Li Ping Sum

Biography

Li Ping-sum was born in 1944 in Hong Kong. He was the third of 10 children of an average family. His father worked for sea transportation and spent most of his time working at sea. He started his primary schooling in the age of 8. He had studied in South China Primary School and Alliance Primary School. He continued his studies in Bethel High School and Pui Sun English College. After completing secondary school, Li worked in the printing industry for two years and then changed to be a reporter. He had worked at Industrial and Commercial Daily Press and Hong Kong Economic Journal. In 1975, he joined the government and was responsible for handling breaking news and helping senior officials handle media enquiries. He retired in 2000. In the early days, he lived with his family in a tenement house in Nathan Road. In 1963, they moved to a mansion in Wai Ching Street. Li Ping-sum moved to Hong Kong Island in 1969. In the mid-1970s, he was back to Yau Ma Tei and lived in Austin Road until 1986. He spent his childhood in Yau Ma Tei. He was familiar with old buildings, streets, night markets, cinemas, transportation and historic buildings in this district.