Background
To generations of people in Hong Kong, roasted chestnuts are associated with the coming of winter. In recent years, the government made the decision to no longer give out new licences to new hawkers, old licence holders are legally not allowed to transfer it either. In several decades, when none of the old hawkers’ descendants would take up the job, this distinct sound of parching will be completely extinct in Hong Kong. As early as 11th Century BC, this street food has already been recorded in the Records of the Grand Historian. Despite having a long history, the Hong Kong government has made no effort in preserving the tradition. According to the intangible cultural heritage listed by the Hong Kong Government, roasted chestnuts is not a part of the list, even though there are several food related heritage items, such as Hong Kong Style Milk Tea Making Technique.

Objectives
According to Schafer, there is a romance that builds up around the “disappearing”. This field recording is an attempt to conserve the familiar sound of a disappearing cultural heritage, also as a documentation of the urban soundscape woven within. Assuming the situation will not improve in the future, may this be an acoustic memory that evokes nostalgia.

Recording
The recording is focused on the two brothers managing the stall, with rhythmic shovelling of the black sand and its surroundings. The stall is located in arguably the busiest part of Mong Kok, which is in front of the E2 MTR exit right next to the zebra crossing. The first part before the video comes in has more of the surrounding sounds. As a prologue, you can hear the stall in the front, the iconic sound of the traffic light on the right and people coming in from mostly the left. Then, to focus more on the chestnuts, I switched from recording the H3 to the gun mic. The metalic sound of shovelling dominates the soundscape, yet the sounds
of the traffic lights, the fire from the stove, as well as people walking and talking are not to be overlooked.