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THURSDAY, DEMBER 24, 1981
OLD VILLAGE HOUSES PRESERVED
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THE 300-YEAR-OLD VILLAGE HOUSES AT THE CIVIL AID SERVICES' YUEN TUN CAMP SITE WILL BE OFFICIALLY OPENED ON MONDAY (DECEMBER 28).
THE CHIEF STAFF OFFICER OF THE CAS, MR JOHN FORTUNE SAID THE HOUSES HAVE BEEN RENOVATED AND PRESERVED AS PART OF HONG KONG'S HERITAGE.
HE SAID THAT THE SITE WAS GRANTED TO THE CIVIL AID SERVICES 1975 WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE CAS WOULD DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO PRESERVE AND RESTORE THE OLD VILLAGE HOUSES THAT REMAINST STANDING IN THE VILLAGE OF YUEN TUN.
YUEN TUN, WHICH MEANS THE ROUND MOUND+ IN CHINESE, IS LOCATED SOME 200 METRES ABOVE TSING LUNG TAU, AND ITS INDIGENOUS VILLAGERS, THE CHUNG CLAN CAME ABOUT 300 YEARS AGO FROM THE VILLAGE OF TIT LO PA NEAR CHEUNG LOK CITY IN NG WAH DISTRICT, GUANGDONG.
IN THE EARLY 1960S, THE CHUNG CLAN WERE RELOCATED AT TSING LUNG TAU TO MAKE WAY FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TAI LAM CHUNG RESERVOIR.
RENOVATION OF THE VILLAGE HOUSES STARTED EARLIER THIS YEAR WITH FUNDS FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND DONATIONS RAISED PRIVATELY.
MR FORTUNE SAID THAT THE HOUSES ARE FINE EXAMPLES OF ANCIENT CHINESE ARCHITECTURE. OF PARTICULAR INTEREST IS A BLOCK CONSTRUCTED TO A DISTRICT ARCHITECTURAL PATTERN IN RECTANGULAR FORM. AN ANCESTRAL HALL FORMS THE CENTRAL PART, FROM WHICH THERE IS A CORRIDOR CONNECTING ROOMS AND KITCHEN ON EACH SIDE.
OFFICIATING AT MONDAY'S OPENING CEREMONY WILL BE THE CAS COMMISSIONER, MR ROGER LOBO THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR LEWIS DAVIS- THE SECRETARY FOR CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION, MR DAVID AKERS-JONES- AND OTHER LOCAL DIGNITARIES.
NOTE TO EDITORS:
OU ARE INVITED TO COVER THE OPENING OF THE VILLAGE HOUSES AT THE CAS YUEN TUN CAMP SITE ON MONDAY (DECEMBER 28). GOVERNMENT TRANSPORT FOR UP TO 20 PRESS REPRESENTATIVES WILL LEAVE THE CAS KOWLOON TRAINING CENTRE, 204 ARGYLE STREET, AT 1 PM. A CAS PRESS OFFICER WILL ASSIST THE PRESS.
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