China News Agency, Hong Kong, August 19th: Interview with Shun Zhiming, Head of the Front Desk of the Hong Kong Observatory: Life changes like clouds, and sometimes you are at ease

　　China News Agency reporter Han Xingtong

　　After retiring from the post of director of the Hong Kong Observatory for more than two years, Shun Zhiming came to his leisure and wrote three books one after another. Recently, in an exclusive interview with a reporter from China News Agency, he also brought them and pointed to two of them: "This book is 'The Man Who Lost the Cloud', and the other is 'The Head of the Suction Wind'", jokingly summed up the aliases given to him by the Japanese media in the past.

　　The new work "Typhoon Decryption: You can also be a weather expert!"

" and the previous work "Watching Clouds, Knowing Sky and Appreciating Light and Shadow - Interesting Cloud and Atmospheric Optical Phenomenon", both have strong popular science functions.

Cen Zhiming has shouldered the responsibility of popular science, and continues to be active on social platforms to publish astronomical science knowledge and clarify false rumors about the typhoon forecast path.

　　Shun Zhiming was one of the first SAR government officials to open social accounts. At that time, there were internal disagreements about whether the Observatory should open an official account. "Then I will go ahead and do the work of clearing up doubts."

So he opened an account in his own name to interact directly with the public.

　　"The impact of a typhoon on Hong Kong can be very large." In Hong Kong, when the "typhoon" on the 8th or above is hoisted, the entire city will feel as if the pause button has been pressed. Most public transport services will be suspended, shopping malls and shops will be closed, classes will be suspended, and work will be suspended. .

Shun Zhiming remembered that before the arrival of a typhoon, the entire Hong Kong network was blocked because many people were confirming when the Observatory issued the "No. 8 typhoon" at the same time.

Based on this, Shun Zhiming firmly believes that the Observatory must respond to false rumors immediately to avoid causing public panic.

　　During his 9-year career as a director, Shun Zhiming issued "Typhoon Signal No. 10" 3 times, including "Vicente" (2012), "Hato" (2017), "Mangosteen" (2018) Year), became the director who issued the most "Typhoon Signal No. 10", hence the name "Suction Director".

　　The deepest impression is mangosteen, and Cen Zhiming still has lingering fears when he thinks about it.

"'Mangosteen' made landfall in the Philippines, weakening the wind. If it hits Hong Kong head-on, it may not be guaranteed that there will be no casualties." According to data from the Observatory, mangosteen injured at least 458 people in Hong Kong, and there were more than 60,000 reports of fallen trees. The number is the highest ever recorded.

　　A week before the "Mangosteen" attacked Hong Kong, Shun Zhiming had held a meeting with the relevant departments of the SAR government to make full preparations for disaster prevention.

During the "Mangosteen" attack on Hong Kong, the Observatory hung the "typhoon" above No. 8 for nearly 28 hours. Shun Zhiming did not sleep for nearly 50 hours, and kept staring at the typhoon path and other data.

　　When he said goodbye to the long journey of public servants, he returned to a "cloud-fascinated man" who was often attracted by Qiyun on the way to the mountains.

In the afternoon of the interview, the sun was wrapped in a sultry heat that could not be underestimated. Cen Zhiming's forehead soon gathered fine sweat, but it did not stop him from sharing with the reporter a "cat's eye" cloud that he photographed more than ten years ago.

　　"In just a few minutes, a narrow and long seemingly smooth cloud has turned into a traditional 'crisp twist' shape, and then gradually dissipated into nothingness." Cen Zhiming also realized life from watching the cloud.

　　In 2020, he originally planned to go to Geneva to take up the post of Director of the World Meteorological Organization's Service Department.

Before that, he also had two opportunities to spend overseas, which he gave up due to subjective choices or objective factors.

Looking back, do you regret it?

After Cen Zhiming listened, he shook his head with a slight smile: "Let's be at ease, life is like a cloud, changing every moment, but we may not look up and pay attention. From another angle, it can be said that there are no two clouds. identical."

　　In the profile column of his personal social account that he has used for many years, there is a simple line of words: go where the water is poor, sit and watch the clouds rise.

Cen Zhiming is like this, with the peaceful and resilient part of his personality, he accepts and dissolves adversity, and lives a happy and fulfilling life.

Currently, he is studying for a master's program in the Department of History at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. In his spare time, he is invited to attend lectures, write books, and discover a new hobby - drawing and painting.

Recently, he is quite proud that he painted a cat for the poems of the famous Hong Kong writer Xixi, leaning on a railing and looking at the stars.

(Finish)