Theeng & Shing Comic

We had a random conversation about our living experiences in Hong Kong one evening, and we couldn’t stop laughing. These stories were about our social encounters with people of different ethnic backgrounds in Hong Kong, from misunderstanding and communication to mutual understanding. We thought these stories were worth knowing and thus came up with the idea to use a funny way to present these stories, that is, drawing comic strips. We believe these stories can convey the message of ethnic integration to society.

Since the stories are about cross-cultural encounters, we need two characters from different ethnic backgrounds. We suggest Theeng and Shing. Theeng is a common name in Nepal, whereas Shing is a common name among the Chinese in Hong Kong. And here is the storyline: Theeng was new to Hong Kong and had no friends. Fortunately, he met Shing, who has become his first friend. They always hung out and discussed everything surrounding them. From the discussions, they realized they had taken many things for granted; they gradually opened their minds and started to experience many exciting adventures! What are these adventures? Find them in the comics!

We drew up our first story in June 2020. In the same year, we joined a social innovation program, Make A Difference (MaD), and the judging panel selected our project! It is an essential recognition for Theeng and Shing. It lets us know that Theeng and Shing’s intercultural friendship is not trivial but has some important social and cultural implications. We thus hope that more people can become like Theeng and Shing — breaking cultural stereotypes and building genuine friendship across ethnic boundaries.