2003: Goodbye Anita, Goodbye Leslie, Hello SARS.

Hong Kong

Until today 2003 was to be remembered as the year where we lost one of the most groundbreaking artists in the Hong Kong's Entertainment Industry, along with a few hundred normal everyday people to a strange, unknown disease called SARS.

Starting today, we will remember it as the year where we lost both of our most beloved stars, along with the possible beginning of the second outbreak. On the news four minutes ago said that the suspected case is now confirmed. China has a new case of SARs.

Today this city is mourning, again.

I wrote an article called, "Hong Kong April 1st 2003: Goodbye Air, Innocence and Leslie." In response to the rumours of our borders closing, the Iraqi-American War, evacuations to isolation camps and the suicide of Leslie Cheung all within 12 hours of each other.

"I cannot even begin to say who Leslie is to those who don't know. I tried one night. I tried and tried and still fell short. It was incomprehensible to someone who didn't grow up in the Chinese World. Leslie, there was only one. And that's that.

I guess, if he didn't exist in your mind, like the days when air was safe. Then you will never know it. "

And there is only one Anita

Even if the two ruled our hearts for 20 years as "Gorgor" (Big Brother) "Mui Gei" (Little-Big Sister) neither of them ever got their due internationally.

Which was the reason I embarked on Goodbye Leslie in the first place. Just so there was a place for the world to see how loved he was, in the English language and also using what happened that week as a starting point to capture the hysteria, horror and fear of what living under SARS was like.

And today, just like in April, we are living to newsbites of SARS and the death of Hong Kong’s most beloved.

It’s a sad day. It’s been a sad year.

Anita Mui Attending Leslie Cheng’s funeral.

Goodbye Anita Mui

Anita Mui in Concert: The Evening Hour of our Diva

Farewell My Idol: Anita Mui

Two Greats Together Again

Anita Mui's First Concert 1986 Photos: Personal Collection

Comments

[Hailey Xie]

Although I never saw her live concerts, didn't listen to her that much, didn't see her acting that much, I felt blank when I learned the news. For a second I was trying to escape from the news and trying not to believe it was true. But, the fact was there and suddenly news were everywhere on the internet. She was a star who even influenced the people in my mom's age...

[Alex M]

Thank you, Yan. I really thank you for your article re Anita and the pertaining news in English.

Your journalistic perception embedded with personal viewpoint has always won my respect and sympathy. Something went so wrong this year in the whole world and so is in HK especially. Hard to believe thing like this really happened.

We've got only one more day till 2004, yet another HK diva had to go just like that...

Is this all part of the grand scheme or what. This is so wrong and so bad. Leslie, are you still hearing our voices?

Will you pls guide her to the tranquil place so that she won't get lost on the way? She'd probably be most delighted to see your loving face over there. So many tears are shed by so many people this year, and what a way to end 2003... I just hope something far better comes out of the new year for everybody. Gals! Be strong, be good and be sweet to yourselves, and have a better 2004.

P.S. Yan, thks bunch for your response.

[Yan]

Alex M. You know this morning I woke up to an email from you saying, "I read on your site that Anita had died. I want to know your thoughts on this as the webmaster of goodbye leslie."

And I thought, "What? Me? Now?"

What a challenge. I think I did okay.

But trust me, if you didn't ask. I wouldn't have gotten on it so fast if at all. Not the way I have had that not been my first thought of today.

I forgotten how somehow by accident I became that voice and center of the madness last time.

Considering the insane click throughs to goodbye leslie in the last 24 hours, I assume you weren't the only one who decided I should or at least expected me make some cultural statement on this event.

I forgot to post that goodbye leslie was printed out and posted in the Lobby of the Leslie Cheung Film festival in LA. I should at least put that on the site huh?

How totally amazing that I learnt it through you from Tokyo, who learnt it of Nadia from Italy, who posted two sentences and there I was in the middle of HK, having no clue.

Right. I did my best. My scanner isn't working which is a good thing.

Yan

[Emma]

It was sad to review about Leslie's death early this year...Again, the hong Kong entertaintment industry lost another stars-Anita Mui...It's quite strange that Anita was Leslie's best friend..It seems that she really missed Leslie very much,so that he followed him..May they met together in the hereafter..Good bye,Miu gei..May ypu rest in peace..

[hazz]

its sad to see anita mui gone and we have lost the great diva and irreplaceable..
earlier on this year we lost leslie and now its only a day before new year we mourn another sadness in life...
theres no other word to say more to leslie and anita except rest in peace to both of you..

[Liam Crawford]

I lived in Hong Kong from 1988 - 1999 and I gre accustomed to listening to Anita Mui's music in th local bars over there. Finally ( I cannot remember the year) I went to see Anita in Concert with an old Chinese freind of mine. Although I did not understand a word she sang or said, but the concert was truly outstanding. A a musician I fully appreciated her talend not only as Singer but also for her entertainment and Charm. I only just found out a few days ago from a freind online that She had died. I was shocked and did not believe it at first until now when I thaught of searching the web to be sure. On my part I only hope I can find some of her music I encountered in hong kong over here in UK. I know thast her death is a tragic loss to Hong Kong bot he to the people and the Music Industry. My thaughts and prayers go out to all her family, freinds and the People of Hong Kong. Liam L Crawford. 7th May 2004