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Appendix 1
Units of Measurement
Metric, British Imperial and Chinese units are all in use in Hong Kong. The Metrication Ordinance was enacted on July 8, 1976. This ordinance provides for the replacement in enactments of non-metric units by metric units.
The Chinese units in the table below are those which have statutory equivalents in Hong Kong. In China, the standard size of the chek (Chinese foot) increased through the three millennia from the Chou period, and in practice the size also varied according to locality and the trade in which the unit was used. In Hong Kong the variation with usage still persists but the tabulated values are based on the statutory equivalent for the chek of 14 inches.
=
In the past, the values used in China for the units of mass have varied according to locality. The tabulated values are those in general use in Hong Kong and are in accord with the present statutory equivalent for the leung (tael) of 14 ounce.
Chinese Units
Length
10 fan
10 tsün
Mass
10 fan (candareen)
10 tsin
16 leung
100 kan
Metric equivalents
= 1 tsün (Chinese inch)
37.147 5 mm
=
1 chek (Chinese foot)
0.371 475 m
1 tsin (mace)
1 leung (tael)
1 kan (catty)
1 tam (picul)
=
3.779 94 g
37.799 4 g
0.604 790 kg
60.479 0 kg
The conversion factors are printed in bold type when they are expressed exactly. Not more than six significant figures are used.