Planking or ‘pok kai’ in Hong Kong

By Anita Anandarajah
July 17, 2011

JULY 17 — So it seems planking has caught on in Hong Kong. Making like a plank of wood, practitioners like to shock their audiences by remaining utterly stiff and horizontal in the most inappropriate places.

The Planking Hong Kong Facebook page has chalked up 156 likes, a long way off from Planking Australia which has received 175,271 likes where the craze has taken its strongest hold.

What is said to have originated in North East England in 1997 involves lying face down with arms by the side, touching the body. A photograph of the participant must then be posted on the Internet as part of the game.

The Cantonese expression for planking is “pok kai” (literally meaning “falling on the street”), commonly used as a curse — “may you drop dead.”

My favourite column in the weekly HK Magazine, Street Talk, featured one such planker (sounds rude, doesn’t it?) who takes great pride in stunning people by lying face down on a busy road in Central.

It came as no surprise that among the FAQs the planker receives are “Isn’t it dirty to plank on the floor?” and “Are you really touching your face to the ground?” This is after all germaphobia central. It surprises me that none of the photos posted on the Planking — Hong Kong Facebook page features any face masks. But I’d be willing to bet there will be a bottle of alcohol gel or wet wipes tucked in the bag.

While most of us may be quick to judge the game as a waste of time, allow me to highlight some of the skill required: Daring — it takes a pretty thick hide to throw yourself to the ground and lay still in a busy place. There is the risk of being trampled, robbed or insulted. I prefer my behind to be shoe-print-free. Abs of steel – there was the guy who planked atop a street light. I haven’t been able to find my abdominal muscles in over 10 years. Ok, maybe more. Could not perform sit-ups even in primary school. The ability to ignore the smaller details — when lying face down for a period of time, one tends to notice things we would otherwise prefer to ignore. Like the smell of pee emanating from the wall nearby or the cockroach creeping closer. Agility — plankers have been known to scale lamp posts, police vans and roof tops. All those muscles working together just to stay still. And then the same muscles would likely have to work very quickly again when the authorities close in.

For the reasons above, I dare say planking could be a sport even. This is definitely one game/sport I’d like to play with my son on a lazy afternoon. For five minutes. Except that I’ll do it on my back. No photography necessary.

Now where in this uber-busy city would be a good spot to plank? The busier the better, right? So the Tsim Sha Tsui Star Ferry Pier, Times Square and in front of the Sogo department store in Causeway Bay, Mongkok and Yau Ma Tei. All are places I avoid on weekends.

While searching for information on the “sport” in Hong Kong, I noticed there really isn’t much out there, not in English anyway. The Planking — Hong Kong FB page caught my interest because of the photographs posted — several featured familiar sights around the city, including a grainy image of a male planking on top of a stationary 103 mini bus to Clearwater Bay. That one is a keeper.

Planking has garnered its share of negative publicity for dangerous stunts. Tragically, a 20-year-old Australian man plunged seven floors to his death in May while planking on a balcony. As a result, planking sites now feature reminders to be safe. With residential apartment blocks towering at 40-plus storeys, planking could become a dangerous past-time here.

Planking is not necessarily a solo “sport.” Since attention-seeking is the name of the game, it makes sense that group planking is catching on. One of the more interesting group plank locations took place at sky100, the highest observation deck in Hong Kong on the 100th floor of the International Commerce Centre or 393m above sea level.

Planking has done its part to spread social messages. A pair of Taiwanese females who call themselves Pu Jie (Falling on the street) Girls have used planking to promote causes that have included planking with stray dogs to draw attention to the plight of the animals as well as promoting tourism in Taiwan.

The game has taken on political tones too with Malaysia’s own Bakri MP Er Teck Hwa lying horizontal on top of a red plastic stool in front of the TNB office in Muar to protest the hike in electricity tariffs back in June.

Readers condemned him for his method of protest but I give him props for a safe and peaceful protest, not to mention being bang on trend. What next? Planking for Bersih 3.0?

Check out Papan Malaysia, Planking Malaysia (Official Unites) and Planking Extreme Malaysia on Facebook to view photos of both young and old planking to promote tourism (five foot way in front of Pertama Complex, trishaw in Malacca, Temerloh highway). Yes, there are some dodgy takes that give new meaning to sleeping on the job but generally all seem to be in good fun. Most importantly, Papan Malaysia reminds to keep it safe. Selamat papan (memapan)! plank