XN000022-1978-07-16 — Page 7

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SUNDAY, JULY 16, 1978

CENTURIES OLD TEMPLE REOPENED

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MORE THAN 800 TING KOK VILLAGERS IN TAI PO TODAY (SUNDAY) CELEBRATED A SPECIAL EVENT -- THE RE-OPENING OF THE VILLAGE'S CHINESE TEMPLE +HIP TIN KUNG+ WHICH HAS A HISTORY STRETCHING OVER MORE THAN TWO CENTURIES.

A RELIGIOUS CEREMONY WAS HELD TO MARK THE COMPLETION OF SIX MONTHS' RESTORATION AND RENOVATION WORK ON THE TEMPLE AT A COST OF $120,000.

THREE-QUARTERS OF THE SUM CAME FROM GRANTS FROM THE CHINESE TEMPLES COMMITTEE AT THE REQUEST OF THE TAI PO DISTRICT OFFICE, WHILE THE REMAINDER WAS CONTRIBUTED BY LOCAL VILLAGERS.

THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY OF THE ANTIQUITIES AND MONUMENTS SECTION, URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, DR. SOLOMON BARD, WHO SUPERVISED THE RESTORATION WORK, DESCRIBED THE RENOVATION AS +A VERY GOOD THING+.

+IN VIEW OF DRAMATIC DEVELOPMENTS OF NEW AND MARKET TOWNS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE COMPLIMENTED FOR ITS EFFORTS IN RESTORING A TEMPLE OF GREAT HISTORICAL VALUE.

+LOCAL PEOPLE ATTACH GREAT IMPORTANCE TO THE TEMPLE,+ DR. BARD SAID.

HE SAID: +HIP TIN KUNG'S+ HISTORY PROBABLY GOES BACK TO 300 YEARS. BUT THE EXACT DATE THE TEMPLE WAS BUILT IS NOT KNOWN.

+ IN THE 50TH YEAR OF CHIEN LUNG (1785) THE TEMPLE WAS EXTENSIVELY RENOVATED,+ HE SAID, ADDING THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL RESTORATIONS IN THE YEARS THAT FOLLOWED.

THE TEMPLE IS DEDICATED TO +KWAN TAI+, THE FAMOUS CHINESE WARRIOR WHO HAS BEEN ACCEPTED BY LOCAL FARMERS AS THE IR PATRON GOD.

+ IT WAS IN GOOD SHAPE UNTIL ABOUT 1945, BUT SINCE THEN IT HAS GRADUALLY DETERIORATED MAINLY THROUGH LACK OF FUNDS FOR ITS MAINTENANCE, + HE SAID.

A RIBBON-CUTTING CEREMONY TO OPEN THE TEMPLE WAS JOINTLY PERFORMED BY THE TAI PO DISTRICT OFFICER, MR. CLIVE OXLEY= THE CHAIRMAN OF THE TAI PO RURAL COMMITTEE, MR. STEPHEN WONG YUEN-CHEUNG AND A MEMBER OF THE CHINESE TEMPLES COMMITTEE, MR. TONG KWOK-WAH.

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