The water storage facilities that Hong Kong has painstakingly built over the years have become mere decorations, with the ponds dry and overgrown with grass.

The city's water supply was changed from 8 hours a day to 4 hours a day, then to 4 hours every other day, and finally to once every 4 days.

There is no other way.

That year, long queues of people and buckets appeared in every corner of Hong Kong.

People put down their work and left the classroom, and the whole family lined up to get water.

A large number of residents surrounded the public water taps, fearing that the trickle of water would suddenly be cut off, and they would have to return empty-handed and face the expectant eyes of their families helplessly.

Residents living in the wooden house area have an even harder life. After getting water, they still have to carry it up the mountain.

The water was heavy and the slope was steep, so the mother walking in front looked back from time to time, afraid that her young daughter would spill the water.

People tried every possible way to grab water and used everything they had to hold water.

In the store, except for the price increase of buckets, all other items are not selling well.

At that time, a serving of barbecued pork cost 5 cents, but a bucket of water cost 5 yuan. Some merchants took advantage of the water shortage to make a fortune.

In desperation, the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong and Kowloon Federation of Trade Unions sent a distress message to the mainland on behalf of Hong Kong.

The drought is not just happening in Hong Kong; Guangdong is also suffering from drought.

But after receiving the distress message, Guangdong still extended a helping hand.

Guangzhou decided to supply 20,000 tons of water to Hong Kong for free every day.

The newly built Shenzhen Reservoir gave up irrigation of some farmland and supplied 318 million tons of water to Hong Kong to solve the urgent problem.

In addition, Hong Kong can also use ships to get water for free at the mouth of the Pearl River.

The selfless help from the motherland helped Hong Kong survive that terrible flood.

However, this does not solve the fundamental problem.

The best way is to bring Dongjiang water into Hong Kong.

Only in this way can the water shortage problem be permanently solved.

Dongjiang River, formerly known as Huangshui River, is one of the main streams of the Pearl River system. It originates in Jiangxi, flows southwest into Guangdong, and merges into the Pearl River in Dongguan. It is about 520 kilometers long.

Dongjiang River is the natural river closest to Hong Kong and with the most abundant water, and is more than 80 kilometers away from Hong Kong.

However, this short 80-kilometer stretch is blocked by a huge mountain, and it is extremely difficult to cross the mountain and bring water to Hong Kong.

After hydrological surveys, a plan for the Dongjiang water supply project was developed, which would cost 3800 million RMB.

In the 1960s, the country was still very poor, and this was undoubtedly a huge sum of money.

After receiving the report, the Prime Minister personally instructed: The water supply project should be organized by our country and included in the national plan. Because more than 95% of Hong Kong people are our compatriots, it is more proactive to run the project ourselves, and there is no need for them to interfere.

The country decided to suspend some other projects and go all out to build the Dongjiang Shenzhen Water Supply Project.

In 1964, tens of thousands of engineering workers gathered in Qiaotou Town, Dongguan overnight.

More than 14 factories in 60 provinces and cities across the country produce special pumps, motors, transformers and other equipment for the Dongjiang Shenzhen Water Supply Project, with a total of more than 2160 units.

The Premier personally instructed the Ministry of Railways to give priority to the transportation of materials for this project and deliver them to the site as soon as possible.

On February 1965, 2, the first phase of the Dongjiang Shenzhen Water Supply Project was successfully completed.

On March 3, people from all walks of life in Guangdong and Hong Kong compatriots witnessed together a river of clear water rushing over the mountains into Hong Kong.

Since then, Dongjiang water has been supplied to Hong Kong continuously.

Since then, Hong Kong’s water shortage has become history. If Hong Kong citizens want water, they just need to turn on the tap.

……

The floods in East China reminded many Hong Kong people of the help their mainland compatriots provided to Hong Kong during the drought thirty years ago.

Many people spontaneously took to the streets to donate money and supplies to the victims.

On the bustling streets of Causeway Bay, there is a small platform made of a few simple stools, covered with a white cloth and a few donation boxes.

On the back, it was written in red: Please donate! Help our compatriots in the disaster-stricken areas of East China!

Countless citizens stopped here, donated generously and showed their love.

Some students, who were carrying backpacks, donated their lunch money.

A disabled person also came to the donation box to donate money, but due to physical reasons, his body was not under his control and he trembled for a long time before he took out his wallet.

He took out ten yuan, but because his hands were shaking and the opening of the donation box was not big, he had to rely on the help of the staff to get it in. This scene was recorded by the reporter on the scene with a camera, and after it was broadcast, it moved countless people.

An old lady donated her coffin book. When interviewed by reporters, she said: "28 years ago, Hong Kong suffered a severe drought and could only get water once every four days. When people in the mainland heard that we were in trouble, many of them spontaneously carried water to Hong Kong. If it weren't for them, who knows how many people would have died in Hong Kong. This is a life-saving grace, and we must repay it!"

The reporter was deeply moved when he heard the grandmother's words and said to the camera: "In 1964, Hong Kong suffered a once-in-a-century drought. It was the selfless assistance of our compatriots in the mainland that helped us Hong Kong people overcome the difficulties. Now that the mainland is experiencing a once-in-a-century flood, please lend a helping hand and help our compatriots overcome the difficulties together!"

You donate, I donate, and everyone donates together. All of a sudden, donating to disaster relief became a catchphrase for Hong Kong citizens, and they kept asking: Have you donated today?

In the face of disaster, everyone is united because we are all brothers and sisters whose blood is thicker than water!

Since Yang Ye possessed unparalleled influence in the Chinese world, he rushed back to Hong Kong as soon as he finished dealing with affairs in the United States.

……

Xinhua News Agency Hong Kong Branch Director Zhou Nan shook Yang Ye's hand and said gratefully: "Mr. Yang, you came back at the right time!"

Yang Ye said: "My compatriots are suffering, and if I can be of use to them, I will do whatever it takes."

In this time and space, the image of the mainland is much better than in the original time and space. The economic development along the coastal areas is thriving. Students see hope and are all very stable.

However, this year's disaster, which affected most of the country, was so severe that we had to ask the international community for humanitarian assistance.

Zhou Nan briefed Yang Ye on the current situation. All the wealthy people in Hong Kong donated generously, with huge sums ranging from several million to tens of millions, and the public was also very enthusiastic in donating money and materials.

The Huo family contributed the most. Not only did they donate 20 million yuan, they also obtained a large amount of supplies, the most important of which were urgently needed medicines.

Yang Ye didn't want to steal the Huo family's limelight, so he also donated 20 million and then proposed two plans.

First, organize all the artists in the entertainment industry to hold a charity performance to raise funds.

Second, organize artists from the entertainment industry to shoot a movie together, and donate all the box office revenue.

……

Yang Ye did what he said. He came out of Xinhua News Agency and immediately called the heads of major guilds such as the Hong Kong Cinema Alliance, the Screenwriters Guild, the Directors Guild, and the Actors Guild to a meeting at Baiyang Pictures.

At the meeting, Yang Ye said bluntly: "I plan to unite the forces of the Hong Kong performing arts community and jointly shoot a public welfare film. All the box office revenue will be donated to the victims. What do you think?"

This is the moment when everyone is united in their efforts, and naturally everyone agrees.

Yang Ye said: "Because of the tight time schedule and the fact that a large number of stars have to participate at the same time, it is definitely too late to write a script now. My idea is to take out the 1959 "The Banquet" and remake it."

Zeng Zhiwei was beaten so badly by Yang Ye last time that he still has lingering fears. He has no ability to retaliate, so he flatters Yang Ye instead: "This is a good idea. This "The Banquet" itself is a public welfare film. There were dozens of celebrities participating at the time. It is very suitable for our current situation."

The veterans at the scene knew the movie, so they all expressed their approval.

Yang Ye said: "Let's start the division of labor now. Screenwriters Association, you have three hours to adapt the script. Then, you have to send screenwriters to the shooting site and be on call at any time."

Nan Yan, the president of the Screenwriters Association, immediately agreed.

Yang Ye continued, "The Directors Association is responsible for selecting directors. Due to time constraints, I suggest that we divide the filming into four groups. Anyone who is willing can sign up. I will say first that I will be in charge of one group."

Everyone raised their hands. Since there were too many applicants, in the end they just asked the four major film companies to each send one director.

Therefore, in addition to Yang Ye, the directors of this film include Zhang Jianting from Golden Harvest, Gao Zhisen from Debao, and Wang Jing from Yongsheng.

Then it was time for the lead actors. Zeng Zhiwei volunteered to play the male lead. Yang Ye smiled and said, "We have to finish filming this movie and release it within a week. If you play the male lead, you basically won't be able to sleep. Think it through!"

Zeng Zhiwei said: "No problem!"

The male lead has been confirmed, and the other roles will be handed over to Xu Guanwen, president of the Actors Association.

The next step is for the Photographers Association to send photographers to shoot with the crew, which is also easy.

Finally, the theater alliance is responsible for coordinating the screenings and releases of the film throughout Hong Kong after the film is completed.

Since all box office revenue will be donated, the theater alliance does not charge any fees.

After everything was discussed, all parties immediately began to act.

……

When they heard that Yang Ye was going to hold a charity performance, Happy Valley Racecourse provided the venue for free. All the celebrities in Hong Kong put down their work and came from all directions.

This charity concert in the original time and space was initiated by Alan Tam and Anita Mui, two big brothers and sisters in the music industry.

Alan Tam even bought a song overnight and asked someone to write the lyrics for it, which would be used as the theme song for the charity performance. The song was called "The Thousand-mile Heart".

It’s not that they don’t want to step forward now, but Yang Ye is the real Hong Kong entertainment tycoon.

They also knew that Yang Ye would definitely stand up, so neither of them stepped forward, but just silently worked behind the scenes.

Yang Ye didn't want to steal their credit, but he knew how great his influence was, and only if he did this would his influence be maximized.

In fact, this is indeed the case. There were more than 100 artists from the original time and space who participated in this charity performance, and they performed for seven consecutive hours.

This time there were even more people, with more than two hundred stars appearing and performing for two consecutive days.

In addition to all the Hong Kong artists present, a large number of artists from Taiwan also came.

Jonathan Lee, Luo Dayou, Zhou Huajian, Tarcy Su, Annie Yi, Ren Xianqi... The Rolling Stones felt obliged to join the event.

Wang Jie, Little Tigers, Harlem Yu, Tsai Chin... many UFO stars also came.

From the original time and space continent, only Lao Cui and Gong Li took the stage, and this time Wang Fei, Yang Yuying, Lao Lang, Zhu Lin, Fu Yiwei and others also appeared.

There are people from Singapore, Malaysia, and even Japan and South Korea making an appearance.

"We all drink from the same river, and we are all Chinese!"

The theme of this charity performance further highlights the fact that Hong Kong people grew up drinking Dongjiang water.

At the beginning of the performance, Xia Meng came on stage and announced that Baiyang Company would donate the same amount of money as the artists present today donated, which immediately drew warm applause.

Afterwards, two of Yang Ye’s students, Yang Yuying and Liu Xiaohui, represented the mainland and Hong Kong respectively and sang the theme song of the charity performance, "Drinking from the Same River".

The two men went on stage and first donated 50,000 yuan each.

Then, Liu Xiaohui took the microphone and said: "Hello everyone, I am Liu Xiaohui. I heard that our compatriots on the mainland were suffering, and our teacher Sir Yang Ye rushed back to Hong Kong overnight to call for disaster relief.

He saw an old lady on TV talking about the great flood shortage in Hong Kong 28 years ago, and how mainland compatriots organized to carry water across the New Territories. He was so moved that he wrote the poem "Drinking from the Same River" overnight and gave it to everyone.

26 years ago, our compatriots from the mainland introduced Dongjiang water to Hong Kong. We Hong Kong people grew up drinking Dongjiang water. Now our compatriots are in trouble, and I hope everyone can lend a helping hand. "

Yang Yuying said: "Hello everyone, I am Yang Yuying, from Jiangxi. These days I see everyone taking to the streets and donating generously. I am very moved. On behalf of my compatriots in the mainland, thank you for your help. Thank you!"

Yang Yuying bowed deeply to the audience and began to sing: "I live at the head of the river, you live at the tail of the river, our love for each other is boundless, and we drink from the same river."

Liu Xiaohui then sang: "You live at the head of the river, I live at the tail of the river, our love for each other is boundless, and we drink from the same river water."

The two sang together: "Our mountains are connected, our waters have the same source, our hearts are connected, and we hold hands. Our mountains are connected, our waters have the same source, our songs are beautiful, singing about the same home, the same home..." (End of this chapter)