The CAAHK Lighting and Scenic Department (shortly known as the Scenic Workers’ Union) formerly belonged to the Guangdong Mechanical Workers’ Union (3rd Special District Branch) under the Scenic and Lighting Workers’ Union. The Mechanical Workers' Union includes industries such as automobiles, river vessels, and electrical and mechanical work. Due to its wide scope and a large number of members who have developed strong bonding with each other, the group possessed a certain binding force and influence. Due to the gradual advancement of technology in the early days of the Republic of China, Cantonese opera performances changed from using large lamp poles to generators and electric lighting. Hence, Cantonese opera was linked to the machinery industry. According to Mr. Lee Chu, the current Chairman of the Scenic Workers’ Union, and Mr. Tsui Kuen, a senior representative of the industry, the Mechanical Workers' Union at the time would exert strong power in protecting the rights and interests of its members, especially in terms of wage and equality. Whenever the workers participate in the performance, they must report to the local Mechanical Workers' Union and show a Divisional Work Permit before they could perform on the stage. Otherwise, the Mechanical Workers' Union could exercise its right to stop the workers from work. Before the liberation, all Cantonese opera troupes must register with the Machinery Workers' Union and send workers to work in Hong Kong before they could stage their performances in Hong Kong. As the Machinery Workers' Union in Guangzhou was dissolved after the liberation, members who stayed in Hong Kong could only register with the Hong Kong Machinery Workers' Union in order to continue working in theatrical troupes. In October 1965, Mr. Mak Bing-wing, the then Chairman of the CAAHK, discussed with Mr. Ho Dou-hung and Mr. Yip Chung, representatives of the Scenic Workers' Union, and invited workers of the industry to join the CAAHK as members of the Cantonese opera community. Ho and Yip, together with Choi Sin-kok, Choi Kei, Chui Kuen, etc., were responsible for leading the workers in the Scenic Department. At the same time, the Lighting and Scenic Department of the CAAHK was formally established. As a veteran technician, Mr. Ho Dou-hung started everything from scratch. With decades of hard work, the Lighting and Scenic Department is finally running smoothly. Around 20 years ago, he rented the present self-owned club-house as the gathering place for members, with income mainly from collecting monthly membership fees, welfare fees paid by members who deliver classes, and mahjong recreational fees. However, the Department still relies on subsidies from enthusiastic directors when the reserve is insufficient to cover annual expenditures (for events such as welfare for lunar year end, paper offerings, general expenses, etc.). The Scenic Workers' Union was officially registered as the Hong Kong Theatre Lighting and Scenic Artists Association Limited in 1990. In the same year, the directors raised funds to purchase the existing club-house in order to carry on with the work of members' liaison and further development. In facing the succession problem due to ageing of members and a decreasing number of new joiners in the industry, all three veteran technicians were not optimistic. While the problems in the past were mainly operation-related and the concerns over young practitioners developing bad habits, the workload was sufficient for practitioners to make a living. Today, however, the low income nature of the industry has failed to attract young people, which results in a lack of inheritors to carry on with traditional crafts. In the midst of such helpless situation, the old master can only go with the flow indifferently.