Month: July 2026

Shangdang Bangzi Opera Theatre of Jincheng City to make Hong Kong debut in August with “The Banquet at Sanguan” showcasing loyal and heroic spirit       
     Shangdang Bangzi opera, one of the four major Bangzi opera systems of Shanxi, is popular in the southeastern region of Shanxi, an area historically known as Shangdang Prefecture during the Qin and Han dynasties. It entered its golden age during the Xianfeng reign of the Qing dynasty, giving rise to two distinct schools: the Zhoudi and Lufu schools. The singing is rooted in the “banqiang” (rhythmic-melodic) system, and the male and female roles share the same tonal register. Its musical style is steady and vigorous, while the performance aesthetic is bold and impassioned. The traditional repertoire focuses on paodai (court and martial costume) plays, notably featuring the heroic sagas of the generals of the Yang family and the troops under Yue Fei. Shangdang Bangzi opera was inscribed on the First National List of ICH in 2006.
      
     Details of the two performances are as follows:
 
“The Banquet at Sanguan”
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Date and time: August 14 (Friday), 7.30pm
 
     “The Banquet at Sanguan” is one of the representative works of Shangdang Bangzi opera. Adapted from the story of Yang Yanhui (Silang, the fourth son of the Yang family) being recruited as the son-in-law of the Liao Kingdom, it tells the tragedy of Silang’s mother, Dowager She, exposing Silang’s true identity in front of Empress Dowager Xiao, which drives Princess Taohua to crash against a pillar in shame and fury, and leads Silang to take his own life. Through this unique lens, the play condemns Silang’s treason for personal gain while honouring Dowager She’s unwavering patriotism. Chen Suqin will perform with Class One performers Qi Suzhen and Zheng Fagen, vividly capturing Empress Dowager Xiao’s grief over the loss of her daughter, Dowager She’s sacrifice of personal feelings for the greater cause, and Silang’s agonising inner turmoil. Paired with traditional percussion and unique costume designs, the production fully embodies the authentic flavour of Shangdang heritage.
 
Excerpts
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Date and time: August 15 (Saturday), 7.30pm
 
     This programme features a selection of three classic Shangdang Bangzi opera excerpts. “To Kill His Wife” is a representative work of vocal innovation within the genre. Its classic aria, “The Plum Tree by the Window is My Friend”, features beautiful lyrics and melody, fully displaying Chen Suqin’s deep vocal prowess. Representing the martial tradition, “Assassinating Empress Dowager Xiao” and “The Great Battle” from “Yanmen Pass” belong to the classic Yang family saga. The high-pitched, robust vocals are paired with a continuous display of spectacular stunts, such as hair flinging, flips and splits. The finale, “Forced into Insanity” from “Incidents at the Temporary Imperial Palace”, places equal emphasis on singing and acting. Chen Suqin employs soaring, impassioned vocals to chart the protagonist’s psychological breakdown – from terror to madness due to her beloved child’s ordeal in palace intrigue – portraying it to the fullest and unleashing the overwhelming emotional force of Shangdang Bangzi opera.
      
     Founded in 1938, the Shangdang Bangzi Opera Theatre of Jincheng City is widely acclaimed as the “premier Shangdang bangzi troupe”. With a steadfast commitment to both preserving heritage and fostering innovation, the troupe has nurtured a lineage of stellar artists across four generations. Its repertoire features the enduring classic “The Banquet at Sanguan”, alongside new productions such as “Tai Hang Niang Qin” (Mother of Tai Hang) and “Mother and Son of Han Dynasty”, which have garnered numerous awards. While actively engaging in cultural exchanges both at home and abroad, the troupe remains deeply rooted in the community, staging more than 300 performances annually.
 
     The two performances will be held at the Theatre of Hong Kong City Hall. Lyrics and dialogue are with Chinese and English surtitles. Tickets priced at $190, $290 and $390 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk      
     A meet-the-artists session entitled “The Unique Artistic Features and Vocal Characteristics of Shangdang Bangzi Opera” (in Putonghua) will be held at 7.30pm on August 13 (Thursday) at AC2, Level 4, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Chen Suqin will be the speaker while Chinese opera researcher Sheng Yihui will be the moderator. Admission is free, and online registration is required (www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/chinese_opera/programs_1963.html#tab_13_0      
     The programme will also feature a session under the “Chinese Culture for All: A Special Performance Series” to be held at 2.30pm on August 15 (Saturday) at the Theatre of Hong Kong City Hall, with free admission for local primary and secondary school students. Artists of the troupe will perform the “The Great Battle” from “Yanmen Pass”, a classic excerpt about the saga of the loyal Yang family generals. Through a series of traditional operatic stylised techniques, including bazigong (acrobatic fighting with traditional Chinese weapons), hair flinging and flipping, performers will recount the intense, heroic spirit of the battlefield, which serves as an engaging guide for students to discover and appreciate the artistic style of Chinese regional opera.
 
     The CCF, presented by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and organised by the Chinese Culture Promotion Office under the LCSD, aims to promote Chinese culture and enhance the public’s sense of national identity and cultural confidence, thereby facilitating patriotic education. It also aims to attract top-notch artists and arts groups from the Chinese Mainland and other parts of the world for exchanges in Chinese arts and culture. This year’s CCF is held from June to September. For more information, please visit www.ccf.gov.hkIssued at HKT 14:36

Princess Margaret Hospital responds to the detection of Legionella in water samples          The case has been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office according to established guidelines. The hospital will also cooperate with the CHP to investigate the case. In addition to the above precautionary and improvement measures, the hospital will continue to closely monitor the situation of patients in the hospital.
Issued at HKT 21:40

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CHP investigates a case of human infection of rat Hepatitis E virus (with photo) 
Case details
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     The case involves a 72-year-old male with underlying illnesses and weakened immunity. On July 9, during a follow-up visit to Queen Mary Hospital for his pre-existing condition, he was found to have abnormal liver function. His blood sample tested positive for rat HEV upon laboratory testing by the Public Health Laboratory Services Branch under the CHP. The patient remains in stable condition. He has not developed symptoms and did not require hospitalisation.
 
     The CHP’s epidemiological investigation revealed that the patient lives in Sham Shui Po District and primarily spends his time in the vicinity of Sham Shui Po and Tsim Sha Tsui districts. He had outbound travel with his family member from late May to early June (within the incubation period). He reported having no direct contact with rodents or rats, nor has seen any rats at his residence or places visited. The CHP does not rule out that the patient might have come into indirect contact with places or food contaminated by rats or their excreta during the incubation period, either locally or during outbound travel. His household contact (also his travel collateral) has no symptoms currently and has been put under medical surveillance.

     ​Investigations into the source and route of infection are ongoing.
 
     Although the place of infection cannot be ascertained at this stage, staff from the CHP and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) have conducted site inspections of the patient’s residence and the his routine activity areas to assess environmental hygiene conditions. Investigation staff detected minor signs of rodent activity in the refuse collection room of his residential building, on the streets around his residence, on the streets in the vicinity of his activity areas in Tsim Sha Tsui, as well as in the food premises he had visited. Apart from stepping up the cleansing and disinfection, as well as anti-rodent work in the public areas in the vicinity of the locations visited by the patient, the FEHD will serve a Notice of Elimination of Vermin under section 47 of the Public Health and Municipal Ordinance (Cap. 132) requesting the licensee of concerned food premises and owners’ corporations of the concerned building to take appropriate actions within a specified timeframe to eliminate vermin in the concerned food premises and common parts of the building.
 
     The CHP and the FEHD will continue to investigate and follow up on the case.
 
     This is the second case of human infection of rat HEV recorded so far this year. In the past five years (from 2021 to 2025), Hong Kong recorded an average of zero to two cases of rat HEV per year.
 
Symptoms of rat hepatitis E
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     Human cases of rat hepatitis E virus infection affected mostly immunocompromised persons. Most cases were asymptomatic, while symptomatic patients reported mild symptoms, such as fatigue, abdominal pain and loss in appetite. It is less likely for patients with rat HEV infection to develop jaundice compared to HEV infected patients.
 
Prevention
————–      – Avoid handling rodents with bare hands;
     – Wash hands with liquid soap and water immediately after handling animals, and disinfect contaminated areas; and
     – If a wound appears, clean the broken skin immediately and cover it properly with waterproof adhesive dressings.

     Rodent control requires co-operation from all sectors of society. The CHP urged the public to strengthen rodent prevention and control measures and co-operate with government’s efforts to reduce the risk of rat HEV transmission.
Issued at HKT 20:56

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SED attends seminar on enhancing basic research in higher education institutions      
     Speaking at the conference, Dr Choi said that in terms of strengthening investment in scientific research and deepening collaborative innovation among industries, universities, and research institutes, the Government has continuously expanded the scale of research funding. A new round of the Research Matching Grant Scheme with a funding of $1.5 billion has been launched. Through the General Research Fund and the Early Career Scheme, nearly 1 500 basic research projects are being funded in the current academic year. Meanwhile, the RGC provides the Collaborative Research Fund and the Research Impact Fund to promote interdisciplinary and collaborative research across various sectors. In addition, the UGC is conducting the Research Assessment Exercise 2026 to assess research outputs in accordance with international standards.Issued at HKT 20:15

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“Enchanting Beautiful China, Beautiful Hong Kong” Experience Day marks 105th anniversary of founding of Communist Party of China       
     As pointed out by President Xi Jinping in his important speech delivered at the event on the celebration of the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, over the past 105 years, the Communist Party of China has made seeking happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation its aspiration and mission. The country has not only achieved rapid socio-economic development, but has also made world-renowned achievements in advancing ecological civilisation. Beautiful China has become a modern blueprint for realising the harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, and it also serves as the brightest defining feature for the sustainable development of the Chinese nation.
      
     Officiating and delivering a speech at the event, the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, said that Hong Kong has always been an active participant and contributor in the country’s ambitious green development strategy. To align with the country’s “dual carbon” targets and the 15th Five-Year Plan, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government has been making every effort to accelerate the green and low-carbon transition, promoting new energy transport and the circular economy with the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. 
      
     The Experience Day showcased the achievements of the nation and Hong Kong in ecological and environmental protection and green transition, enabling the public to gain a deeper understanding of the nation’s leading role in environmental technologies, strengthening their sense of identity with and pride in the nation, as well as highlighting Hong Kong’s active participation and contribution.
      
     Other officiating guests included the President of the Friends of Hong Kong Association, Dr Tam Kam-kau; HKSAR deputy to the National People’s Congress Ms Wong Ping-fan; Dean of Faculty of Construction and Environment of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Professor Li Xiangdong; and the Director of Environmental Protection, Dr Samuel Chui. Several experts and academics delivered keynote speeches, sharing valuable experiences in low-carbon transition and green energy with the attending members of the public and students.
      
     In addition to the “Enchanting Beautiful China, Beautiful Hong Kong” Experience Day, the EPD will organise Green Facilities Guided Tours from July to August. Students will visit the EcoPark, WEEE·PARK, and T·PARK to see for themselves Hong Kong’s achievements in waste management and energy transition. The EPD will also hold thematic exhibitions at Recycling Stations of GREEN@COMMUNITY, allowing the public to understand the nation’s remarkable achievements in environmental protection, as well as encouraging them to actively participate in resource recycling. For details, please visit https://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/news_events/events/beautiful_china_hk.htmlIssued at HKT 19:40