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FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 1982
TIN HAU TEMPLE DECLARED A MONUMENT
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TIN HAU TEMPLE, ONE OF THE OLDEST AND BEST-KNOWN TEMPLES IN HONG KONG, HAS BEEN DECLARED A MONUMENT.
A NOTICE GIVING PROTECTION TO THE TEMPLE AND ITS FORECOURT UNDER THE ANTIQUITIES AND MONUMENTS ORDINANCE, IS PUBLISHED IN THE GOVERNMENT GAZETTE TODAY.
THE TEMPLE, WHICH IS LOCATED AT 10 TIN HAU TEMPLE ROAD IN CAUSEWAY BAY, DATES BACK PROBABLY TO THE EARLY 18TH CENTURY.
IT WAS BUILT BY MEMBERS OF THE TAI FAMILY AND IS STILL RUN BY THE DESCENDANTS. THE DATE OF THE BUILDING IS UNCERTAIN, BUT THE TEMPLE CONTAINS A BELL CAST IN 1747, AND AN INSCRIPTION ON A STONE TABLET SHOWS THAT LOCAL MERCHANTS AND RESIDENTS MADE DONATIONS IN 1868 TO COVER THE COST OF REPAIRS TO THE TEMPLE.
THE ANTIQUITIES ADVISORY BOARD RECOMMENDED THE DECLARATION OF THE TEMPLE AND ITS FORECOURT AS A MONUMENT BECAUSE OF THE TEMPLE'S HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE. IN ADDITION TO BEING AT LEAST 200 YEARS OLD, THE BUILDING IS A FINE EXAMPLE OF TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE OF THE PERIOD STILL LARGELY IN ITS ORIGINAL FORM DESPITE SUBSEQUENT RENOVATIONS.
THE RECOMMENDATION WAS SUPPORTED BY THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS ON THE GROUNDS THAT TIN HAU TEMPLE IS INDISPUTABLY A BUILDING OF CONSIDERABLE ANTIQUITY AND WORTHY OF PRESERVATION. IT IS ONE OF HONG KONG'S MOST POPULAR TEMPLES AND OFFERS A SERVICE MUCH APPRECIATED BY SOME SEGMENTS OF THE COMMUNITY,
LIONS CLUBS MEMBERS TO PLANT TREES
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MORE THAN 500 NEW TREES WILL IN TIME ADORN THE LIONS WOOD INSIDE THE QUARRY BAY COUNTRY PARK FOLLOWING A SPECIAL TREE- PLANTING DAY ON SUNDAY (MARCH 28).
THE LIONS WOOD IS AN AREA +ADOPTED+ IN OCTOBER LAST YEAR BY THE LIONS CLUBS INTERNATIONAL OF HONG KONG FOR TREE PLANTING.
ON SUNDAY-- THE LIONS TREE PLANTING DAY 300 MEMBERS OF THE 34 CHAPTERS OF THE LIONS CLUBS IN HONG KONG AND VOLUNTARY PARTICIPANTS WILL GATHER IN THE COUNTRY PARK TO PLANT THE TREES.
THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT WILL PROVIDE THE TREE SEEDLINGS, FERTILISERS AND TOOLS FOR THE PLANTING.
THE CEREMONY WILL START AT 10.15 AM ON SUNDAY.