# 在地重量：从《城视报》看见槟城 Seeing Penang Through "Penang City Eye" | 张丽珠 Chong Lee Choo | TEDxPetalingStreet

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sp9eiDzKpIo
Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/sp9eiDzKpIo
Generated: 2026-01-29T17:03:20.026+00:00

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## Quick Overview

Chong Lee Choo, the creator of the local magazine "Penang City Eye" (城视报), emphasizes the importance of deeply engaging with local history, culture, and community narratives, which has sustained the publication for 11 years and 49 issues, fostering a strong connection between residents and their city through various activities like street poetry and historical tours.

**Key Points:**
- The local magazine "Penang City Eye" (城视报) has been published for 11 years, reaching 49 issues, focusing on documenting Penang's local stories and heritage.
- The speaker initiated efforts to record community history and culture, including street poetry and documenting historical sites like the former asylum in Bukit Elok (木蔻山).
- The magazine's primary mission is to connect people with their city and its heritage, exemplified by activities like guiding tours through the Indian temple area and historical sites.
- Einstein's 1923 visit to Penang is highlighted as a historical touchpoint, showing the city's long history of engagement with global figures.
- The project aims to cultivate a sense of belonging and encourage residents to see and appreciate their city's value, which is contrasted with the rapid pace of modern media.
- The team organizes various activities, including documenting local crafts like signage (招牌) and conducting tours of historical sites like Bukit Elok (木蔻山) and former institutions.
- The magazine's success is attributed to its focus on people and authentic local narratives, leading to international recognition through exhibitions in China.

![Screenshot at 00:22: The speaker, Chong Lee Choo, stands on stage presenting the title slide for her talk, which features an aerial view of Penang's coastal city skyline and the TEDxPetalingStreet logo.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/sp9eiDzKpIo/00-00-22.jpg)

**Context:** Chong Lee Choo, speaking at TEDxPetalingStreet, discusses her decade-long commitment to creating and sustaining "Penang City Eye" (城视报), a local history and culture magazine dedicated to capturing the essence of Penang. The presentation details the evolution of the magazine, the challenges of slow journalism in a fast-paced world, and the various community engagement projects undertaken to connect residents with their local heritage, such as documenting old signage and organizing historical walks.

## Detailed Analysis

Chong Lee Choo introduces her project, the local magazine "Penang City Eye" (城视报), which has been running for 11 years and produced 49 issues. She argues that the magazine's longevity stems from its focus on people and authentic local stories, contrasting this slow journalism with the speed of modern media. She recounts early efforts, starting in 2014, to document community memories, including street poetry written on shop shutters and documenting historical sites, driven by the fear that local stories and heritage were disappearing due to commercial development. One key anecdote involves visiting the former asylum site on Bukit Elok (木蔻山), where residents felt a deep connection to the place despite its perceived negative history (Feng Shui concerns), viewing the staircases as symbolizing upward mobility. The magazine also explores historical connections, such as Albert Einstein’s 1923 visit to Penang, using old postcards to compare the past with the present. The team actively engages the community through guided tours of diverse cultural sites, including Indian temples and clan association halls, teaching readers to "read the common script" (看民俗神明). This commitment to local documentation has led to international recognition, including exhibitions of the magazine's work in China. The ultimate message is that "The city you live in deserves to be seen well" (你居住的城市值得被好好看见), emphasizing the value of local identity and history.

### Introduction & Longevity

- The speaker introduces "Penang City Eye" (城视报), which is 11 years old and has 49 issues
- The core mission is to document local stories and heritage
- The challenge is sustaining slow journalism against fast media trends.

### Documenting Local Stories (Street Poetry & History)

- Early work involved recording street poetry on shutters, like a poignant message found on corrugated iron
- Documenting historical figures like Albert Einstein's 1923 visit to Penang using old postcards to compare past and present.

### Community Engagement & Tours

- The team conducts tours focusing on diverse local heritage, including the Bukit Elok (木蔻山) area, Indian temples, and clan association halls
- These tours aim to create active, walking archives of local culture.

### The Core Philosophy

- The speaker asserts the goal is to help people build a relationship with their city and realize that the community's stories and history are accessible to everyone, not just journalists or academics.

### Recognition and Impact

- The commitment to local documentation led to invitations for exhibitions in mainland China (e.g., "May Cultural Creation" local magazine tour), proving the relevance of hyperlocal content.

![Screenshot at 00:03: The opening title slide for TEDxPetalingStreet event, displaying event details and abstract glitch art.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/sp9eiDzKpIo/00-00-03.jpg)
![Screenshot at 00:18: Chong Lee Choo is introduced with her name displayed in English and Chinese against a vibrant, abstract, glitch-art background.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/sp9eiDzKpIo/00-00-18.jpg)
![Screenshot at 00:22: The speaker stands on stage beneath a large screen displaying an aerial view of Penang, titled "在地重量 從《城視報》看見檳城" \(The Weight of Locality: Seeing Penang Through 'Penang City Eye'\).](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/sp9eiDzKpIo/00-00-22.jpg)
![Screenshot at 00:30: A slide highlighting the magazine's longevity: 11 years and 49 issues, illustrated with covers of past editions.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/sp9eiDzKpIo/00-00-30.jpg)
![Screenshot at 00:39: The speaker addresses the audience while the screen displays images related to street poetry, emphasizing documenting forgotten stories.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/sp9eiDzKpIo/00-00-39.jpg)