In Pictures: Hong Kong book lovers bid farewell to independent store Mount Zero

Hundreds of book lovers gathered in a quiet alleyway over the weekend to bid farewell to Hong Kong independent bookstore Mount Zero.

The two-storey store, at the upper end of the sloping Tai Ping Shan Street in Sheung Wan, was packed with readers and writers who had formed a community over the past six years.

“The people that came here found a kindred spirit,” writer and former lawmaker Margaret Ng said. Ng, like everybody interviewed by HKFP on Sunday, spoke in Cantonese.

Speaking next to a crowd that occupied the area outside the store, where Mount Zero had hosted events such as book talks and mini concerts, Ng said the bookstore was a place where readers could exchange ideas freely.

“We read not in a solemn manner, but with an enjoyable attitude, and we don’t just read specific genres of books,” she said. “We see reading as part of living.”

“The whole environment was comfortable and open. People in the neighbourhood could freely walk into [the events],” said Allan Au, a journalist-turned-teacher at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

“[The city] has seen too many farewells, with great things inevitably coming to an end,” Au, who had hosted Mount Zero’s sharing sessions before, added.

Mount Zero announced its decision to close in December last year, citing a string of inspections by authorities following anonymous complaints. Over the past few months, people have found ways to pay tribute to the bookstore.

A message left in a notebook placed inside the store read: “Books always make life more vibrant! Thank you.”

Mount Zero was founded in 2018, before a wave of new independent bookstores opened in the city after it was shaken by the 2019 protests and unrest and then hit by Covid-19.

See also: Amid exodus and societal shifts, Hong Kong’s independent bookstores offer freedom of thought, community

“People like to pop in, read and chat with my shop managers. Artists here, they say this place gives them comfort and a sense of belonging. That is what I want… we are a community store,” founder Sharon Chan told HKFP in 2022.

“Before Mount Zero, no one [in Hong Kong] imagined a bookstore where readers with different tastes could be fused together,” Ng said. “But Mount Zero showed that it’s not just possible, but that it’s the right thing to do. I believe this spirit will not cease.”

‘From words to prosperity’

Among the supporters in Mount Zero on Sunday was Tommy, a painter in his 20s who sat across the pedestrian lane to sketch the bookstore on its final day.

It was uncommon for an independent bookstore in Hong Kong to occupy a two-storey building connected to an outdoor area, said Tommy, who declined to give his last name.

“I instantly fell in love with this place when I visited the first time,” said Judy, a resident in the neighbourhood who said she had been a frequent visitor since 2019. “Back then there was still a canopy, and the beautiful tiled pavement.”

The pavement Judy mentioned was removed last September after authorities accused Mount Zero of illegally occupying government land, threatening fines and imprisonment.

Despite complying with the request, the bookstore said it still received weekly inspections from various government departments following “a mysterious complainant.”

“It’s a mounting pressure,” Judy said of the inspections. “Perhaps this would draw a complaint already,” she said, pointing to the crowd gathered.

“To exaggerate a little, Redhill Peninsula is still doing fine, whereas a few bricks here [are targeted],” she added, referring to the luxury estate that after a record-breaking rainstorm last year was found to be the site of multiple suspected illegal structures. Authorities had said they would tighten inspections and enforcement at the estate.

Many supporters on Sunday carried a tote bag with a Chinese phrase that read: “From words to prosperity.” The saying is an apparent parody of “from stability to prosperity,” a phrase commonly used by the government after the Beijing-imposed national security law snuffed out the pro-democracy protests and unrest that began in 2019.

Judy said the bags, designed as a farewell souvenir for Mount Zero, were hand-printed by residents in the area. She added that it was a testimony to the community that grew from the bookstore.

‘Vitality of the city’

On Sunday, Mount Zero extended its store to Yuk Kin Fast Food, a nearby restaurant. Volunteers behind the counter said the restaurant owner had allowed them to use the space so that more books could be displayed.

The titles included those by veteran writers such as Ng and Au, as well as younger, less renowned writers.

“The unique aspect of Mount Zero is that, besides selling, it also publishes,” said Ng, adding that the bookstore had accepted young writers whose works could be considered “immature.”

“I think the vitality of a city requires new inputs, from one generation to another. The new works may not be mature enough, but they need an environment where people would appreciate and offer support.”

Sampson Wong, an emerging writer whose recent bestsellers had popularised “urban walking,” agreed with Ng, as he recalled one of his book launches with two fellow writers outside Mount Zero.

“We came to know each other’s readers. Afterwards, the participants hung out together,” he said. “It was rare to have a book launch event which ended up like a party.”

“I believe the existence of a good bookshop could motivate writers, because they know there is a place where they can connect to readers,” he added.

‘Given me hope’

The supporters lingered outside Mount Zero in its final hours despite a drizzle, with people beginning to share bottles of wine and pass around barbecue pork as night fell.

Throughout Sunday afternoon, celebrities such as pro-democracy singer Anthony Wong, lyricist Chow Yiu-fai, and Senior Counsel Paul Shieh were seen among the crowd.

Shortly before 7 pm, the lights in the bookshop dimmed and people applauded – both outside and inside the store.

“The atmosphere was not too sad, perhaps it was more about celebrating the fact that we once had a bookshop as good as this,” Wong said, holding a glass.

But a sense of grief could be felt as people appeared reluctant to leave the area surrounding the shop.

“Mount Zero has given me strength since the social movement,” said Judy, whose son left the city due to what she described as a “depressive era.”

“From where I live, I could see the lights of Mount Zero in the distance, and that had given me hope… I know I wasn’t alone,” she continued.

“From now on I would keep the lights on in my heart.”

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