If there is one road that has left an indelible mark on a person's soul, for Irfan Karabulut, it is the Silk Road.
Born in Turkey, Irfan carries a name steeped in meaning. "Irfan" means "wisdom" in Turkish, while "Karabulut" belongs to a family that has farmed the land for more than two centuries. His hometown, Cappadocia, was once a vital stopover for caravans travelling the ancient Silk Road before reaching Istanbul.
By the age of seven, he had already heard stories of the Tianshan Mountains from his mother. In primary school, he knew how many caravanserais dotted the Silk Road and the dynasties that shaped its history.
"The history of the Silk Road is written into my DNA," he says.
"It taught me to respect people who are different from me. It taught me that we were never meant to be divided, and that understanding cultural diversity is essential."
Then, with a smile, he adds:
"If I weren't Turkish, I think I'd probably be Chinese. The history of the Silk Road has become part of who I am."
Even his cousin bears the name Ipek—the Turkish word for silk.
For someone whose veins seem to carry the memory of this ancient trade route, arriving in Hong Kong about eight years ago was anything but love at first sight.
"Everywhere I looked, there were dense clusters of buildings. It felt like the Stone Age—nothing but concrete and steel," he recalls.
Having grown up in a home with seven to ten rooms, Hong Kong's compact apartments came as a shock.
"You could almost touch both walls by stretching out your arms."
Yet even then, a friend told him:
"Don't come to Hong Kong. If you do, you'll never leave."
He laughed it off at the time.
Later, he realized how true those words were.
Business was never part of Irfan's life plan.
He studied psychology and became a licensed psychologist before travelling across Africa, Asia and Russia as a volunteer. Along the way, he also worked as a journalist and served as a volunteer peace ambassador.
"I had absolutely nothing to do with business," he says.
Everything changed when his mother became seriously ill.
"She asked me to come home. I made a promise to my mother, so I took over our family farm."
The farm, he says, is even larger than the entire territory of Hong Kong.
About eight years ago, he brought the family's organic products to Hong Kong, including olive oil, dried fruits and honey produced on their farm in Turkey. Over time, his business expanded into cultural exchange and finance, with products re-exported from Hong Kong to the Philippines, Taiwan, Japan and the Chinese Mainland.
"Hong Kong's logistics, tax system and banking services are simply outstanding," he says.
But practicality is only part of the reason he chose the city.
The deeper reason goes back to the stories he grew up with.
"Historically, Hong Kong was an important port along the Maritime Silk Road. And to me, the centre of the modern Silk Road is right here."
As he settled into life in Hong Kong, his first impression gradually faded.
"At first glance, Hong Kong doesn't seem very welcoming," he says.
"But once you step inside, everything is wonderful."
With him, he also brought one of Cappadocia's oldest traditions—the spirit of the Silk Road caravanserai.
"Back home, there are many caravanserais where merchants travelling the Silk Road could rest and eat without paying."
"My great-grandfather always told us to take care of travellers who had come from afar. Whenever caravans passed by our farm, we invited them to stop, sit down and pick fresh fruit."
That centuries-old tradition has taken on a new form in Hong Kong.
Every two weeks, Irfan hosts a breakfast gathering.
He believes mornings are when people need encouragement the most.
Turkish breakfast is often described as one of the world's most lavish morning meals, but for Irfan, the food itself is only part of the experience.
"In such a fast-paced city, people need time to slow down, share memories and reflect."
He calls these gatherings "the modern version of a Silk Road caravanserai."
The Silk Road story is now being passed on to the next generation.
His daughter, Selma, was born in Hong Kong and attends a Chinese-language school. Her Cantonese is far better than her father's.
She orders egg waffles in fluent Cantonese, teaches him everyday phrases like "ce" ("car") and "ngo zung ji hoeng gong" ("I like Hong Kong"), and even teases him for speaking both Cantonese and English with an accent.
Asked to describe life in Hong Kong in just one word, she answers without hesitation:
"Happy."
Just as his mother once shared stories of the Silk Road with him, Irfan now tells the same stories to his daughter.
He once spent nine days in Xi'an, where what impressed him was not only the city's modern development but also its rich cultural heritage.
"I'm Muslim, and I saw vibrant Muslim communities and Islamic culture there. The Chinese government has provided them with considerable support. That showed me China is a country that focuses on getting things done."
To him, Xi'an preserves the authentic spirit of the Silk Road.
"Thousands of years ago, China built the Silk Road," he says.
"Today, its centre is Hong Kong."
After eight years, Irfan has become a permanent resident of Hong Kong.
"I keep telling myself I love Hong Kong enough already—that I shouldn't love it any more," he says with a laugh.
"Because if I do, I'll never be able to leave. This is my second home now."
He believes Hong Kong has also taught him a philosophy for life.
"If you set the bar too high, you'll only drive people away. Keep things simple. Stay organized. Respect the rules. That's Hong Kong's wisdom."
To Irfan, the city is not separate from the Silk Road that has shaped his life.
Back in Cappadocia, caravanserais opened their doors to merchants from distant lands.
Today, in Hong Kong, he carries on the same tradition—offering breakfast, coffee and heartfelt hospitality to people from around the world, always with an empty seat waiting at the table.
His next breakfast gathering is just around the corner.
(Reporter: Zoey SUN; Camerapeople: Felicia LI, Jack WANG & Kiki; Editor: Felicia LI & Zoey SUN; English Editor: Zoey SUN)
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