The shop making traditional flower plaque backdrops for Hong Kong celebrations for 66 years

Fa paai or flower plaques have traditionally been used at weddings, birthdays, festivals and other celebrations such as store openings. Most common in rural areas of Hong Kong, the colourful boards decorated with artificial flowers can be several metres wide and high, and are often hand-painted with dragons and phoenixes. Lee Yim Kee Flower Shop has been making flower plaques since 1954. Located in northwestern Hong Kong’s Yuen Long district in the Yuen Long Kau Hui or Yuen Long “old market”, it is one of the city’s few remaining establishments of its kind. It was founded by Lee Yim, who was originally trained to be a chef. His daughter, Lee Chui-lan, started working in the shop after she graduated from primary school and since she grew up she ran the business for decades. When she retired in 2014, she sold the shop to Nai Tsun-lam, who had worked building scaffolding for the company.