Eson Chan “I don’t care about you”… audience cheers
There are mixed opinions among local netizens.
Popular Hong Kong singer Eason Chan refused a fan’s request to “speak in Chinese (Mandarin)” during his world tour held in Macau on the 13th, saying, “I can’t help it even if I don’t understand.”
According to local media such as Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post (SCMP) on the 15th, Eason responded to some audience members’ request to speak Chinese on stage, saying, “I like to speak in the language I want.”
Eason chatted with fans on stage and asked in Cantonese, “Are there any audience members from Macau?” Cantonese is a dialect of southern China and is spoken in Hong Kong and Macau.
Then, an audience member suddenly shouted, “Speak in Chinese.” Here, Chinese refers to Putonghua (Mandarin), the standard language of China.
To this, Eason replied, “I think it would be good to speak politely,” and “I don’t care about you.” Cheers and applause erupted from the audience.
Eason’s remarks spread on social media and became a hot topic among local netizens.
Some netizens said, “He is a Hong Kong singer. He defended it by saying, “It is natural to speak Cantonese,” and “Do not force the use of a standardized language.”
Those who objected to Eason’s use of Cantonese said, “He is, after all, a Chinese singer. There was a sharp response, saying, “You must not be mistaken,” and “People who cannot understand Cantonese will leave the concert venue.”
The reason some netizens are casting negative views on Eason for using Cantonese on stage appears to be because China is expanding Putonghua education in Hong Kong.
After large-scale anti-government protests took place in Hong Kong in 2019, China strengthened its direct rule over Hong Kong and expanded Putonghua education. This is interpreted as a move to accelerate the ‘sinicization of Hong Kong’ by restricting the use of Cantonese and English, which were widely used in Hong Kong in the past.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.