NOTES ON
SOME CHINESE CUSTOMS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES
B. D. WILSON*
CONTENTS
1. Introduction
2. Succession
3. Adoption
4. Ching sheung and sheung tin land
5. Land held by clans
6. Family disputes
7. Marriage by proxy
8. Sam p'o tsai
9. Customary agricultural leases
10. Graves
11. Housing-building
12. Some fung shui problems
13. Oaths
14. Money loan associations
15. Names
Introduction
I compiled these notes partly in 1949-51 whilst District Officer, Tai Po, and partly in 1953-55 whilst District Officer, Yuen Long. The object of the notes was to provide basic information for myself and other District Officers so as to achieve some uniformity in our approach and in the handling of common problems that arose in our day-to-day work. The notes represent what I found customary in Tai Po and Yuen Long. I made no
* Mr. Brian Wilson was an Administrative Officer of the Hong Kong Government 1948-1983. He retired as Director of Urban Services in 1983. Mr. Wilson was District Officer, Tai Po 1949-1951, and District Officer, Yuen Long 1953-1955. He was awarded the CBE in 1977. Mr. Wilson was a Founder Member of the Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society,