XN000022-1979-02-24 — Page 4

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1979

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PRINCE CHARLES TO TOUR TSANG TAI UK WALLED VILLAGE

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TSANG TAI UK - AN OLD WALLED VILLAGE AT SHA TIN SET TO RECEIVE A DISTINGUISHED GUEST EARLY NEXT MONTH.

IS ALL

THE GUEST IS NONE OTHER THAN HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE OF WALES WHO WILL BE ON HIS FIRST OFFICIAL VISIT TO HONG KONG BETWEEN MARCH 3 AND 6.

ACCOMPANIED BY THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES,

MR. DAVID AKERS-JONES, PRINCE CHARLES WILL VISIT THE VILLAGE ON MARCH 4 (SUNDAY) AFTER TAKING A PANORAMIC VIEW OF SHA TIN DEVELOP- MENT FROM A VANTAGE POINT AT SIU LEK YUEN.

AT THE VILLAGE ENTRANCE, MR. AKERS-JONES WILL PRESENT LOCAL COMMUNITY LEADERS, INCLUDING THE CHAIRMAN AND VICE-CHAIRMAN OF SHA TIN RURAL COMMITTEE, SUB-COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN OF THE SHA TIN DISTRICT ADVISORY BOARD, AND VILLAGE ELDERS TO PRINCE CHARLES.

HE WILL THEN WALK THROUGH THE VILLAGE

STILL REMAINING INTACT IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

ONE OF THE FEW

TSANG TAI UK MEASURING ABOUT 137 METRES BY 46 METRES WAS BUILT IN TRADITIONAL WALLED VILLAGE STYLE IN ABOUT 1850 BUT, DURING THE PAST 130 YEARS, IT HAS UNDERGONE EXTENSIVE CHANGES AND MODERNISATION WITHIN THE WALLS.

ACCORDING TO LONGTIME RESIDENTS OF THE AREA, THE VILLAGE

WAS FOUNDED BY A MASON NAMED TSANG SAM LEE.

AFTER MAKING HIS FORTUNE QUARRYING FINE STONE, HE DECIDED TO BUILD A VILLAGE HOUSE FOR HIS FAMILY,

CONSTRUCTION WORK STARTED IN ABOUT 1850 AND TOOK SOME 20 YEARS TO COMPLETE AS THE SITE OF THE VILLAGE HAD TO BE RECLAIMED FROM THE SEA AND MOST OF THE BUILDING MATERIALS IMPORTED FROM CHINA,

THE VILLAGE IS DIVIDED INTO THREE ROWS OF TWO-STOREY HOUSES WITH MORE THAN 120 ROOMS.

AT PRESENT, IT HAS ABOUT 700 RESIDENTS, OF WHOM SOME 300 ARE MEMBERS OF THE TSANG CLAN.

BECAUSE OF ITS HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE, THE GOVERNMENT HAS RESOLVED TO RETAIN IT AS PART OF SHA TIN'S HERITAGE IN THE NEW TOWN.

AS A RESULT OF MASSIVE RECLAMATION AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE SURROUNDING AREA, THE VILLAGE IS NOW LYING BELOW THE RECLAIMED LAND.

SPECIAL RESERVOIR AND PUMPING FACILITIES HAVE TO BE PROVIDED TO PREVENT IT FROM FLOODING. WORK ON THIS IS NOW IN PROGRESS,

THE OPEN SPACE IN FRONT OF THE VILLAGE WILL BE DEVELOPED TO PROVIDE A +BUFFER ZONE+ FOR RECREATIONAL PURPOSES.

AS MOST OF THE VILLAGE LAND HAS BEEN RESUMED FOR DEVELOPMENT, THE RESIDENTS HAVE TURNED FROM AN AGRICULTURAL TO AN URBAN TYPE ECONOMY.

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