RECREATION AND THE ARTS
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creamy-glazed Tzu-chou Mei-ping of the Northern Song (Sung) Dynasty; a gilt bronze figure of Amitayus of the Qing (Ch'ing) Dynasty; a Guangzhou (Canton) enamel plaque depicting a European subject in the 18th century; and an ivory snuff bottle of the Chien-lung period carved in the form of a goose.
Hong Kong Museum of History
In 1979, the permanent displays and special exhibitions organised by the Hong Kong Museum of History in its Star House galleries in Kowloon attracted 343,426 visitors. The Lei Cheng Uk Branch Museum and the Han Tomb had an additional 59,294 visitors.
The most popular exhibition, a display of Guangdong (Kwangtung), Hong Kong and Macau currency, was visited by a daily average of 1,560 people during its run from April to June. A special exhibition of traditional farming implements was the result of several years of ethnographic fieldwork in the rural areas of Hong Kong. Country parks and countryside conservation were the theme of another exhibition, presented jointly with the Agriculture and Fisheries Department.
During the Festival of Asian Arts, the museum co-operated with the Indian Government in staging an exhibition showing many Indian musical instruments and their historical development.
The museum's permanent display outlining local history was replaced by a new exhibi- tion on Hong Kong's earlier history. It was based on archaeological and ethnographic evidence and supported by reference to Chinese and European records and existing historical remains.
Important acquisitions during the year included two major numismatic collections com- prising a date set of 329 Hong Kong regal coins and 346 specimens of local paper money. Also of great interest were two traditional Chinese long-barrelled guns, or gingals, dating from the (Qing) Ch'ing Dynasty, which were donated by the villagers of Fanling Wai in the New Territories. Other notable acquisitions were a scale model of a 19th century tea clipper and an interesting selection of late 19th century lamp posts.
The museum has been designated as Hong Kong's official archaeological repository. On behalf of the government, it receives for documentation and custody all archaeological material discovered or excavated under licence in the territory. As a result of this significant development, the archaeological reference collections have grown in size and importance and now form the central archaeological archive.
The Antiquities and Monuments Section continued its systematic programme of research, survey and documentation of items of historical and archaeological interest. In its work of recording and preserving Hong Kong's historical heritage, the section enjoyed the co-operation of many government departments, public and private institutions, and individuals.
At the end of the year, eight historical sites had been declared monuments under the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance. On many of these monuments a start has been made on conservation work. Particularly noteworthy projects are the fort at Tung Chung on Lantau Island, the fort ruins on the island of Tung Lung, the ancient kilns at Yi Long Wan, Lantau, and some of the prehistoric and historic rock carvings and inscriptions.
Libraries
The Urban Council and the Urban Services Department operate 19 public libraries. In addition, there are two mobile libraries, three gramophone record libraries and a video- cassette library. The City Hall Library, in Central District, has been designated a United Nations Depository Library by the UN Publications Board.