THURSDAY, JANUARY 18, 1990
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KUN TING STUDY HALL TO BE RESTORED
THE KUN TING STUDY HALL AT PING SHAN IN YUEN LONG WILL REGAIN ITS FORMER SPLENDID APPEARANCE AFTER THE COMPLETION OF RESTORATION WORK THERE.
WITH A DONATION OF $2 MILLION FROM THE ROYAL HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB, THE RESTORATION WORK ON THE STUDY HALL STARTED YESTERDAY (WEDNESDAY) AND IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED IN ABOUT NINE MONTHS'
TIME.
BUILDING BEING RESTORED
THE STUDY HALL IS ANOTHER HISTORICAL IN HONG KONG FOLLOWING THE COMPLETION OF RESTORATION WORK ON TAI FU TAI WHICH WAS FUNDED BY A DONATION OF $2.5 MILLION FROM THE ROYAL HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB.
THE STUDY HALL WAS BUILT IN THE MID-19TH CENTURY BY DESCENDANTS OF THE TANG CLAN ΤΟ COMMEMORATE THEIR 21ST GENERATION ANCESTOR, TANG KUN TING (1815-1838), WHO WAS A PROMINENT MEMBER OF THE CLAN.
AT THE TIME THE STUDY HALL WAS CONSTRUCTED, THE INFLEUNCE OF THE TANGS IN YUEN LONG WAS AT ITS HEIGHT AND THE CLAN HAD BUILT MANY ANCESTRAL AND STUDY HALLS IN AND AROUND THE DISTRICT.
THESE HALLS WERE CONSTRUCTED FOR THEIR CHILDREN TO STUDY FOR THE IMPERIAL CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATION ΤΟ BECOME MANDARINS IN THE QING ADMINISTRATION. IN ORDER TO ENHANCE THE FAMILY'S PROMINENT POSITION.
TWO-HALL ENTRANCE
THE BUILDING ITSELF IS A FINE TRADITIONAL CHINESE TYPE BUILDING. WITH THE CENTRAL PORTION CONSISTING OF AN HALL, A COURTYARD AND A MAIN HALL, AND THREE CHAMBER ROOMS ON EITHER SIDE.
THE WOODEN CARVINGS OF THE ROOF BRACKETS, THE PLASTER MOULDINGS, THE CARVED PANELS AND MURALS, THOUGH ALL DILAPIDATED THROUGH LONG NEGLECT, STILL SHOW EXQUISITE WORKMANSHIP OF THE PAST.
AFTER THE DEMOLITION OF SEVERAL OTHER SIMILAR STUDY HALLS, THE BUILDING IS THE BEST OF ITS KIND LEFT IN HONG KONG.
THE STUDY HALL WAS PRESERVED IN 1981 ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE ANTIQUITIES ADVISORY BOARD.
WITH THE CONSENT AND CO-OPERATION OF THE MANAGERS OF TANG SHUNG TAK TONG, THE STUDY HALL WAS CONFERRED THE STATUS OF A DEEMED-TO-BE MONUMENT IN 1986.
THE OWNERS OF THE BUILDING HAD AGREED NOT TO DEMOLISH OR ALTER THE BUILDING WITHIN AN AGREED PERIOD OF TIME, MAINTAIN THE DESIGNATED USE OF THE BUILDING AND ALLOW REASONABLE ACCESS BY THE PUBLIC.
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