Michael Chugani 褚简宁 - a shadow of its former self｜又中又英

When I was a primary school student living in Tsim Sha Tsui, I took the Star Ferry to school on Hong Kong side. All the ferries had names, such as Meridian Star and Celestial Star. My school friends and I remembered all the names. We tried to guess which one would arrive to take us across the harbour. The Star Ferry is a Hong Kong icon. Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, who was development secretary in 2007, turned my stomach when she pushed for the Hong Kong side Star Ferry Pier to be demolished to make way for a highway. She was also responsible for the demolition of Queen’s Pier, another Hong Kong icon.

The Star Ferry and Queen’s Pier were part of my growing up. Before I left Hong Kong a year and a half ago to return to the US, I rode the Star Ferry’s upper and lower decks numerous times to recapture my youth. The Star Ferry is now a shadow of its former self. It is unprofitable because tourists are not visiting Hong Kong and locals prefer the MTR. It wants government permission to increase fares. A Hong Kong icon would die if the Star Ferry decided to shut down. If something turns your stomach it means you feel angry or sick about something.

To recapture your youth means to try to remember or bring back your younger days. A shadow of your former self means you are less important or powerful than before. There are many ways to make the Star Ferry profitable and important like before. People who read my columns are smart with ideas. Please share them. Don’t let the Star Ferry die.
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当我还是小学生，住在尖沙嘴之时，我会乘搭天星小轮到港岛的学校上学。所有小轮都有名字，例如「午星」和「天星」。我和我的同窗朋友们会记得所有的名字，我们会尝试猜猜是哪一艘抵岸接我们过海。天星小轮是香港的标志。二〇〇七年林郑月娥为时任发展局局长，当她推动拆卸港岛的天星码头以让路兴建高速公路时，实在令我反胃（turned my stomach）。而另一个香港的标志——皇后码头的拆卸，同样是由她负责的。

天星码头和皇后码头是我成长的一部份。当我在年半前离开香港回到美国时，我乘搭天星小轮上层和下层无数遍，去重温青春旧梦（recapture my youth）。天星小轮现时已大不如前（a shadow of its former self）。它并不赚钱，因为没有游客到港，而本地人都情愿搭港铁。它想获得政府批准加价。如果天星小轮决定结束营运，一个香港标志就会没落。若某事turns your stomach，即是指你对某事感到愤怒或反感。

To recapture your youth就是尝试去记起或唤起年轻日子的回忆。A shadow of your former self是指你已不复当年勇，没有从前般重要或具影响力。要令天星小轮像从前般赚钱和重要，有许多方法。读我这个专栏的读者们都是聪明而满有想法的，请分享你的点子，不要让天星小轮死去。[email protected]
中译：七刻
Michael Chugani 褚简宁