Li's field
Li's Field (Chinese: 李氏力場, Li's force field) refers to an ironic joke popular among Hong Kong society. It claims the existence of an artificial force shield over Hong Kong that prevents tropical cyclones from approaching the city during weekdays. It is implied that the field is invented and funded by Hong Kong business magnate Li Ka-shing.
Hong Kong Observatory
The root of the humour rests on suspicion of the Hong Kong Observatory's methodology. The Observatory is currently under the oversight of the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, and thus it is implied that the issuing of Hong Kong tropical cyclone warning signals is based on economic consideration rather than scientific reasoning. The humour contained within Li's Field also parodies the oligarchical nature of Hong Kong's economy and the disproportionate power its magnates wield over the city - Li-Ka Shing's company, Cheung Kong Holdings, owns significant portions of Hong Kong's land, telecommunications, department stores and electricity infrastructure.
Between the year 2004 and 2007, the Hong Kong Observatory had not issued a single No. 8 NW/SW/NE/SE Gale Or Storm Signal or above. Most controversially, the signal was not raised during the advent of Typhoon Prapiroon in 2006, whose effects were equal to or greater than most No.8 situations. This denied Hong Kong citizens the chance to take a day off from school or work. Humorous speculation thus arose that these unusual circumstances were the work of Li Ka-shing, who sought to maximize productivity from his workers and prop up the Hang Seng Index. The subsequent proliferation of media - retouched songs, pictures and even games - has cemented Li's Field as a core component of Hong Kong's subculture.
Since 2007, a number of typhoons have managed to prompt the raising of the No.8 Signal in Hong Kong. The humour surrounding Li's Field has thus changed from accusing it of preventing typhoons from approaching Hong Kong entirely, to either a) weakening the typhoon so that a No.8 Signal would only be briefly hoisted, b) slowing the typhoon down so that a No.8 Signal would only be hoisted at night or during the weekend, or c) allowing a typhoon to hit when it suits Li Ka-Shing's needs, such as to close down the Stock Exchange on a bad trading day.
Scientific reason
The scientific reason is that since 2000, there has been consistent high pressure in the atmosphere above the South China Sea, which prevents most typhoons from approaching Hong Kong.[1]
Cultural references
Li's force field has been mentioned in local cultural media, and has been the subject of many Internet memes.[2] For instance, in the 2013 television drama Triumph in the Skies II, Chilam Cheung's character Captain Cool brings up to Kenneth Ma's character that Hong Kong is protected by a force field.
The Lord's Prayer has also been parodied, with locals turning the prayer into one that satirizes Li's force field and Christianity at the same time.
| Chinese | English |
|---|---|
|
我們在中環的超人， |
Our Superman, Thou art in Central. |