Prologue

The route to the piers north of the Central MTR station is no picnic. Exhausted commuters trudge to and from work, exhilarated tourists brag at the top of their lungs, buskers and hawkers are constantly at each other’s throats, vehicles honk their horns. You must hold your breath and elbow your way through before your nerves can finally begin to be eased by the sight of the sea lying next to the piers to the outlying islands. Above one of the two entrances to Pier 6 are the words, “Peng Chau”, and it is from here that you can catch the roughly 40 minute ferry-ride to this small island of just 5,300 residents.

“What’s there?” is a question I am often asked since moving to Peng Chau. Discussions about the sounds of Peng Chau consistently lead to one question: “Is Peng Chau very quiet?” Compared to the hustle and bustle of the city, Peng Chau may certainly be too quiet to be heard, but its silence is far from soundless.

I have talked to a number of people who have stayed (or remain) there, whose experience of the sounds at different spots on the island can help delineate an aural map of Peng Chau.

引言

由中環地鐵站一帶向北行，沈住氣避過上班下班休班的途人，因為興奮而高談闊論的遊客，鬥大聲的表演者和擺賣，用響安動輒發惡的汽車，終於看見令人稍為心靜的海，看見往離島的各個碼頭。六號碼頭的其中半個頂頭寫着「坪洲」，由這裏坐最多四十分鐘船，便到達這人口五千三百人的小島。

「坪洲有啲咩睇㗎？」搬入坪洲後，常遇到這種問題。至於關乎坪洲和聲音的提問，是千篇一律的「咪好靜囉坪洲」。相比市區的嘈雜喧鬧，坪洲可能是靜到近乎冇聲，但實情當然不是一個「靜」字了得。

我和在島上各處長居短住的人閒聊，談談大家對小島聲音的觀察體會，勾勒在坪洲聆聽的種種。

:: Tuning Silences — Listening to Peng Chau 怎個靜字了得 — 耳聽坪洲 ::
> Prologue 引言
1. Low Volume Ear Cleansing 清耳仔的底聲
2. Noises in Serenity 靜中帶嘈
3. The Songs of Birds and Bamboo 鳥風竹浪
4. Festivals and Ritual Ceremonies 慶典祭祀
5. Ferries Coming & Going 船來船往
< Conclusion 結語