"Aieeyaa"

Dennis T. Su

Enjoyed Tony's  Chinese article inspired by Bob Chan's daughter Barbara. Now that I have a little time, would like to add some research info for Barb. If she is not on the Lighters net, please forward to her. Bobby, are you reading this ?

From an earlier Hong Kong trip, before the 1997, I came across a comic book in one the the book store adjacent to the Star Ferry, both HK Central and the TST one. The title that caught my eye and later purchased it is "AIEEYAA!" Its done by a foreign devil who married to a HK girl long time ago and who is very HK-nized. The content is a series of cartoons using a Cantonese term to illustrate a funny situation. The cartoon on the cover that goes under the title depicted three characters. Each one exclaiming this all-purpose term. The first character is a Suzie Wong look-alike bending over to find a run in her silk stocking, behind her is the author with tongue hanging out and hands out stretched toward the girl, then behind him is his big wife pulling him back by his shirt. Yes, that Aieeyaa is gold. In fact, the book ring a bell (touch a chord) in most middle age HongKongeses and the author had a second one out.

The subtitle of the book is "A hilarious look at the joys and pitfalls of life in Hon Kong."
For those who like to do research, here is the publishing info. By Larry Feign 1986 by Hong Kong Standard and later by "Hambalan Press" another favorite authentic Cantonese term, and is available thru www.asianonline.net.hk/lilywong/books.htm (credit to my daughter who found this site since the book impressed her so much when she was still a jokesing in high school way before internet)

Just to wet your appetite and see how it can be loved even a jokesing, here are a couple of the pages:

"CHING GIT" (adj.) Clean; " Everybody loves a clean Hong Kong." we're told ... though they never mention Kowloon or the Harbour, since that would be asking too much ! The cartoon shows a passenger in a ferry threw fastfood wrappings on the deck where the attendent swept them up and the last frame shows he simply dump them overboard.

"DIM SUM" (n.) "A little bit of heart".. of liver or intestine or gall bladder, or what ever else can be rolled up and steamed or fried. The cartoon shows Dr. Frankenstine working on the monster and his assistant came in with a box of "Wong Fat Take Out Dim Sum" . The good doctor exclaimed " Aieeyah! When I said I need brains, intestines, heart and lips, THAT wasn't what I meant !"

Hope you guys can order a copy and laugh your heart out. (or brain but not intestines please) ha ha.